Voters approve $185M Fort Bend County mobility bond

The mobility bond does not call for a tax rate increase, and it is structured so that the county will pay 50 percent of the construction costs of the joint projects with cities, including Sugar Land and Missouri City.

Posted 7:30 p.m. CST

Fort Bend County's $184.9 million mobility bond has received early support from voters with 74.67 percent, or 9,190 voters, voting for the proposition and 25.33 percent, or 3,117 voters, voting against the proposition, according to unofficial early voting results.

Rapid population growth and the need for improved mobility in Fort Bend County prompted Commissioners Court to call for the Nov. 5 mobility bond election over the summer. The bond—which is the third called since 2000—does not call for a tax rate increase. County Judge Bob Hebert said that if residents want to avoid gridlock, he expects a mobility bond election to be held every six to eight years.

"There are 62 projects outline in this bond, and all of them are vital to mobility in the county," Hebert said. "All of this money is earmarked for road improvements throughout Fort Bend County. I think it is vital that we continue to build on our infrastructure to meet the transportation demands of all Fort Bend County residents in addition to the 25,000 to 35,000 new residents that are moving here each year.

More than 625,000 people live in Fort Bend County, which is up more than 75 percent from 354,452 residents in 2000, according to U.S. Census data. The population is expected to rise to more than 1 million by 2020.

If passed, money from the $184.9 million mobility bond will be split between the county's four precincts.

Precinct 1 has identified 15 projects in the bond package with a total bond amount of $53.4 million.

Precinct 2 has identified 16 projects in the bond package with a total bond amount of $47.5 million.

Precinct 3 has identified 19 projects in the bond package with a total bond amount of $58 million.

Precinct 4 has identified 14 projects in the bond package with a total bond amount of $26 million.

All results are unofficial until canvassed.