Construction to refurbish Jones Road between FM 1960 and Grant Road began last month and is expected to be completed in early 2013.

The plans for the road overlay project prepared by the Harris County Public Infrastructure Department call for an overlay of one inch of milled existing asphalt and one inch of a new hot-mix asphalt for the final layer in order to minimize harsh driving conditions and level and waterproof the road.

Jones Road was originally constructed with asphalt pavement, which can form cracks over time and allow water to penetrate the subgrade, said Paul Hawkins, assistant manager of engineering for Precinct 3. The subgrade layer of a road typically supports the base layers and provides drainage for the roadway.

"An overlay of the roadway was needed as a preventative maintenance measure," Hawkins said. "With water in the subgrade, an asphalt road typically experiences severe base failures that are costly to repair."

According to the Precinct 3 road and bridge department, between 33,000–35,000 vehicles travel the one-mile stretch of road every day.

"This section of Jones Road has a lot of commercial property that will benefit from having a well maintained road," Hawkins said.

Construction on the Jones Road overlay began Oct. 15 and is slated for completion Jan. 12, 2013. The project is expected to cost about $1.2 million, according to the precinct.