The $43.4 million project underwent preliminary engineering earlier this year before starting construction in January, said Lisa Castaneda, the deputy operating officer for the Fort Bend County Toll Road Authority.
The project will extend the existing toll road west of Sienna Parkway, connecting to Sienna Ranch Road, including an overpass over Sienna Parkway.
This extension will help relieve some of the concentration of traffic specifically affecting the Sienna Village area by improving traffic flow near the neighborhood, according to the FBCTRA website.
Initial planning and design for the project was started in October 2021 with an anticipated completion date for public usage set for around this summer.
“At this time, we are still anticipating this segment of the Fort Bend Parkway to open late summer for the public,” Castaneda said.
Funding for this toll road extension will come from toll revenue bonds, which are municipal bonds that can be allocated for various types of funding generated from toll revenues. This project will also be paid by tolls with no tax money used, Castaneda said.
Toll rates have not been established yet but will be consistent with other roads in the region, according to the FBCTRA.
