1. Hughes Ranch Road widening

The city of Pearland is still awaiting word on possible funding from the Houston-Galveston Area Council for its project to widen Hughes Ranch Road. Officials applied for funding as part of H-GAC’s Transportation Improvement Program—which prioritizes local projects to receive state and federal funding—and expect to receive a decision by November. In an effort to ease east-west traffic congestion, the project will expand Hughes Ranch Road from two to four lanes from Cullen Boulevard to Smith Ranch Road. Upon completion the concrete curb and gutter thoroughfare will include a raised median and an underground sewer system. The project also includes sidewalks, lighting, sound walls and traffic signals. Completion of the project is expected to take two years from the start of construction.
Timeline: TBD
Cost: $22.35 million
Funding sources: TBD

2. Smith Ranch Road widening

The city of Pearland is expected to award a design contract for its project to widen Smith Ranch Road by the end of October. Approximately 0.75 miles of the thoroughfare will be expanded from two to four lanes from Hughes Ranch Road to north of FM 518. The project includes the installation of raised medians and an underground drainage system. The project was placed on H-GAC’s TIP list for funding. Pearland will cover about 20 percent of the cost. Construction is expected to last nine to 12 months.
Timeline: TBD
Cost: $5.2 million
Funding sources: city of Pearland, H-GAC

3. FM 2351 improvements

The projected start date for a resurfacing project on a segment of FM 2351 in Friendswood was changed to early next year. The TxDOT project was originally expected to go out for bid in September, but officials now expect the bidding process to begin in January. The thoroughfare improvements stretch from FM 518 to the Brazoria County line and include base repairs and seal coating. The project is in the design phase.
Timeline: March 2016-June 2016
Cost: $718,000
Funding sources: TxDOT

4. Friendswood Link Road widening

Construction continues on Friendswood Link Road. The city of Friendswood project to widen the thoroughfare from FM 518 to Blackhawk Boulevard is about 73 percent complete, according to city officials. The Galveston County portion of the project will expand Friendswood Link Road from two to three lanes from FM 518 to Hibiscus Lane and include a dedicated turn lane, new sidewalks and an improved drainage system. The segment in Harris County, which runs from Hibiscus Lane to Blackhawk Boulevard, will widen from two to four lanes and include medians, new sidewalks and improved drainage. The project received a Texas General Land Office disaster recovery grant designed to improve evacuation routes in the wake of Hurricane Ike in 2008.
Timeline: fall 2014-winter 2015
Cost: $5.3 million
Funding sources: city of Friendswood, Texas General Land Office grant

5. Kingsley Drive widening

Webber LLC began construction on the Texas Department of Transportation project to expand a segment of Kingsley Drive in early June. Approximately 2 miles of the thoroughfare will be widened from two to four lanes from FM 518 to CR 894. The project also includes 10-foot shoulders. The project is about 33 percent complete, according to TxDOT officials.
Timeline: June 2015-second quarter 2016
Cost: $12.2 million
Funding sources: TxDOT, federal funds