Ongoing projects
1. I-45 expansion
The expansion of the I-45 southbound lanes from three to five lanes of traffic was completed on Feb. 13. The project, which will expand I-45 from six to 10 main lanes with a total of six frontage lanes upon completion, is slate to reach completion in early 2018. Texas Department of Transportation officials said construction has not begun on the northbound lanes but is slated to begin in the coming months.
Timeline: June 2011-early 2018
Cost: $170 million
Funding sources: TxDOT
2. Fite Road extension
The city of Pearland began construction in December to extend Fite Road by about a half-mile from McLean Road to Veterans Drive. The project is expected to improve traffic flow and provide an additional route for emergency vehicles. The new stretch of roadway will be four lanes undivided with a concrete curb and gutter drainage. The project includes traffic signal improvements at the McLean Road intersection.
Timeline: December 2016-December 2017
Cost: $4 million
Funding sources: Houston-Galveston Area Council, city of Pearland
3. Winding Road reconstruction
The city of Friendswood broke ground in January on its Winding Road reconstruction project between Riverside Court and Melody Lane. The road will replace roughly a half-mile of residential roadway. The project will be funded through bond proceeds. Voters approved a $24 million bond referendum in 2013, which included about $7.7 million for road repairs, according to the city.
Timeline: January-March 2017
Cost: $642,000
Funding sources: city of Friendswood
4. Pearland Parkway intersection improvements
The city of Pearland will add a second left turn lane heading southbound on Pearland Parkway at FM 518 in March. Bidding on the project closed on Jan. 26, and city council awarded a construction contract at its Feb. 27 meeting, according to city officials.
Timeline: March-June 2017
Cost: $375,000
Funding sources: city of Pearland
Upcoming projects
5. Orange Street reconstruction
Beginning in May, contractors will reconstruct the existing asphalt, widen the road from 25 to 33 feet and put in a new concrete curb, gutters, sidewalks and a new storm sewer system between Hwy. 35 and Schleider Drive in Pearland.
Timeline: May 2017-May 2018
Cost: $5.4 million
Funding sources: city of Pearland
6. Max Road expansion
Max Road will expand to a four-lane boulevard from Hughes Ranch Road to Reid Boulevard. Design was completed in November, and construction bids will go out in March.
Timeline: June 2017-September 2018
Cost: $7.38 million
Funding sources: city of Pearland
How it works
How are state speed limits determined?
Whenever a new road is built in Texas, the entity constructing the roadway is required to reach out to the Texas Transportation Commission to determine the speed limit for the new road, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.
Factors that determine a road’s speed limit include the road’s length and location, transitions from other speed limits, directional differences, trial runs of the roadway and the location of regulatory speed limit signs along the road, according to TxDOT.
Local governments hold some control over determining speed limits as well. Cities, counties and other government officials work with TxDOT to conduct traffic and engineering studies and pass local speed ordinances, TxDOT Public Information Officer Deidrea George said.
State Rep. Celia Israel, D-Austin, recently filed House Bill 1368 to lower the prima facie speed limits on urban district roads in Texas from 30 mph to 25 mph. The prima facie speed limit is the unspoken speed limit on roads with no posted limit.
