The Texas Department of Transportation selected Blueridge Transportation Group as its partner for the construction of toll lanes on Hwy. 288.

The Texas Transportation Commission approved a public-private partnership between TxDOT and Blueridge Feb. 26 on the 10.3-mile project that stretches from Hwy. 59 to the Harris County line and will include new toll lanes and general purpose lanes.

The agreement is the Houston area's first in which a private contractor will design, construct, finance, operate and maintain the facility, according to TxDOT.

The $800 million project—which is scheduled to begin construction in late 2015—will ease congestion on the freeway, which carries more than 160,000 cars daily at the Hwy. 288 and Beltway 8 intersection, officials said. Planners expect the project to be complete by early 2019.

Two tolled lanes will be added in each direction within Hwy. 288's median. Along with eight direct connectors to Beltway 8, the project includes two direct connectors to the Texas Medical Center, which will benefit the roughly 10,000 medical center employees—the largest concentration in the Greater Houston area—living in Pearland.

"Moving forward with this project will make it easier and safer for people working and commuting to and from one of world's largest medical center complexes," Texas Transportation Commissioner Jeff Moseley said. "It is a good day for transportation when we can launch a project that benefits businesses and improves quality of life.