Sugar Land - Missouri City Edition | February 2023

BOND MOVEMENT The city of Missouri City will make headway this year on numerous projects from its $85.85 million

put a Band-Aid,” he said. With the cost of materials increasing, Kumar said the city is keeping an eye on costs of planned bond projects. He said prices peaked in 2022, and while the prices have not returned to prepan- demic level, officials are seeing prices taper and come down. While the city has not seen the cost escalation in 2021 bond projects so far, as many are only in the design phase, Kumar said the city is prepared to han- dle whatever may come with bond contingency funds. “We may have to do some what we call pencil sharpening or creative proj- ect engineering changes … to keep the cost down and control based on the funding that has been allocated,” he said. Parks projects Three major parks projects are slated to begin this year, said Jason Magnum, Missouri City Parks and Recreation director. Freedom Tree Park, located at 4219 Freedom Tree Drive, is set to be transformed into the park land that its name implies. The park will include gathering spaces, pergolas, a play- ground, a stage and space for public art. The tree’s historical significance dates back to 1865, when African American slaves on the Palmer planta- tion were notified under the tree that they were free and given the option of continuing to work on the plantation, said Chris Godbold, chair of the Fort Bend County Historical Commission. “It’s sort of the center of Juneteenth celebrations here in Fort Bend County,” he said. “I don’t know if there’s any other site quite like that in our county, where there was a large proclamation of that and the site of it is still there.” So far, $700,000 has been allocated toward the project’s design with a total cap of roughly $3.5 million. Before any action can be taken on the park, how- ever, Magnum said the city is working to resolve an easement issue. The largest park project by far, however, is Sta-Mo Sports Complex, located off Moore Road. The project, which will overhaul the current park, will see the inclusion of facilities to accommodate a half-dozen sports fields as well as outdoor playgrounds. “We have to totally raze everything, and we have to start with drainage, starting with the underground up,” Magnum said. “It’s a lot more than just the amenities that people see when they go to the park.” So far, the city estimates the project

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City Council has approved issuing debt twice: last summer and again in December. This will allow the city to access about $24 million in bond funds after it receives the most recent issu- ance this spring. Public Works Director Shashi Kumar said the city should receive the most recent round of funding in March, which will allow the city to pay for design and construction of various bond projects. “[It] was always the expectation the projects and funding would be available roughly a year after because the intent when the proposition was passed was that there would be little or no impact on existing tax rates,” he said. City Manager Angel Jones, who was hired in December, said in an email the status of the bond has not changed. She said she is assessing all operations, policies and procedures. “When citizens see improvements throughout the community, excite- ment becomes tangible. I share the same excitement and anticipation for Missouri City and our citizens,” she said. “Being fiscally responsible and continuing to elevate the profile of Missouri City is paramount to me.” Addressing aging infrastructure Of the $24 million of debt Missouri City will receive from the bond, $15.9 million has been earmarked for mobility projects, Kumar said. The city plans to create round- abouts or add traffic signals along Lake Olympia Parkway intersections, improve traffic signal cabinets city- wide and begin reconstructing streets in five areas. Designs for Lake Olympia will wrap up in early summer, and the city will bid the project in fall or late 2023, Kumar said. Other significant mobility projects planned include the roughly $7 million Lexington Boulevard reconstruction and the roughly $5.5 million Cartwright Road reconstruction, he said. Design is underway on both projects; construc- tion is scheduled to begin in late 2023 or early 2024 for both as well. A large chunk of the mobility por- tion of the bond is meant to rehabili- tate older roads while also expanding roadway capacities to prepare for the future, Kumar said. “The major emphasis on the bond projects in [2021] was street recon- struction projects; these are existing streets which are 30, 40, 50 years old and are at a point where you cannot

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bond package approved by voters in November 2021 In March, the city will have obtained about $24 million of the bond so far, which will fund the construction and design of projects this year.

FONDREN RD.

LEXINGTON BLVD.

INDEPENDENCE BLVD.

COLONIAL LAKES DR.

VALLEY MANOR DR.

ASHMONT DR.

STREETS

LANTERN LN.

MISSION VALLEY DR.

1 LAKE OLYMPIA PARKWAY INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS

CAVE RUN DR.

The project will add roundabouts or traffic signals along Lake Olympia Parkway at the intersections of 1A Crow Valley, 1B Peninsulas and 1C Misty Hollow drives. Total cost: $2 million Timeline: fall or late 2023-fall 2024

PENINSULAS DR.

LAKE OLYMPIA PKWY.

PARKS

2 LEXINGTON BOULEVARD RECONSTRUCTION

5 FREEDOM TREE PARK RENOVATION Adjacent to the Freedom Tree, the project will add gathering spaces, pergolas and playgrounds as well as a stage and places for public art. Total cost: $3.5 million Timeline: spring 2023-TBD

The project includes reconstructing the road’s pavement and drainage enhancements from Laurel Green Road to Lexington Grove Drive. Fort Bend County is partnering on this project, so no debt has been issued by the city yet. Total cost: $7 million Timeline: late 2023 or early 2024-TBD

6 STA-MO SPORTS COMPLEX REMODEL

3 CARTWRIGHT ROAD RECONSTRUCTION

The project will overhaul the park, adding playgrounds and sports fields, including baseball, pickleball, cricket, outdoor volleyball, softball and basketball. Total cost: $15 million Timeline: spring 2024-TBD 7 RIDGEVIEW PARK UPGRADES Project includes park amenities, such as pavilions, walking paths and infrastructure replacements. Total cost: $800,000 Timeline: TBD-winter 2023

The project includes reconstructing the road’s pavement and drainage enhancements from east of Colonial Lakes Drive to east of FM 1092. Fort Bend County is partnering on this project. Total cost: $5.5 million Timeline: spring 2024-TBD

to cost around $15 million, $10 million of which will come from the 2021 bond. The other $5 million will have to come from partnerships with the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and grants from sport-specific organizations. Because of the size and scope of the Sta-Mo Sports Complex, design for the project is not expected to be com- pleted for 12 months, Magnum said. Conversely, $800,000 has been set aside for Ridgeview Park for general 4 STREET RECONSTRUCTION Five areas will have their roadways repaved. Affected areas include 4A Valley Manor Drive, 4B Lantern Lane, 4C East Hampton Circle, 4D Cave Run Drive and 4E various streets in the Fondren Park neighborhood. Total cost: $9.6 million Timeline: fall 2023-fall 2024

NOTE: ALL PROJECTS ARE CURRENTLY IN DESIGN PHASE EXCEPT RIDGEVIEW PARK, WHICH IS IN CONSTRUCTION PHASE.

SOURCE: MISSOURI CITY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

park amenities, to include pavilions, walking paths and infrastructure replacements. In the future, some of the bond’s funding may go toward developing some of the city’s undeveloped park land, which Magnum said is greater than the amount of developed parks.

For more information, visit communityimpact.com .

SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION • FEBRUARY 2023