1. Friendswood Link Road widening

Construction on the city of Friendswood project to widen Friendswood Link Road is ongoing. The project will expand the thoroughfare from FM 518 to Blackhawk Boulevard. The segment of the project that falls within Galveston County—FM 518 to Hibiscus Lane—will be widened from two to three lanes with a dedicated turn lane. New sidewalks and an improved drainage system will also be installed. The portion from Hibiscus Lane to Blackhawk Boulevard—which is in Harris County—will expand from two to four lanes. This segment of the project will also include new sidewalks and improved drainage in addition to medians. The project—which is expected to improve evacuation routes out of the city—received a Texas General Land Office disaster recovery grant in the wake of Hurricane Ike in 2008. The project is about 75 percent complete. According to city officials, the project is expected to be finished in March.

Timeline: fall 2014-March 2016 Cost: $5.3 million Funding sources: Texas General Land Office grant, city of Friendswood

2. Bailey Road widening

Traffic on Bailey Road will be affected for the next four months as an improved drainage system is installed on the south side of the thoroughfare between FM 1128 and Veterans Drive. Through March 8, sections of the road will be closed between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., according to city of Pearland officials. Officials said construction should not interfere with access to properties and businesses in the area. The drainage improvements are part of a city of Pearland project in the corridor to widen Bailey Road. In an effort to ease east-west traffic congestion in the city, the thoroughfare will expand from two to four lanes. A 10-foot-wide mixed-use path for pedestrians and cyclists will be installed on the north side of the road. The project received funding as part of Houston-Galveston Area Council’s Transportation Improvement Program.

Timeline: September 2015-September 2017 Cost: $21.3 million Funding sources: H-GAC, city of Pearland

3. Kingsley Drive widening

The Texas Department of Transportation project to expand Kingsley Drive is ongoing. Webber LLC began construction on the project in early June. The project will widen the thoroughfare from two to four lanes from FM 518 to CR 894. As part of the project, 10-foot shoulders will be installed. According to TxDOT officials, the project is about 40 percent complete.

Timeline: June 2015-second quarter 2016 Cost: $12.2 million Funding sources: TxDOT, federal funds

4. Friendswood roadway improvements

The city of Friendswood is in the process of its first round of various street improvement projects that were approved as part of a 2013 bond referendum. Four thoroughfares—Mary Ann Drive, Shadowbend Avenue, Townes and Winding roads—will have segments of roadway replaced. All four streets will be combined in one project contract, according to officials. The surveying and geotechnical services for the project have been completed. City officials are in the process of evaluating construction bids and are expected to present a contractor recommendation to Friendswood City Council at its regular meeting in December.

• 4A - Mary Ann Drive will have 16,001 feet of its roadway replaced.
• 4B - Shadowbend Avenue will have 1,224 feet of its roadway replaced.
• 4B - Townes Road will have 786 feet of its roadway replaced.
• 4D - Winding Road will have 2,133 feet of its roadway replaced.

Timeline: late 2015-spring 2017 Cost: $1.9 million Funding sources: city of Friendswood, TxDOT

5. Orange Street resurfacing

Pearland City Council awarded a construction contract to AAA Asphalt Paving for resurfacing work on Orange Street at its regular meeting Oct. 26. The project will install a new driving surface and repair the base of the thoroughfare from Hwy. 35 to Old Alvin Road. Orange Street has been in failing condition for several years, and a 2014 evaluation revealed needed improvements to the road, officials said. The project will be completed through an interlocal agreement with Brazoria County, according to Pearland officials.

Timeline: late 2015-early 2016 Cost: $491,135 Funding sources: city of Pearland, Brazoria County