Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones held her second town hall of 2026 on April 11 at West Memorial Junior High School, 22311 Provincial in Katy, with about 100 attendees gathered to hear updates and to ask questions of the commissioner and her staff. Briones was introduced by Deysi Crespo, executive director for Clothed by Faith.

Nearly 100 active infrastructure projects are in progress across the precinct, Briones said, including drainage improvements, facilities, parks and green spaces and transportation enhancements. Two projects in the Katy area are in the permitting process -- the Greenbelt Park and Trail project which is improving trail connections along South Fry, Westgreen and Highland Knolls, and the Green Trails and Heatherwood Park project which will replace 9,000 feet of sidewalk within Katy ISD.

Another project – Sidewalks 4 Precinct 4 – will complete 75 miles of new sidewalks in the precinct by the time school starts, Briones said. It also will include over four miles of sidewalks on S. Mason Road south to the Fort Bend County line, improving access to grocery stores for area residents, particularly those who live in nearby apartment complexes.

Crosswalks 4 Precinct 4, which ensures safe crossings for school children who walk to school, has improved crosswalks for over 30 schools in Katy and other parts of the precinct, including Golbow Elementary, Morton Ranch Elementary, Morton Ranch High School and T. H. McDonald Junior High School, Briones said.

Briones also described “Vision Zero,” a strategy to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries among all road users. In order to improve safety along the High Injury Network, the precinct has built 20 miles of new sidewalks in that area and is rebuilding traffic signals and improving intersections at 23 locations. Upgraded stop, yield and wrong-way signs will be installed at 300 locations. Improvements have also been made to Morton Road at its intersections with Elrod Road and at Morton Cove Lane, she said.

In the area of “good government,” Briones announced improvements to the Radack Community Center, set to kick off in June, which will keep county facilities powered through the Distributed Energy Resources Project. Upgrades include solar panels, energy storage systems and electric vehicle charging stations. The Radack Center, at 18650 Clay Road in Houston near Greenhouse Road, serves the greater Katy area.

Under education and economic opportunity, the commissioner talked about the county’s Apprenticeship Advantage program designed to help participants earn while learning new skills to prepare them for better-paying jobs. Precinct 4 staff members also outlined how small businesses could receive guidance in qualifying to bid on county contracts.

In the arena of health and increased access to health services, Briones described mobile units which provide dental care and mom and baby care at some precinct community centers. She announced that a

partnership with Houston Methodist will be coming to the Radack Community Center this summer but did not outline specific details of that program.

Jessica Wiggins, Precinct 4 manager of community planning, gave an update on flood prevention and protection work being done at the Barker Reservoir, where a $10 million investment will provide maintenance at eight locations within the reservoir in the Katy area. She also outlined progress on intersection upgrades, with nine projects completed in 2025, five more signals planned for 2026 and 12 signals coming throughout the precinct in 2027. Other components to the project include pedestrian upgrades and roadway improvements.

Wiggins also gave more detail on the precinct’s partnership with the City of Katy for improvements to Katy Fort Bend Road between Interstate 10 and Kingsland Blvd. The project will include sidewalks and shared-use paths to connect neighborhoods to the Katy Boardwalk, Katy Mills Mall and community amenities, as well as underground utilities and improved curb-and-gutter drainage. Lanes will be redesigned to support the area’s future growth, she said. The study and final design for the project is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2028.

Wiggins also explained on the redevelopment of Mason Road from Franz Road south to the Fort Bend County line. The “Mason Road Reimagining” will kick off in the second quarter of this year with an analysis of existing conditions and a “community values” workshop. A set of preliminary alternatives is expected to be presented in the third quarter, followed by a “vision and alternatives” workshop in the fourth quarter. The selection of a preferred alternative is expected in the first quarter of 2027.

Tina Petersen, executive director of the Harris County Flood Control District, gave an update on the Barker and Addicks Reservoir improvements and other flood control maintenance work being done across the county.

More than 30 county departments and area nonprofit organizations set up tables at the event in order to share information with the community, including Katy Responds, Hope Impacts, Clothed by Faith, Harris County ESD 48, Rotary Club of Katy, Scouting America, Houston City College and others.