A plan being developed by the Texas General Land Office and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would spend as much as $32 billion to protect the Houston-Galveston area from storm surges.
The project would construct the nation’s most ambitious and expensive coastal barrier system. It would consist of 12-foot-high sand dune-topped levees to protect beachfront homes and businesses as well as a storm surge barrier system.
The plan has already gone through revisions to make it more effective and more environmentally friendly. The plan has drawn criticism from the Galveston business community which says a proposed ring levee would hinder cargo and passenger loading at the Port of Galveston. Environmentalists are concerned that a gate system between Galveston and Bolivar to block storm surges would diminish exchange of saltwater and freshwater between Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico that is important to marine life.
The Houston-Galveston region, home to millions of people and the nation’s largest petrochemical complex, is vulnerable to massive storm surges and currently has no comprehensive storm protection system.
Related Stories
Contractors | Jun 30, 2016
Chicago contractor found guilty of fraud on city’s requirement on minority-owned businesses
Alleged to have been sham business in bid to win city public works contract.
Codes and Standards | Jun 29, 2016
OSHA starts evaluation of construction industry noise standards
New studies indicate significant number of construction workers suffer hearing loss.
Seismic Design | Jun 28, 2016
ASTM International updates seismic risk standards
Expected to improve consistency of risk evaluation on commercial real estate transactions.
Codes and Standards | Jun 17, 2016
Feds publish framework for evaluating public-private partnerships
No single factor determines whether a project yields stronger benefit as a P3.
AEC Tech | Jun 17, 2016
Driverless cars could soon start impacting commercial, retail project design
Offsite parking and more space for valet parking lines are among the foreseeable changes.
Codes and Standards | Jun 17, 2016
Bay State moves toward single BIM protocol on state projects
Massport’s guidelines a step forward for integrated BIM initiative.
Multifamily Housing | Jun 14, 2016
San Francisco voters approve tougher affordability requirement on new housing development
Critics charge that the measure may backfire and actually reduce new affordable units.
Concrete | Jun 13, 2016
American Concrete Institute releases new Guide to Shotcrete
Includes information on application procedures, testing.
Healthcare Facilities | Jun 10, 2016
Top 10 health technology hazards include some influenced by space design
ECRI Institute’s annual list includes operational and workflow issues.
Codes and Standards | Jun 9, 2016
Supreme Court ruling could aid developers on properties containing wetlands
Unanimous decision allows landowners to take regulatory decisions straight to court.