A $56.9 million flood mitigation project in Kingwood is moving forward following actions taken by Harris County Commissioners Court and Houston City Council in late March and early April, respectively.

What happened? Harris County commissioners awarded a nearly $29.39 million flood mitigation project to Brice Construction & Design LLC during a business court meeting March 31. Roughly one week later, Houston City Council approved a $10 million appropriation out of the Reimbursement of Equipment/Project Fund and authorized an interlocal agreement with Harris County Flood Control District for the same project, during the April 7 council meeting.

About the project: The Taylor Gully Channel Conveyance Improvements and Woodridge Stormwater Detention Basin project aims to reduce the risk of flooding in Kingwood through a combination of channel conveyance improvements and a stormwater detention basin, per the HCFCD website. The project was identified as part of the Kingwood Drainage Analysis Study and is being funded with $41.94 million from Community Development Block Grant-Mitigation funding and $19.2 million from other funding sources, per the HCFCD website.

A new location for Mediterranean restaurant The Kebab Shop is coming to Kingwood, according to the restaurant’s website.

The details: Construction on the roughly $375,000 project is set to begin in July and will consist of renovating a roughly 3,000-square-foot existing space, according to an April 7 filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

The Kebab Shop serves Mediterranean bowls, wraps and plates that can be customized, according to the company's website.

What’s next: While the restaurant’s website does not include a projected opening date, the TDLR filing indicates construction on the project is expected to begin in July and wrap up in December.

• Opening date TBD
• 4361 Kingwood Drive, Kingwood

The Harris County-Houston Sports Authority announced April 8 that the home of the Houston Rockets will receive $180 million in upgrades through fall 2027.

Mapping it out: During a presentation to the HCHSA board of directors, Gretchen Sheirr, president of business operations with the Rockets, announced significant interior and exterior changes coming to the Toyota Center, which opened in 2003.

“When you look at what has happened in those 23 years, and you think about what will happen in the next 23 years, we’re really excited about it,” Sheirr said.

Those upgrades include:

• 3,100 square feet extended main entrance with a glass facade
• New atrium upon entering the main entrance, with space for gathering
• Members lounge over the new entrance
• Expanded team store with an additional set of doors
• Standing room and general admission space for events
• Heightened suites that will raise ceilings about 18 inches for more space

Houston will expand a program that uses artificial intelligence for traffic sensors and signal timing.

Houston City Council approved over $715,000 to deploy the No Traffic Autonomous Traffic Management Platform at various intersections throughout the city.

How it works: City officials said the program, which is a cloud-based system, uses AI sensors and makes real-time signal timing adjustments by monitoring the traffic flows, instead of a fixed, timed signal. It also makes adjustments and exceptions for emergency vehicles.

Council member Sallie Alcorn said at the April 8 meeting that using AI at the city helps in many ways.

“Save money, make traffic flow better,” she said. “This is the way of the future: real-time traffic considerations can be done by AI, and I hope this works out and we expand it.”