The highway has been under construction since 2019 as part of TxDOT’s expansion project, which is projected to cost is $214 million. The project aims to widen the highway from six lanes to 12 lanes from where it meets Red Bluff Road to Hwy. 96, according to the TxDOT project study.
"This project improves the safety of the corridor, along with providing an express bridge option that will reduce travel times through the Seabrook and Kemah areas from Red Bluff to State Hwy. 96," Perez said.
Other proposed improvements in the project include added express lanes over Clear Creek, access roads and grade separations at major intersections.
Construction is underway on the Hwy. 146 main lanes from Repsdorph Road to Red Bluff; the express bridge from NASA Road 1 to Clear Creek; the southbound arterial bridge widening at Clear Creek; and northbound frontage road construction from 6th Street to north of Hwy. 146 in Kemah, Perez said. The Repsdorph and NASA Road 1 intersections are undergoing reconstruction.
About 85% of construction is completed on the 2.5-mile express bridge, and work is completed on the construction of the northbound and southbound frontage roads from NASA Road 1 to Red Bluff, the widening of the northbound arterial bridge at Clear Creek and the reconstruction of the FM 2094 and FM 518 intersections west of Hwy. 146, Perez said.
In the upcoming phases, the northbound frontage road in Kemah from north of Hwy. 96 to Bel Road in Kemah will be reduced to one lane to allow construction on the road and express bridge to be completed, Perez said.
Furthermore, commercial real estate asking prices have increased along Hwy. 146 due to the increased traffic, Seabrook Director of Economic Development Paul Chavez said. The city has worked to relocate affected businesses as best as possible, Chavez said.
“The [Hwy. 146] completion is going to be a major Christmas present for us,” Chavez said.
