TxDOT Issues Project Update for Grand Parkway Main Lanes, Frontage Roads and Noise Barriers Projects
In an effort to improve commuting conditions and manage growing traffic in the region, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and Fort Bend County are pressing forward in developing major road projects along State Highway 99 from FM 1093 to Interstate 10.
Stretching across approximately 5.9 miles in Harris and Fort Bend Counties, the project mainly comprises constructing additional main lanes and new frontage roads. The goal behind the project is to widen SH 99 from the initial 2 to 3 travel lanes in each direction and introduce southbound frontage roads from FM 1093 to Fry Road and Cinco Ranch to Westheimer Parkway. Currently, construction of such additional main lanes that started in mid-2023 is predicted to complete by the end of 2025.
(Source: TxDOT)The development progression of detailed plans and environmental studies for a number of frontage roads between certain stretches like Fry Road and Westheimer Parkway, Westheimer Parkway and Cinco Ranch, and Cinco Ranch and Bay Hill Boulevard, are noteworthy.
Within the project's scope, a total of 13 noise barriers have been proposed to minimize sound pollution for nearby communities. While some of these have already been erected adjacent to local properties like The Grand at La Centerra and The Lakes at Cinco Ranch Apartments, the construction of the Heritage Square noise barrier is scheduled to conclude by September 2024.
The exact locations for proposed noise barriers across seven different locales are under review and refinement, with four anticipated to be located on Right of Way (ROW) acquired by Fort Bend County, and later transferred to TxDOT. Moreover, coordination is ongoing with the Falcon Point Homeowner Association regarding Barrier #9.
Public input has been a vital part of the project, with a meeting held on October 5, 2023, to discuss the proposed developments. The summary of this meeting and responses to public comments are accessible online. It has been projected that construction of the southbound frontage road between Cinco Ranch Boulevard and Bay Hill Boulevard will commence in late 2025, with all five frontage road segments expected to be operational by 2028.
The Willow Fork Drainage District recreational trail located under the SH 99 bridges over Buffalo Bayou had to be temporarily closed due to the bridge widening process and is scheduled to reopen in October 2024.
TxDOT and Fort Bend County will continue to engage actively with stakeholders as the frontage road designs advance. For more details concerning the status of this project, refer to the September 2024 project newsletter issued by TxDOT here. TxDOT advises residents with questions to contact the following individuals associated with the project:
Fort Bend County Engineering/Design: Ike Akinwande, Fort Bend County Assistant County Engineer
Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.
