Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones Unveils Nearly $50 Million Investment in Transformational Infrastructure Across Precinct 4

20 infrastructure projects advance through Commissioner Briones' Places 4 People initiative, including first-ever collaboration with City of Katy

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Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones announced nearly $50 million in sustainable infrastructure projects spanning the City of Houston, the City of Katy, and unincorporated Harris County. This second year of her Places 4 People: Call 4 Projects will enhance public safety, reduce flooding, improve mobility, and expand access to parks and trails.


“This investment underscores the power of partnerships to maximize taxpayer dollars and drive progress. City residents pay county taxes, and they deserve to see a clear return on that investment. I am energized by our collaboration with leadership at the City of Houston and the City of Katy to benefit our shared constituents. By working together on these critical infrastructure projects, we are creating a better, stronger, and safer Harris County,” said Commissioner Briones.


Investing in Collaboration

The $48.8 million initiative leverages $17.7 million in Precinct funding with $31.1 million from partners, including the City of Houston, City of Katy, METRO, Houston Parks Board, and several municipal utility districts (MUDs).


The 20 selected projects include:

  • 10 hike and bike trail constructions
  • Three roadway improvements
  • Three sidewalk constructions
  • One drainage improvement project
  • One intersection improvement project
  • One traffic signal improvement project
  • One bus shelter expansion project


Key Highlights

City of Houston investments: $7.6 million in projects, spanning council districts A, C, F, G, and J, will include intersection safety enhancements, traffic signal replacements, and studies to address drainage and trail connectivity. Precinct 4 is contributing $4.4 million to these projects.


METRO Bus Shelters: A $6 million project—with $1 million from Precinct 4—will add transit shelters, prioritizing Gulfton and Sharpstown where residents rely heavily on public transit and face higher heat risks.


Houston Parks Board: A $1.6 million feasibility study will plan a 2.7-mile Spring Branch trail connecting Wirt Road to the White Oak Bayou Greenway, with $988,000 from Precinct 4.


City of Katy Partnership: A $1.3 million design study will explore widening Katy Fort Bend Road to improve safety and mobility near the Katy Boardwalk District. Precinct 4 and the City of Katy will share costs equally.


Harris County MUD 478’s Baethe Road Corridor Improvements: A $17 million project, supported by $5 million from Precinct 4, will construct a 2-mile boulevard with utilities, walking trails, and landscaping. This project will connect Warren Ranch Road to Katy-Hockley Road and provide direct access to the new Waller ISD multi-campus site, enhancing connectivity in a rapidly growing area.


Addressing High-Need Areas

17 of the projects target areas with medium-to-high socioeconomic vulnerability, ensuring resources address the communities most in need.


“Our communities across western Harris County continue to grow, and our infrastructure must keep pace with that growth. I am grateful to our partners for heeding the call to invest in our neighborhoods to meet the needs of today and plan for our future,” Commissioner Briones said.


“Commissioner Briones has been a great partner, and I appreciate and thank her for her support and collaboration. The projects chosen in the city limits, including the METRO bus shelters, will significantly enhance our infrastructure, providing new mobility options, and promising a better quality of life for all Houstonians,” said Mayor Whitmire.


“The Gulfton Revitalization Project is more than just a transit improvement - it’s a transformative investment in the community. We already made strides toward this goal with recent grant funding for transit-oriented development planning, and upgraded bus shelters are a vital piece of this community improvement. These shelters will provide a much-needed respite from the elements, particularly during the hot summer months,” said METRO Chair Elizabeth Gonzalez Brock. “We are thankful to Commissioner Briones for her leadership and are ready to continue our joint commitment to revitalize a community of our customers that has been long underserved.”


“We are honored to continue to build upon our partnership with Precinct 4 and Commissioner Lesley Briones as part of the Places4People initiative,” said Beth White, President and CEO of Houston Parks Board. “With the power of public-private partnerships and Precinct 4’s generous support, we are building a network of trails that promote recreation, provide safe transportation, and connect our diverse communities across Harris County.”


Project funding will become available in fiscal year 2025 - 2026.


For more information about the Places 4 People initiative and upcoming projects, click here.

Calling all bird lovers: Celebrate National Bird Day at Kleb Woods in Precinct 4

By lbpxwhkvndfqycdw2mh3 • January 3, 2025
Every Wednesday at 8:30 a.m., a small group of people, binoculars in hand, set out on the nearly 0.75-mile trail at Precinct 4’s Kleb Woods Nature Center. The trail is quiet. The only thing the visitors can hear is the soft hum of the highway and the crunch of leaves under their feet. But, if they’re still, they can hear what they came for—the occasional chirp of a bird hiding in the brush or flitting between the trees. Every year, thousands of people visit Kleb Woods, located between Hockley and Tomball, with the hope of spotting some of the more than 200 bird species that live in the Harris County area. The center hosts both weekly bird walks and an annual hummingbird festival in September. On a weekly bird walk in the winter, visitors can spot anything from sedge wrens and rufous hummingbirds to orange-crowned warblers, cedar waxwings, and great-horned owls. When someone spots a bird, they get to add it to the running list of nearly 50 recent bird sittings on the center’s wall.

Q&A: What is Daikin?

January 2, 2025

2024 Year in Review: Harris County Precinct 4 Delivers Progress

December 23, 2024
Residents in Harris County Precinct 4—from Katy to Tomball to Spring Branch, all the way up to Hockley and Waller—have seen major changes in their neighborhoods. Commissioner Lesley Briones and her team of over 460 public servants dedicated 2024 to addressing urgent needs while laying a strong foundation for the future. From responding to disasters, to building sidewalks, to securing free healthcare, the Precinct 4 team is improving lives today while preparing for tomorrow. “Each and every day, my team and I work to prove that government can deliver for the people,” said Commissioner Lesley Briones. “We hustle for our residents because they deserve nothing less. In 2024, we expanded critical services, strengthened community partnerships, and connected with every corner of the Precinct. I am energized to ramp up our efforts even further next year.” Here are some key highlights from 2024 and the difference they’ve made in our communities: Justice and Safety Invested in key areas of Harris County’s Criminal District Courts to make the justice system more efficient and fairer, benefitting victims, defendants, and their families Expanded support for domestic violence survivors through funding for children exposed to DV , yearly investment in the Domestic Violence Assistance Fund, a new community outreach and education campaign, and a $1 million award to the Houston Area Women’s Center Strengthened law enforcement by adding funding for the TeleDeputy and VIPER programs into the county’s annual budget to reduce response times and target violent offenders Infrastructure Secured voter approval for Flood Control District Proposition A , ensuring repairs and upgrades to aging flood control infrastructure across the County Allocated $20M for n ew sidewalks to connect children and families to schools, work, places of worship and more Cleared several thousand truckloads of debri s while providing direct assistance to residents in need Invested $48 million in sustainable infrastructure across Precinct 4 through 2024 Places 4 People Health Launched a free health clinic with Baylor College of Medicine for teens and young adults ages 13-24, offering immunizations, sick visits, physicals, contraception, and mental health counseling Opened La Tiendita at Bayland Community Center to bring free, high-quality food, nutrition education, and other resources Installed four lactation pods in county court buildings to provide nursing parents a private place to pump Planted 1,200 trees in Alief through the Barbara Quattro Forest initiative to cool one of the hottest neighborhoods in Houston Education and Economic Opportunity Invested an additional $6.7 million into countywide apprenticeship program , bringing the total to $17.6 million in federal funds —the county’s largest-ever investment in paid training for quality union jobs Created a $17 million small business loan fund to support community growth Hosted over a dozen small business workshops to help business owners learn more about county contracts Good Government Approved a $2.67 billion budget after holding five town halls to gather community input, funding critical services like roads, drainage, law enforcement, and more Hosted six listening tours across the Precinct to hear residents’ ideas, concerns, and suggestions Increased property tax exemption for homeowners who are 65+ and/or disabled from $275,000 to $320,000 and exempted qualifying childcare centers from 100% of their County property taxes Received a $11.3 million National Park Service grant to improve Burnett Bayland Park In the Community Offered free summer programming to hundreds of children at Precinct parks and community centers Allowed the sale of fireworks for Diwali for the first time Showcased student artists through Precinct 4 bus design contest Precinct 4 is here to serve you. As we reflect on 2024’s progress, we are already planning for an even brighter future in 2025. Make it your New Year’s resolution to explore everything Precinct 4 has to offer—because when we invest in our communities, we all thrive.
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