After four years of construction, the expansion of Hwy. 146 between Red Bluff Road and south of FM 518 as well as the addition of a new expressway bridge to allow for bypass traffic to Seabrook, is nearing completion.

The gist

By Feb. 1, drivers will be able to travel across the four lanes of the new expressway bridge, said Bambi Hall, public information officer for the Texas Department of Transportation.

In addition to adding the expressway bridge, the $214 million expansion project will increase the number of lanes along Hwy. 146 from six to 12.

Community Impact previously reported the project aims to reduce congestion and make the road more viable as an emergency escape route during hurricanes.

One more thing

The remaining portion of the project, which includes building frontage roads, sidewalks and traffic signals, won’t be fully complete until spring, Hall said. The project was originally slated for completion before December but was stalled by weather delays and material constraints.

Stay tuned

This past August, TxDOT began widening a 5.5-mile section of Hwy. 146 between south of FM 518 and Dickinson Bayou, which is south of Seabrook and Kemah, Hall said in an email.