The Texas Department of Transportation will be investing $3.5 million in sidewalk, curb ramp and traffic signals in Friendswood’s downtown.

Improvements in the downtown area, which stretches from Edgewood Drive to Whispering Pines Avenue, will include concrete sidewalks with brick borders and upgraded traffic signals, according to a press release from the city of Friendswood.

“TxDOT’s willingness to fund these improvements is another sign of steady progress in the plan to make downtown Friendswood more pedestrian friendly," said Karen Capps, economic development coordinator for the city of Friendswood, in the press release. “The results of this project, including increased mobility and visible changes, are attractive components that naturally raise the possibility of economic development; something that has been worked on for many years.”

The design is scheduled to begin in 2020 with construction tentatively slated to begin in 2021, according to the press release.

These projects were originally considered by the Friendswood Downtown Economic Development Corp. Now that TxDOT will be executing them, the FDEDC and the city do not have to find a way to fund the project, Friendswood Communications Specialist Jeff Newpher said.

“We can take this off our list,” Newpher said.

The project also allows for the possibility of TxDOT and the city of Friendswood completing other items related to downtown improvements, such as lighting improvements, at the same time as the sidewalk work, Newpher said.

These road improvements are unrelated to the 2019 bond proposition regarding transportation, which proposes funding different road improvements in the city, including sidewalk improvements outside of the downtown area.