

Project totaled 640 acres including 1256 Residential Lots. EHRA designed, created construction plans, publicly bid and preformed Construction management.
EHRA performed preliminary drainage area delineations for nine creek crossings and calculated approximate 100-year flows for each culvert crossing. Culvert structures were sized for each of the six crossings, ranging from 48” round pipe culverts up to dual 5’x5’ box culverts.
On-going surveying for property acquisition and engineering design surveys of re-routing of Buffalo Bayou north of downtown Houston between North Main Street and McKee Street. Services to be provided include “soundings” for Buffalo and White Oak Bayous.
EHRA completed preliminary engineering, phase one environmental site assessment and schematic development for the widening of Northpark Dr. between US 59 and Woodland Hills Dr. EHRA also provided program management, drainage analysis and design, traffic engineering, environmental documentation and schematic design for the roadway, as well as grade separation at the Loop 494/UPRR railroad crossing.
EHRA conducted traffic operations and access management studies for the Northpark Dr. corridor. This corridor is approximately 2.2 miles long and has major signalized and unsignalized intersections and driveways that access various subdivisions and industrial developments. These studies laid the groundwork for the widening of Northpark Dr. from a four-lane boulevard cross-section to a six-lane boulevard complete street. The new street design includes low impact development drainage, conventional drainage, a grade separation at the UPRR crossing with mechanically stabilized earth retaining walls, two at-grade crossings for bi-directional frontage access, reconstruction of two concrete bridges over a diversion channel, intersection improvements, a roadway-adjacent multiuse path and traffic signal improvements.
Drainage analysis and design included hydrologic and hydraulic studies of both existing and proposed conditions to demonstrate that proposed project components would not adversely affect the 100-year floodplain in the area. The roadway and traffic designs contained horizontal and vertical alignments, cross-sections, plan and profile, sidewalk and bicycle accommodations, intersection layouts, traffic control plans and signing and pavement markings.
As the program management firm, EHRA coordinated with TxDOT, UPRR, the City of Houston Council District E, COH Planning and Development Department, COH Public Works and Engineering Department, Montgomery County, Harris County, HCFCD and area residents throughout the project.
In 2006, Caldwell Companies sought to create Towne Lake as a community where residents and services could be connected by water. Their vision included boat docks and marinas augmenting traditional walking trails to navigate a vibrant residential community. EHRA was the perfect partner to take Caldwell Companies’ vision and create this livable suburban oasis.
I am proud to say that I have been connected to the EHRA Engineering family my entire life. My father began his career with the firm in 1965, two years before I came into this world - surveying is in my DNA.
During the first 15 years of my surveying endeavor, I attended some college courses but was never on a path to earn a degree. Then in 1998, the Texas Board of Professional Land Surveying mandated that those desiring to become a Registered Professional Land Surveyor (RPLS) must obtain their Surveyor in Training (SIT) certificate by October 2000 or have a four-year degree to take the RPLS exam. With the support and encouragement of Terry Russ, third generation owner of EHRA and father of current President and CEO Jim Russ, I cracked the books for the next two years and passed that SIT exam.
What makes a good surveyor? A strong work ethic, experience and the hunger for knowledge will get you there. EHRA is fortunate to have a senior staff of four RPLS’s with over one hundred combined years of service to the industry. The satisfaction of a job well done for our clients is matched by the successes of the team. Today we have four SITs on the team that are on the path to becoming our RPLS’s of the future. The EHRA surveying team is in good hands for many years to come.
Our team is also heavily involved with the Certified Survey Technician (CST) program through the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS). The CST program helps us understand our weaknesses and where we need to improve. We have eight team members who have obtained certification through the program, ranging from CST Level I to CST Level IV. To support our team members’ advancement in this program, we frequently have study groups at the EHRA office.
Education is important for everyone, and it is never too late to jump-start your career. From the Rodman on the field crew digging for boundary corners to the RPLS signing and sealing the final deliverable for our clients, we want to improve at our practice every day. The advancement and achievements of our team is a top priority at EHRA.
Thank you, Mr. Russ, for showing me the leadership tools to inspire the next generation of EHRA surveyors.