So unless you've studiously avoided it, you've noticed that there are now only two lanes each direction on Eagle Drive SOUTH of the Canal. These two lanes are, of course, what will eventually be the east side, north bound lanes of traffic. You begin to get an idea of just what has been involved with all of this. It's at once fun to watch and a little frustrating as things progress. We're going to have to deal with delays as construction traffic moves in and out, and just regular folks trying to get to the post office or the school or their favorite shop. As we all move around on the roadway, it is good to remember to be patient. It's worth it.
The west side, south bound lanes are now under construction. The construction of these lanes should go quicker, as there will be less drainage work that needs to take place. Also, one of the things that kind of held up the construction of the north bound lanes was some sanitary sewer work that needed to take place before the road could be completed. Now that all that's done, the rest should be a breeze. The goal initially was to have all four lanes open before school starts. That is looking like it is going to be unfeasible at this point, but they are still working as quickly as they can to get these lanes open to traffic as soon as possible, so that the school traffic can be accommodated.
You will notice that the relative height of the road will be much lower, but that will be less noticeable once the entire roadway has been changed to the correct height. The roadway overall is much lower than the previous road. This is to facilitate drainage in the roadway in an extreme event (flooding will happen in the road, instead of in adjacent properties), as well as drainage channels out to nearby waterways (Cotton Bayou, mainly, but also some to Hackberry Gully). For those of us who have become accustomed to the relative flatness of our road interchanges, we may take some adjusting to get things so they seem OK. But in the mean time, it's interesting and fun, and certainly keeps you on your toes... :)
As always, if you have questions about what's going on, please feel free to stop by my office. I've had several people come in and talk about it, and it's always helpful for me and everyone to share information. Just remember - patience! We'll all get there.
