Photo by Shawn EppsWork is ongoing at the Grand Parkway and I-10 to extend the roadway to Hwy. 290 by the end of the year.
Drivers in northwest Harris County will have quicker access between Cypress and Katy starting Dec. 21 when Segment E of the Grand Parkway is expected to open.
Transportation officials and leaders from around Houston and Texas gathered the weekend of Dec. 13–14 for a luncheon and "Party on the Parkway" event hosted by the Texas Department of Transportation and the West Houston Association to celebrate the completion of the new roadway.
"We believe Segment E will have a significant positive impact on travel time for residents and commuters between I-10 and Hwy. 290 as a connector of major regional hubs and job centers," said Peter Houghton, chair of the West Houston Association. "As a huge transportation alternative to residents and business in West Houston, it is a game changer for the entire West Houston area."
Construction on the 15-mile, $320 million toll road that stretches from I-10 to Hwy. 290 began in September 2011 and took a little more than two years to complete. The Grand Parkway has been in the works since the 1960s, and the planned third outer loop will span 185 miles when complete. Segment E is the third piece of the roadway to be completed, behind segments D and I-2. Segments F1, F2 and G—which will connect Hwy. 290 to Hwy. 59—are under construction and are expected to open to traffic by late 2015.
