1.I-69 widening

The Texas Department of Transportation is working to widen a 4.2-mile stretch of I-69 between FM 762 and Spur 10 to eight main lanes. The project also includes adding frontage roads and constructing two-way High Occupancy Vehicle lanes. Timeline: September 2014-January 2019 Cost: $156.02 million Funding source: TxDOT

2.Owens Road realignment

Formerly a private prison road, Owens Road has been transferred to Fort Bend County for private use and will undergo a realignment project. The project will widen the roadway and realigns the west end of Owens Road to connect to Plantation Drive. Timeline: August-December Cost: $2.65 million Funding sources: Fort Bend County (realignment), developer (widening)

3.Hillcrest Drive bridge completion

TxDOT has finished replacing a bridge on Hillcrest Drive at Rabbs Bayou and reopened the roadway to drivers after nearly two years of construction. TxDOT replaced the wooden bridge—deemed unsafe—with a concrete bridge. Timeline: September 2015-May 2017 Cost: $2.82 million Funding sources: TxDOT (bridge replacement), Fort Bend County and city of Richmond (overlay)

4.US 90A underpass replacement

According to Richmond city officials, a project to replace the narrow railroad underpass along US 90A between Lane Drive and FM 762 has been sent out for bid by TxDOT. The project, estimated to take about two years, converts the railroad underpass to an overpass. Timeline: May 2017-TBD Cost: TBD Funding source: TxDOT

5.Grand Parkway, US 90A direct connectors

Longterm plans for direct connectors between US 90A and the Grand Parkway are under development, according to TxDOT. The three-phase project includes widening US 90A to an eight-lane, divided highway from Grand Parkway to just west of Hwy. 6. Timeline: 2024-TBD Cost: TBD Funding source: TxDOT


How it works

What happens when a TxDOT roadway enters a city’s boundaries?

What happens when a TxDOT roadway enters a city’s boundaries?

When a city incorporates, that government becomes responsible for all roadways within its city limits, including any state numbered streets. Cities then must create a municipal maintenanceagreement with the Texas Department of Transportation to determine the responsibilities of the city and the state for those roadways.

These agreements give cities “exclusive domain, control and jurisdiction over the public streets within its corporate limits,” according to TxDOT. The state agency also can indicate which roadways it will continue maintaining.

To create a municipal maintenance agreement, a city meets with TxDOT to discuss maps, lists of area roadways and maintenance requests on those roadways. A city will then approve a resolution to enter into an agreement with TxDOT.

Both the city and TxDOT will review and approve their responsibilities to execute the agreement.