1. Spring Green roundabout

Construction has been postponed until January 2018 on a four-legged roundabout that will connect the two existing segments of Spring Green Boulevard as well as Cinco Trace Drive and Katy Flewellen Road. In addition to constructing the two-lane, one-way roundabout, Cinco Trace Drive will be extended 144 feet from its end point to the roundabout. Katy Flewellen Road will be widened from two to four lanes of concrete boulevard from Willow Lane 450 feet to the roundabout.

The existing north and south segments of Spring Green Boulevard will be extended a total of 1,380 feet from their existing end points to the roundabout.

The project has been delayed due to right of way acquisition issues, according to county officials. 

Timeline: January-May 2018
Cost: $3.7 million
Funding sources: Fort Bend County, Newland Communities

1A. Crossover Road relocation

A segment of Crossover Road starting at the new Spring Green roundabout and extending west 1,344 feet will be removed. Crossover Road will then be rebuilt from the western end point in a northeast direction 1,100 feet and connected to Spring Green Boulevard north of the planned roundabout. The new segment of Crossover Road will be four lanes of concrete boulevard with underground storm drains on one side. The land vacated by the road’s removal will be returned to the adjacent landowners. The original Crossover Road will remain open during construction of the realigned portion. The project has been delayed due to right of way acquisition issues.

Timeline: January-May 2018
Cost: Funding for the project is included in the Spring Green roundabout project
Funding sources: Fort Bend County

2. Katy-Gaston Road realignment at FM 1093

Katy-Gaston Road—which will be widened and realigned along a 0.5-mile portion of the existing road—is scheduled to reach completion by the end of March.

Starting at Summerset Ridge Lane, the road will be widened from a two-lane asphalt road to a four-lane concrete boulevard. The final 0.17-mile portion of the road will be shifted 500 feet to the west to align with the new section of Katy-Gaston Road south of FM 1093.

Timeline: July 2016-March 2017
Cost: $1.3 million
Funding sources: Fort Bend County

How It Works

How are state speed limits determined?

Whenever a new road is built in Texas, the entity constructing the roadway is required to reach out to the Texas Transportation Commission to determine the speed limit for the new road, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.

Factors that determine a road’s speed limit include the road’s length and location, transitions from other speed limits, directional differences, trial runs of the roadway and the location of regulatory speed limit signs along the road, according to TxDOT.

Local governments hold some control over determining speed limits as well. Cities, counties and other government officials work with TxDOT to conduct traffic and engineering studies and pass city speed ordinances based on TxDOT recommendations, TxDOT Public Information Officer Deidrea George said.

Legislation filed this session could affect speed limits across the state. State Rep. Celia Israel, D-Austin, filed House Bill 1368 to lower the prima facie speed limits on urban district roads in Texas from 30 mph to 25 mph. The prima facie speed limit is the unspoken speed limit on roads without a posted limit.