Following more than two years of construction and decades of planning, Segment E of the Grand Parkway is tentatively set to open to drivers Dec. 21.

The new toll road stretches from I-10 in Katy to Hwy. 290 in Cypress, providing drivers with a new route around northwest Harris County.

Segment E features two main-lane toll plazas and multiple tolled on and off ramps, with an average toll price of $1.40 on main lanes and a variable rate from 35 cents to 71 cents on ramps, said Raquelle Lewis, spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Transportation. Those prices also apply to Segments F1 and F2 which are under construction and will stretch from Hwy. 290 to I-45 south of The Woodlands.

Drivers on the Grand Parkway will pass through main lane toll plazas every four to seven miles. The currently established rates went into effect in October 2013. Toll rates are subject to change and will be re-evaluated every October.

The West Houston Association and the Grand Parkway Association hosted a "Party on the Parkway" Dec. 13 and 14 to celebrate the opening of the 15-mile stretch of tollroad. The festivities began with a luncheon Dec. 13 to honor the individuals who helped bring the project about. The groups also hosted a fun run and party benefiting HEART Dec. 14.