New beams were recently put in place for the outbound Hwy. 290 collector-distributor roadway. The addition of collector-distributors will improve traffic flow by making it easier to enter and exit the highway.[/caption]
Plans to widen Hwy. 290 from Loop 610 to FM 2920 will continue throughout 2016 as construction crews are expected to cross Beltway 8 and start focusing more on projects in the Cypress area. The $1.3 billion project was launched in 2011 by the Texas Department of Transportation to bring relief to the more than 250,000 vehicles that travel the highway daily.
“We have been focusing a lot on what’s inside the Beltway—and there is so much progress that is being made at the Loop 610/Hwy. 290 interchange—but it’s really exciting to see what’s happening farther out,” TxDOT spokesperson Karen Othon said at a Dec. 3 meeting of the Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce.
The widening will provide five general-purpose lanes from Loop 610 to Hwy. 6, four general-purpose lanes from Hwy. 6 to the Grand Parkway and one high occupancy vehicle lane in each direction from Loop 610 to Mason Road.
The project is still expected to be complete in late 2017, despite contractor Tradeco Infrastructura being issued a notice of default on Project H—from Pinemont to W. Little York roads—in May. Construction on the segment resumed in October after TxDOT brought in W.W. Webber LLC to finish the job.
“Webber is the same contractor we have working on Projects G and F,” Othon said. “That helped us get back on track quickly because their equipment is already out there at the neighboring construction sites.”
As crews continue work at Project G at the Sam Houston Tollway interchange, closures are expected for the Hwy. 290 westbound ramps connecting to northbound and southbound tollway lanes. The closures will likely take place late January and last for an estimated five to six weeks, Othon said.
Othon said construction could start in March or April on a four-lane Hwy. 6 overpass extending over Hwy. 290 from Copper Grove Boulevard to west of North Eldridge Parkway. The overpass will allow motorists traveling on Hwy. 6/FM 1960 to bypass traffic signals at the Hwy. 290 intersection, reducing congestion.
“They’re working on some utility relocations, so we’re going to wait to let those get cleared out of the way,” Othon said. “It is still my intention to have a community outreach open house before we start construction so the public can come in and look at the plans.”
During construction of the overpass, one Hwy. 6/FM 1960 lane will be closed in each direction, Othon said. A direct connector is also under construction connecting Hwy. 6 northbound to Hwy. 290 eastbound.
Farther up Hwy. 290, the eastbound entrance ramp from Spring Cypress Road and the westbound entrance ramp from Skinner Road have both been closed as crews begin work to widen the existing bridge, Othon said.
“They are mainly widening that bridge, but they have to build new bridge structures on the existing structures, build the retaining walls, fit in panels and do the columns,” she said. “In the next six months you’re going to see a lot of things happening in that area. I think we’re looking at a fall 2016 completion.”
Othon said she has big expectations for progress on Hwy. 290 in 2016.
“We know it’s painful for people that have to drive through the construction, but [crews] are out there working quickly,” she said. “We met a lot of goals in 2015, and I think this next year is going to be amazing.”
New beams were recently put in place for the outbound Hwy. 290 collector-distributor roadway. The addition of collector-distributors will improve traffic flow by making it easier to enter and exit the highway.[/caption]
Plans to widen Hwy. 290 from Loop 610 to FM 2920 will continue throughout 2016 as construction crews are expected to cross Beltway 8 and start focusing more on projects in the Cypress area. The $1.3 billion project was launched in 2011 by the Texas Department of Transportation to bring relief to the more than 250,000 vehicles that travel the highway daily.
“We have been focusing a lot on what’s inside the Beltway—and there is so much progress that is being made at the Loop 610/Hwy. 290 interchange—but it’s really exciting to see what’s happening farther out,” TxDOT spokesperson Karen Othon said at a Dec. 3 meeting of the Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce.
The widening will provide five general-purpose lanes from Loop 610 to Hwy. 6, four general-purpose lanes from Hwy. 6 to the Grand Parkway and one high occupancy vehicle lane in each direction from Loop 610 to Mason Road.
The project is still expected to be complete in late 2017, despite contractor Tradeco Infrastructura being issued a notice of default on Project H—from Pinemont to W. Little York roads—in May. Construction on the segment resumed in October after TxDOT brought in W.W. Webber LLC to finish the job.
“Webber is the same contractor we have working on Projects G and F,” Othon said. “That helped us get back on track quickly because their equipment is already out there at the neighboring construction sites.”
As crews continue work at Project G at the Sam Houston Tollway interchange, closures are expected for the Hwy. 290 westbound ramps connecting to northbound and southbound tollway lanes. The closures will likely take place late January and last for an estimated five to six weeks, Othon said.
Othon said construction could start in March or April on a four-lane Hwy. 6 overpass extending over Hwy. 290 from Copper Grove Boulevard to west of North Eldridge Parkway. The overpass will allow motorists traveling on Hwy. 6/FM 1960 to bypass traffic signals at the Hwy. 290 intersection, reducing congestion.
“They’re working on some utility relocations, so we’re going to wait to let those get cleared out of the way,” Othon said. “It is still my intention to have a community outreach open house before we start construction so the public can come in and look at the plans.”
During construction of the overpass, one Hwy. 6/FM 1960 lane will be closed in each direction, Othon said. A direct connector is also under construction connecting Hwy. 6 northbound to Hwy. 290 eastbound.
Farther up Hwy. 290, the eastbound entrance ramp from Spring Cypress Road and the westbound entrance ramp from Skinner Road have both been closed as crews begin work to widen the existing bridge, Othon said.
“They are mainly widening that bridge, but they have to build new bridge structures on the existing structures, build the retaining walls, fit in panels and do the columns,” she said. “In the next six months you’re going to see a lot of things happening in that area. I think we’re looking at a fall 2016 completion.”
Othon said she has big expectations for progress on Hwy. 290 in 2016.
“We know it’s painful for people that have to drive through the construction, but [crews] are out there working quickly,” she said. “We met a lot of goals in 2015, and I think this next year is going to be amazing.”
