Houston Toll Road News

FreewayDan · April 05, 2015, 09:05:24 PM

Last week, a short section of frontage roads for Section F-2 of the Grand Parkway (SH 99) opened. This short one-mile section is between I-45 and Holzwarth Road.
http://www.chron.com/news/transportation/article/Frontage-roads-along-mile-of-Grand-Parkway-open-6175451.php#photo-7756599

A six-mile mainlane segment of Texas State Highway 249 (Tomball Tollway) between FM 2920 and Spring-Cypress Road will open on April 12th. Shortly before its opening, HCTRA and the city of Tomball will have a special event where people can "Stroll the Toll" on a three-mile portion of the Tomball Tollway.
http://www.chron.com/news/transportation/article/Tomball-Tollway-opens-April-12-6163236.phpat

The toll flyovers being constructed at I-45 and Texas State Highway 242 should be completed sometime this month.
http://abc13.com/news/new-direct-connector-ramps-to-be-tolled/570900/

Perfxion · April 06, 2015, 02:13:59 PM

Just drove past FM2920 and Grand Parkway, I hope they have extra people ready to show up, because all it is right now is just a pile of dirt and a hole, the bridge is still a month behind schedule. The feeder branching off the area isn't even graded.

MaxConcrete · April 06, 2015, 09:18:49 PM

Today I drove through the area between US 290 and SH 249 to view the Grand Parkway progress. Constructions crews were busy at the three points where I crossed the alignment. Overpasses were nearly complete at two of the three crossings. It looks like they will have this section done by the end of the year as scheduled.

There are no direct connectors at the SH 249 interchange. I thought some of the ramps were included in this phase, but apparently not.

I also noticed that the design will easily accommodate two additional lanes (bridge abutments for filling in the median are in place), but expanding beyond 3 lanes each way could be more difficult and costly. But this section should have much lower traffic than the section between SH 249 and IH 45.

I did not take any photos because weather conditions were cloudy.

Chris · April 14, 2015, 09:41:37 AM

The SH 249 Tomball Parkway opened to traffic on April 12th as planned.

http://www.khou.com/story/news/local/2015/04/13/phase-1-of-texas-249-tollway-is-now-open/25700643/

The next phase into Montgomery County is probably more expensive because there is no right of way available as wide as the typical 300 - 350 ft south of FM 2920. SH 249 narrows to a seven lane arterial at the county line.

TXtoNJ · April 14, 2015, 10:20:15 AM

Quote from: Chris on April 14, 2015, 09:41:37 AM
The SH 249 Tomball Parkway opened to traffic on April 12th as planned.

http://www.khou.com/story/news/local/2015/04/13/phase-1-of-texas-249-tollway-is-now-open/25700643/

The next phase into Montgomery County is probably more expensive because there is no right of way available as wide as the typical 300 - 350 ft south of FM 2920. SH 249 narrows to a seven lane arterial at the county line.

Easier and less expensive than you might think. Just north of Lone Star College up to Pinehurst, TxDOT banked the right-of-way and built feeder/frontage roads back in the 1990s in anticipation of that project. North of there, much of the needed land is currently uncultivated, which significantly eases the ROW purchase process.

Chris · April 29, 2015, 02:08:43 PM

The first two weeks of SH 249 toll road saw an average of 33,000 transactions per day.

http://blog.chron.com/thehighwayman/2015/04/tomball-tollway-use-taking-off/

Chris · May 04, 2015, 03:22:45 PM

SH 249 to Navasota seems to be fast-tracked now (the 'Aggie Expressway'). They cite 'substantial completion' by winter 2018. They are ambitious.

http://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/media-center/local-news/bryan/002-2015.html

FreewayDan · May 12, 2015, 08:03:35 AM

The flyovers being constructed at I-45 and Texas State Highway 242 opened to traffic yesterday. Motorists can use them for free until July. By then, they must have an EZ Tag, Toll Tag or TxTag to travel the ramps.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/22306412@N07/sets/72157652689945735
https://www.flickr.com/photos/22306412@N07/sets/72157650350923844

DeaconG · May 12, 2015, 01:52:04 PM

Quote from: FreewayDan on May 12, 2015, 08:03:35 AM
The flyovers being constructed at I-45 and Texas State Highway 242 opened to traffic yesterday. Motorists can use them for free until July. By then, they must have an EZ Tag, Toll Tag or TxTag to travel the ramps.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/22306412@N07/sets/72157652689945735
https://www.flickr.com/photos/22306412@N07/sets/72157650350923844

Is there any particular reason why they built these toll ramps?

TXtoNJ · May 12, 2015, 02:14:02 PM

Quote from: DeaconG on May 12, 2015, 01:52:04 PM
Quote from: FreewayDan on May 12, 2015, 08:03:35 AM
The flyovers being constructed at I-45 and Texas State Highway 242 opened to traffic yesterday. Motorists can use them for free until July. By then, they must have an EZ Tag, Toll Tag or TxTag to travel the ramps.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/22306412@N07/sets/72157652689945735
https://www.flickr.com/photos/22306412@N07/sets/72157650350923844

Is there any particular reason why they built these toll ramps?

That's the most congested intersection in Montgomery County.

mrsman · May 13, 2015, 12:16:53 AM

Quote from: TXtoNJ on May 12, 2015, 02:14:02 PM
Quote from: DeaconG on May 12, 2015, 01:52:04 PM
Quote from: FreewayDan on May 12, 2015, 08:03:35 AM
The flyovers being constructed at I-45 and Texas State Highway 242 opened to traffic yesterday. Motorists can use them for free until July. By then, they must have an EZ Tag, Toll Tag or TxTag to travel the ramps.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/22306412@N07/sets/72157652689945735
https://www.flickr.com/photos/22306412@N07/sets/72157650350923844

Is there any particular reason why they built these toll ramps?

That's the most congested intersection in Montgomery County.

I believe this is an usual first, toll ramps between two free roads.

codyg1985 · May 13, 2015, 04:21:46 PM

I haven't heard of it anywhere else.

aboges26 · May 14, 2015, 01:01:23 AM

Are the flyovers at College Park Drive on I-45 tolled or not?

codyg1985 · May 14, 2015, 07:02:37 AM

Quote from: aboges26 on May 14, 2015, 01:01:23 AM
Are the flyovers at College Park Drive on I-45 tolled or not?

Those are the ones that are being discussed.

aboges26 · May 14, 2015, 11:51:32 AM

Quote from: codyg1985 on May 14, 2015, 07:02:37 AM
Quote from: aboges26 on May 14, 2015, 01:01:23 AM
Are the flyovers at College Park Drive on I-45 tolled or not?

Those are the ones that are being discussed.

Pardon the ignorance, I missed the last '2' when the discussion switched to SH 242 and kept thinking SH 249.

Perfxion · May 15, 2015, 06:43:17 AM

Only in Texas when an exit ramp is a toll road. The flyovers are needed as traffic backs up big time. But, they need to go all out and put in all 4 directions, not just the "busy 2".

lordsutch · May 15, 2015, 02:26:23 PM

Quote from: mrsman on May 13, 2015, 12:16:53 AM
I believe this is an usual first, toll ramps between two free roads.

The direct ramps at Loop 1604 and US 281 in San Antonio were originally planned to be tolled, but TxDOT got a TIGER grant to build them as free ramps instead (and had to do a supplemental EA in the process, ironically making it not truly "shovel-ready").

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