Photo by John RiggWork to expand Texas Parkway from two to four lanes between Cartwright Road and the Fort Bend Parkway Toll Road began in mid-January and will be completed in three phases by late 2014.
The Texas Department of Transportation began work on expanding Texas Parkway Jan. 15. The roadway is being expanded between Cartwright Road and the Fort Bend Parkway Toll Road in Missouri City, said Deidrea Samuela, public information officer with TxDOT.
"[Texas Parkway] will be widened from two lanes to four lanes," she said. "There will also be some sidewalk, curb and gutter improvements as well as water line and sanitary sewer work."
Construction is expected to be complete in November and also includes new traffic signal installations at Missouri City Drive, Grand Park Drive, Independence Boulevard, Court Road, Greendale Drive, Cartwright Road and Quail Park Drive.
The expansion project is being completed in three phases, Samuels said. The first phase will include construction of the right-hand lanes, shifting traffic to the left, and is expected to take about three months. The second phase is expected to take three to four months and includes implementing left turn lanes and improvements to the raised median. Phase 3 will include construction of the left-hand lanes and is expected to take an additional three to four months.
Crews are expected to keep one lane in each direction open to traffic during construction. Three sound walls for noise abatement will also be installed, according to Missouri City officials.
TxDOT has plans to continue the expansion of Texas Parkway from Fort Bend Parkway to FM 521 and expects to put the project to bid later this year, Samuels said.
