TxDOT proposes $111M project to widen part of Houston's Grand Parkway
The goal of the project is to accommodate regional population growth, reduce traffic congestion and support efficiency along State Highway 249.
Houston's Grand Parkway (also known as State Highway 99) could undergo a $111 million project for widening the portion between State Highway 249 and Holzwarth Road.
The Texas Department of Transportation has proposed a $111 million project that would fund the Grand Parkway expansion from two lanes to three lanes. The six-lane road would have three mainlines of 12 feet each in both directions, with 10 foot wide inside and outside mainlane shoulder.
The project will be carried out within the existing right-of-way. The cable barrier will be replaced by a concrete barrier, and the grassy area between main lanes will be widened. Only the bridges on Hufsmith-Kohrville Road, and Rothwood Road will be expanded outward.
According to a new hydraulic analysis, based on the latest rainfall estimates, changes will be made where necessary to storm sewers.
According to a TxDOT slide show, the goal of this project is to reduce traffic congestion, accommodate the growth in population, and improve efficiency along SH-249.
The area has been classified as D-level since the Grand Parkway portion from SH-249 up to Interstate 45 was opened in 2016. The presentation stated that the road is experiencing a high-density traffic flow, which severely limits speed and maneuverability. The road has lost comfort and convenience to users at this level.
According to TxDOT, widening is required when a roadway reaches a C level or below due to a 2009 inter-local agreement between the state and the seven counties the Grand Parkway passes through. TxDOT says that widening of a road is necessary when it reaches the C level. This is due to an inter-local agreement signed in 2009 between the state and seven counties along the Grand Parkway.
The first segment is a 5,75-mile stretch between SH-249 and Kuykendahl Road. This portion will be subject to environmental decisions and detailed designs in the fall of 2023. Construction is anticipated to start in early 2024. Construction for this section is expected to take about three years.
The second segment is a stretch of 3.83 miles from Kuykendahl Road up to Holzwarth Road. A detailed design and environmental decision are expected to be made in the fall of 2024. Construction will begin early in 2025, and it is expected to take three years to finish.