Byron Hebert – City of Katy photo
By George Slaughter
The rapidly growing Katy area is going to get some help as it works to reduce traffic congestion. The City of Katy will receive approximately $120 in METRO funds over the next 20 years for street expansions and improvements, city administrator Byron Hebert said at a State of the City Luncheon Thursday.
Hebert, Mayor Bill Hastings, and city Tourism, Marketing, and Public Relations Director Kayce Reina used the occasion to provide an overview of ongoing city projects.
The Katy Area Chamber of Commerce hosted the event at the Embassy Suites, 16435 Katy Freeway. A chamber official said approximately 265 people attended.
Hebert said the money was authorized through the recent METRONext Moving Forward campaign, a bond issue which voters approved last November. The city expects to receive $6 million per year for improving area transportation.
For Katy city residents, the key is transportation between the north and south of Katy. In an interview after the luncheon, Hebert said the city wants to reduce north and south-bound traffic congestion.
“We’re looking to move people faster,” Hebert said.
To do this, the city is looking at north and south-bound streets to expand, thus taking traffic off of Avenue D. Hebert said the streets that would be rebuilt would have better drainage.
“We’re looking at ways to expand streets from two lanes to four lanes,” Heber said.
The Texas Department of Transportation will also be involved in redeveloping the eight-mile section of Interstate 10 between Pin Oak Road and Brookshire.
Transportation was one of several issues that city leaders discussed at the luncheon.
Mayor Bill Hastings – City of Katy photo
Hebert also repeated the city’s call for the construction of the of a Cypress Creek reservoir for flood prevention. The proposed reservoir was expected to be built in 1940, he said, but it was never done and as was seen with Hurricane Harvey in 2017, floodwaters from an overflowing Cypress Creek, just north of Katy, impact the city.
As for flood control projects being addressed within the city, Hebert briefly listed various such as two regional detention ponds, street and drainage improvements at 1st St., Franz Road, and Morton Road, culvert improvements at Grant Road, and a ditch cleanout at Cane Island subdivision.
Hastings, who served as police chief before being elected mayor last May, addressed public safety issues. He said nine new officers have joined the police department, including an officer who specializes in enforcing commercial vehicle safety laws. The new police substation at Katy Mills Mall has opened, and police have also substation at the Katy Mills Mall has opened. The police have also purchased a new explosive detection dog.
Hastings said eight new firefighters have joined the fire department, which recently took delivery of a new ladder truck.
Hebert said 56% of city expenditures was for public safety.
Reina described the progress of the Katy Boardwalk Project, a mixed-use development just south of Katy Mills Mall. Drivers traveling along Kingsland Boulevard, where the development is going up, have seen the parking garage constructed on the south side. The convention center will be constructed later this year, along with a hotel, set to open next year.
Kayce Reina – City of Katy photo
“We’re really excited about this project,” Reina said.
Another project Reina is overseeing is the development of the town square across the street from City Hall. The old city hall has been converted into a civic center and a visitor center, among other changes.
The civic center has been finished and has been used for city events, such as Monday’s Keep Katy Beautiful “Trash Talk” forum. However, Reina said she and city staff are develop guidelines for public events there. She said the guidelines, when completed, require city council approval.
The visitor center has also been completed, but Reina said an interior designer must be selected. The designer will be responsible for the Katy heritage scenes and exhibits that will be displayed in the visitor center. She and city staff are interviewing likely candidates for that job, and the vendor must be approved by the council.