Phase 1 Westpark Tollway extension/FM 1093 widening Phase 1 Westpark Tollway extension/FM 1093 widening[/caption]

1. Phase 1 Westpark Tollway extension/FM 1093 widening

FM 1093 will be a two-lane frontage road in each direction on either side of the Westpark Tollway. The Westpark Tollway will be extended 2.3 miles west from the Grand Parkway and will be four lanes of concrete-paved highway with two lanes in each direction. An overpass will be built above the intersection of Katy-Gaston Road and Spring Green Boulevard.

Timeline: February 2016-February 2018 Cost: $63.9 million Funding sources: Fort Bend County Assistance District 1, Fort Bend County Toll Road Authority, Emergency Services District 100, Texas Department of Transportation.

Katy-Gaston Road realignment at FM 1093 Katy-Gaston Road realignment at FM 1093[/caption]

2. Katy-Gaston Road realignment at FM 1093

Katy-Gaston Road will be widened and realigned along a 0.5-mile portion of the existing road. Starting at Summerset Ride Lane, the road will be widened from a two-lane asphalt road to a four-lane concrete boulevard. The final 0.17-mile portion of the road will be shifted 500 feet to the west to align with the new section of Katy-Gaston Road south of FM 1093.

Timeline: July 2016-January 2017 Cost: $1.3 million Funding sources: Fort Bend County

kty-2016-12-15-4small3. Cinco Ranch traffic congestion mitigation

Construction is underway on streets and at intersections in the Cinco Ranch area.

Timeline: January-December 2016 Cost: $1.6 million Funding sources: Emergency Services District 100

3A. A new right-turn lane is under construction from westbound Fry Road leading onto the northbound lanes of the Grand Parkway.

3B. A new right-turn lane is under construction from eastbound Fry Road leading onto the southbound lanes of the Grand Parkway.

3C. A new right-turn lane is under construction from the westbound lanes of Westheimer Parkway leading onto the northbound lanes of the Grand Parkway.

3D. A new right-turn lane is under construction from the eastbound lanes of Westheimer Parkway leading onto the southbound lanes of the Grand Parkway. An additional inlet is being added to the right-turn lane to address drainage issues.

3E. A second left-turn lane is under construction on westbound Fry Road leading onto Seven Meadows Parkway. Additionally, a second left-turn lane is being constructed from the northbound segment of Seven Meadows Parkway leading onto westbound Fry Road.

3F. Right-turn lanes are under construction in both the northbound and southbound lanes of Cinco Ranch Boulevard at the intersection of Westheimer Parkway, allowing drivers to use a right-turn-only lane leading onto Westheimer Parkway. A second left-turn lane is under construction in both the eastbound and westbound lanes of Westheimer Parkway turning onto Cinco Ranch Boulevard in both directions.

How it works: Why are we paying tolls after toll construction is paid for?

Toll roads Toll roads[/caption]

Tolls pay for more than just the construction of toll roads. Although tolls do go toward repaying the bonds sold to fund constructing new roads, they also pay for operating and maintaining the existing roadways and funding expansions and improvements.

Essentially, a toll road is never completely paid for.

The state’s population is projected to increase to more than 30 million people by 2020, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. As the population increases, toll roads may undergo improvement projects to accommodate for the increased traffic congestion in the area.

Regularly scheduled increases of toll rates also help pay for future projects. Toll rates are adjusted every odd numbered year.

Gas taxes and vehicle registration fees do not fund toll roads. That revenue is used to fund non-tolled projects by TxDOT. Toll roads, on the other hand, are largely funded through the sale of bonds that are repaid through tolls.