A new year...

Happy New Year, everyone!

I hope that 2012 was prosperous and successful for all of you.

As we look forward to 2013, there are a number of projects that are coming to completion and a number of others that will take off.

Eagle Drive is coming right along. The southbound lanes are open beginning at around the post office and it's lovely. The traffic light is in operation at the Lakes of Champions intersection, and as one who lives down there, I appreciate the break it affords me in the traffic. This will also help as we move school traffic in and around the area. Eagle Drive will be completed soon - prior to the opening of school next fall.

Speaking of the schools, Barbers Hill ISD is looking to build a new building to the east. This is on some property the ISD already owns that extends beyond the existing Perry Drive. As a result, the school, City, County, and local industry, are all working together to fund an extension and expansion of Perry Drive that will ultimately connect Eagle Drive to FM 565 east. The County is working with the State on the FM 1409 extension from FM 565 north to IH-10, and further down to FM 565 south. All of these projects are slated to begin very soon and are targeted to be completed for the 2014 school year. The school opening is a bit of a moving target, however, so stay tuned for updates on that.

Other projects that are winding up include the sewer improvements we've completed with GLO disaster recovery funds. These improvements, as I've noted in past posts, will make it possible for us to withstand future major events (hurricanes) better. While these projects are mainly not visible (those who live along the streets affected have seen their driveways taken up while the sewer lines were put in), the effects of having these improvements in place will be felt in an event. One of the major problems we had in Hurricane Ike dealt with the power outage to our sewer lift stations. The projects we have been working on will reduce the dependence on electrical power for lift stations by half, and provide emergency generators to the remaining lift stations. We will be in a much better position to recover more quickly and resist negative impacts of future storms due to the $4 million we've used from federal funds (only a very small local contribution has been put into the projects).

So stay tuned! 2013 is shaping up to be another exciting year here in Mont Belvieu!