“I have reached out and personally spoken with representatives from TxDOT, City of Houston, Harris County and Harris County Flood Control regarding contractor concerns that these government entities might shut down due to the coronavirus,”  said Jeffrey Nielsen, association executive vice president in an email to members. “The short version is that all have agreed that they will remain open, operating and cutting checks as long as contractors are willing to do the work.”

It is still “business as usual” for the flood control agency's construction division, its director Nathan Hayden, told Nielsen.

The consensus among all four agencies is that field staff and inspectors will be made available to all contractors willing to continue working, while all office staff will continue to work remotely.

Meetings will be held via teleconference, and any meetings that must be held in the field will follow strict social distancing guidelines.

Chris Butler, director of Houston permitting for Houston Public Works, told Nielsen that that permitting will be open, with precautions taken to protect both city employees and visitors. All permitting-related issues can also be addressed online.