21 Mar Real Solutions for the Pelican Island Bridge

Pelican Island is an untapped resource when it comes to Economic Development. One of the reasons this development has been slow coming is because of the need for a new Bridge. There has been an ongoing discussion about building a New Bridge for years. The County was always leading the charge in these discussions, and the City was a participant.

Recently the County decided to pass the baton on to another entity as far as the Champion of the project is concerned. At that time, the Managerial Staff of the City and I committed to moving this project forward. Meetings were scheduled with each participating entity and TxDOT to discuss their concerns with the project. Our goal was to develop a contractual document that would allow adequate funding and detail each entity’s responsibilities.

After many months and numerous meetings, this document is in its final stages. The participants are now coming together to make this Bridge a reality. Final approval is planned for this summer, with the two-year construction project set to begin in 2023.

With a new Bridge, the Port and the City can begin formal discussions with Maritime oriented companies and the Port of Houston to develop a plan to use the many acres of undeveloped land on Pelican Island. This plan will allow us to unlock the potential for economic growth in this area that has eluded us for decades.

Development means increased Jobs and additional Revenue for the City and Port which benefits us all.

I’ll keep you posted as this project nears finalization.

Craig