

EHRA worked with the District to create a comprehensive Parks Master Plan, which included recommendations for the development of over two miles of hike/bike trails adjacent to local streets, and within flood control and utility pipeline easements. The District began implementation of the Plan by prioritizing the beautification of West Road, a major arterial street that runs through the District.
This project was the second phase of parks implementation outlined in the District's Parks Master Plan, which was completed by EHRA in 2007. Utilizing the site of a recently demolished former wastewater treatment plant provided an opportunity to create a passive park space for District residents.
EHRA was selected by the client to provide engineering design and to serve as District Engineer for the 2,400 acre Towne Lake Development. Our survey department retraced the overall boundary and performed a topographic survey of the site.
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.
EHRA designed an expansion that implemented the installation of a new triplex lift station operating in conjunction with the existing duplex lift station.
To be honest, I never expected to find myself in engineering. Rather than choosing this path on my own, I like to say that Engineering chose me. My journey to this career is anything but typical. I never wanted to go to college, nor did I imagine this future when I grew up. My family and I immigrated to America in the early 90’s, fleeing the war in Nicaragua. Both my parents were in the military, and we came here as refugees. Naturally, I figured I would follow in their footsteps.
In December of 2008, I enlisted into the United States Marine Corps. I had every intention of being a “lifer” as we say. I thought I would retire as a Marine doing 20+ years, but God had other plans for me. Instead, after sustaining several injuries, surgeries and treatments, I was medically retired in 2016. I truly had no idea what I would do with my life, but I was a single mother of three and I felt I had limited options.
Once I retired, I realized I could not afford to live where I was, so I packed myself and my kids and drove halfway across the country down to Texas with $100 in my pocket and put the rest in God’s hands. I knew that the traumatic brain injuries I suffered really messed up my memory and my ability to retain a lot of information, so I feared going to school and failing. However, knowing that the military would pay for me to attend school, I made the decision to register shortly after arriving.
I went to school for the sole purpose of putting food on the table. After just one year, I graduated with my Associates of Science and did not know what to do next, but I knew I needed to continue. I told my counselor, “I like math, science and art. What can I do with that?” Naturally, she guided me towards engineering. I said, “Ok, sure! That sounds fancy.”
I went back to school and achieved my Associates of Science in Civil Engineering, at which point I was all in. I went on to attend UT Tyler, where after seven years of school and failing classes due to my health, I finally graduated with my Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. At this point, I had no plans or idea what I was doing or where I was going with this degree, but I knew I needed a job. Fortunately for me, Truman Edminster was my professor. I came to him and asked him if he thought I was a good fit for his company, and he told me the Facilities team is looking to hire and asked if I was interested. Intrigued, I asked what that was. He said, “You know, that lift station you designed for your project?” I said “Oh, yeah! That was hard! Cool, I like a challenge.” That is when I became Paul Anderson’s headache (Haha).
All jokes aside, the last 2.5 years I have been at EHRA Engineering have been the most challenging but rewarding years of my life. I have learned so much and accomplished so much in such a short period of time, and I take so much pride in my work. From months of designing our main template for concrete bullseyes and EHRA’s first reuse system to now becoming a director for a MUD in Brazoria County! Paul has been by far the best leader I have ever had the privilege of working under, and I look forward to the many more years ahead that I get to continue to grow and learn from him and all my project managers.
I am grateful to be part of a company that puts our families first. Being a single mother in a demanding career field can be overwhelming, especially having no family in Texas. The Facilities team and its leaders have been a blessing, who have supported me and made it possible for me to be both a mother and an engineer. Our team is a family, and we are each other’s biggest supporters. Because of them, I look forward to coming to work every day; we have fun, we learn, we grow, we celebrate and we cry together. Their understanding of my learning styles and patience with me are the greatest gifts I could find in a team.
Ultimately, I do this for my kids, and I want to inspire them and others to never give up. I hope to reach other people who feel they are not capable, especially single parents who think it is impossible. I want everyone to know that even through failures, setbacks or tough times, your goals are attainable, and the struggle is worth it. Never give up, and don’t make excuses.