After delaying the opening of Houston’s third outer loop from the end of 2015 to first quarter 2016, officials say drivers will be able to access Grand Parkway segments F-1 and F-2—from Hwy. 290 to I-45—in early February.

“One of the biggest questions [I get asked] is, ‘When are you going to open F-1 and F-2?’” said Quincy Allen, Texas Department of Transportation Houston District engineer at a Jan. 12 North Houston Association luncheon. “We hope to be driving on that [during] the first week of February.”

Allen said Segment G, which stretches from I-45 to Hwy. 59, is expected to open after F-1 and F-2 but did not specify a target date.

On Dec. 28, Zachry-Odebrecht Parkway Builders announced F-1, F-2 and G would not open by the end of 2015—the initial target date for completion—and would instead open to traffic in the first quarter of 2016 with no specific opening date set. Zachry-Odebrecht is the engineering and construction team for the three segments.

As of Jan. 12, Zachry-Odebecht did not respond for comment regarding the new timeline announced by TxDOT.

“We’re working on G now, and F-1 and F-2 are moving toward completion as we speak,” Allen said. “That’s a billion-dollar project. We have a good partner and contractor with Zachry-Odebrecht. We have almost all of the right[s] of way [and] we’re at a little bit more than 95 percent [completed].”

For more information on the new Grand Parkway segments, read the Jan. 15 Tomball | Magnolia edition of Community Impact Newspaper.