The city of Tomball is installing sidewalks near the Medical Center to better connect facilities there.

New sidewalks are under construction at the Medical Center to help better connect the Tomball Regional Medical Center with neighboring medical facilities and homes in the area.

The project includes installation of sidewalks along Graham Drive and Lawrence Street. The construction on the 4,000 feet of new sidewalk started in August and is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

"Construction is going well and is under budget," said Tomball City Manager George Shackelford.

The city of Tomball budgeted $400,000 for the project, but it is under budget at about $300,000, Shackelford said. Funding for the sidewalk project comes from money generated through the city's red light camera system.

"This will tie together nursing homes, the hospital, doctors offices, clinics and retail," Shackelford said.

In addition to making it easier for patients and doctors to get around, Shackelford said investing in the hospital area is vital as Tomball continues to see growth.

Shackelford said this project aims to improve life for hospital patients, as well as people who live and work in the area.

"We had sidewalks around the area, but they were not all connected," Shackelford said. "Right now you see a lot of people in electric carts in the middle of the road. They have nowhere to go."

The new 5-foot wide sidewalks are ADA accessible, including ramps down to the street for easy access for wheelchairs, walkers and electric carts.

Existing sidewalks on Graham Drive will be extended to the front of the H-E-B on Business 249. Sidewalks on Lawrence will run from Graham Drive south to Medical Complex Drive.

In another effort to improve the hospital area, the city is also extending Medical Complex Drive from Hwy. 249 to South Cherry Street.

The Medical Complex Drive extension is broken up into five phases. The city is focusing on Phase 3, which involves connecting the street from where it dead-ends in the hospital area through to Cherry Street. City officials are in the process of obtaining the land needed to complete the extension and hope to start construction later this year.