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Houston: Westpark Tollway

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MaxConcrete:
I obtained this info from the meeting of the Fort Bend County Toll Road Authority this evening. The project extends the Westpark Tollway westward from its terminus at the Grand Parkway (SH 99) to Fulshear. It will have the same design features as the existing adjacent section: four lanes of frontage roads (two each way) and four tolled main lanes.

There are three phases
Phase 1: Grand Parkway to FM 1463, 4 miles.
Phase 2: FM 1463 westward, they said 4.15 miles at the meeting
Phase 3 (future): Cross Creek Ranch Blvd to James Lane west of Fulshear

Phase 1
Only 2.2 miles of tolled main lanes will be built due to financial and environmental constraints. Frontage roads will be built for the western 1.8 miles
Bids opened in December, lowest bid $63.9 million by Webber
Total project cost $116.3 million including right-of-way
Bonds sold last week at a rate of 3.86% interest, well below the budgeted value of 5%
Construction should be underway around March or soon after with February 2018 completion

Phase 2
Expected to start in December 2016 and complete in June 2018
Construction estimate: $37 million
Total cost: $69 million
This appears to be frontage roads only


Main lanes beyond the first 2.2 miles will be built when funds are available and environment clearance is received. FBCTRA is currently maxed out on its borrowing ability, so more main lane work may not start for 2-3 years.

codyg1985:
Are there enough people that live that way yet to support extending it?

Chris:
It's growing pretty rapidly.

http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/1-25-2016/N_drC6.gif

Removed image due to animated 404 graphic. - Alex

MaxConcrete:

--- Quote from: codyg1985 on January 25, 2016, 07:58:31 AM ---Are there enough people that live that way yet to support extending it?

--- End quote ---

Apparently yes. Currently there is only a two-lane road, and there was discussion of traffic problems, especially at the intersections. The engineer at the FBCTRA meeting emphasized that the frontage roads will provide a huge improvement in performance along most of the corridor, since only 2.2 miles of main lanes are being built in this phase.

As Chris' graphic shows, there are new subdivisions stretching for many miles west of the Grand Parkway. Cross Creek Ranch seems to be the furthest west at this time, but apparently plans are in the works to keep pushing development west to Fulshear and beyond. There is also increasing development on the south side of the Westpark corridor.

Marc:

--- Quote from: MaxConcrete on January 25, 2016, 09:49:39 PM ---
--- Quote from: codyg1985 on January 25, 2016, 07:58:31 AM ---Are there enough people that live that way yet to support extending it?

--- End quote ---

Apparently yes. Currently there is only a two-lane road, and there was discussion of traffic problems, especially at the intersections.
--- End quote ---

Oh lord yes. They need to look into widening Grand Parkway through Cinco Ranch too.

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