AUSTIN — Today Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush announced the Texas General Land Office (GLO) approved $4,445,805 in Hurricane Harvey disaster recovery grants to improve streets as well as drainage facilities in Walker County.

"Hurricane Harvey devastated communities across the Texas Coast," said Commissioner Bush. "These recovery funds are critical to improving local infrastructure that will protect lives, homes and businesses from future storms. We continue to work with our partners in communities across the region to leverage these resources efficiently and effectively to benefit Texans affected by Hurricane Harvey."

With these funds, a flood gauge will be installed at the FM 247 bridge for flood awareness, and multiple road and ditch improvements projects will be conducted throughout Walker County in areas surrounding Huntsville. 

Street improvements will be made along the following roads:

• Oak Trail Road - Wallace Road to Whippoorwill Street
• Raintree Street - Wallace Road to Whippoorwill Street
• Roark Road - Wallace Road to the end of the road
• Whippoorwill Street - Wallace Road to the end of the road
• Williams Road - SH30 to the end of the road
• Williams Road - SH30 to the end of the road
• Wire Road Loop - FM 2550 to Chandlers Way
• Koonce Road - FM 230 to the end of the road
• Plantation Road - FM 230 to nearly one mile south
• Phelps Creek Drive - Old Phelps Road to Phelps Creek Drive
• Phelps Slab Road - Approximately 50 feet south of US 190 to FM 2296
• Harding Street - FM 2296 to the end of the road
• Southwood Drive - FM 2929 to Huntsville city limit
• Mike Slott Road - Mt. Zion to the end of the road

Texas GLO Hurricane Harvey Recovery Funds:

Commissioner George P. Bush and the Texas General Land Office was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to lead the historic Hurricane Harvey housing recovery efforts funded by $5.676 billion in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The GLO allocated $413 million of the allocation for infrastructure projects to protect communities affected by the storm. The GLO allocated the funds to regional Council of Governments’ (COGs) based on a HUD approved needs assessment. The locally-led COGs then conducted methods of distribution (MODs) for determining infrastructure and buyout and acquisition amounts for cities and counties within each jurisdiction. COG boards are comprised of officials from the impacted communities elected in part to prioritize funds allocated for recovery programs. The MOD process requires public engagement and the GLO reviewed each MOD for compliance with federal rules and requirements before approving each plan.

To review the approved MODs, please visit https://recovery.texas.gov/action-plans/hurricane-harvey/index.html.