Pearland motorists can expect major road construction through the end of the decade, including widening projects along FM 518, Mykawa Road and Hughes Road, as well as intersection and street renovations throughout the city.
The big picture
The city’s five-year capital improvement plan, approved by City Council in September, includes around $203 million for street projects through 2030, according to city documents. Separately, the Texas Department of Transportation, or TxDOT, is advancing an estimated $187 million widening project along Broadway Street.
While major projects aim to improve traffic flow and capacity, Pearland’s Public Works Department must also maintain over 1,000 miles of roadway across a network that has grown nearly 70% since 2006, prioritizing repairs based on pavement conditions, traffic volumes and several other factors.
“We’re not just looking at which request came in today or several months ago. It’s where the biggest impact will be,” said Dante Prescod, Pearland’s assistant director of public works.
The various planned road projects across Pearland represent a broad effort from both local and state officials to improve mobility, address aging infrastructure and allow the city’s road network to keep pace with growth.
Assessing the need
The Public Works Department uses a Pavement Condition Index, or PCI, to assess road conditions and identify maintenance needs. The score ranges from 0 to 100 and considers factors such as surface cracking and failures in the underlying road base, Prescod said.
Depending on a street’s condition and whether larger infrastructure work is planned, repairs can range from surface treatments to more extensive road rehabilitation. Of the city’s planned pavement projects for fiscal year 2026-27, 23% were rated in “poor” or “very poor” condition, data shows.
The city also considers traffic volumes, school bus routes, resident service requests and other planned capital improvements when prioritizing repairs.
“We’d like to get 15 to 20 years out of an asphalt road,” Prescod said. “Concrete roads pretty much last around 30 to 40 years, depending on the location and soil conditions.”
Prescod noted that alternating periods of drought and heavy rain cause soil to contract and expand, potentially weakening the road base. Tree roots, moisture and traffic can further accelerate damage.
About the project
TxDOT estimates the two-phase FM 518 widening project will cost $187 million, with the $87.6 million segment from Hwy. 288 to Cullen Parkway scheduled to begin in fall 2027, followed by the $99.4 million segment from Cullen to east of Hwy. 35 in fall 2028.
The project will widen the four-lane roadway to six lanes, adding raised medians, sidewalks and turn lanes to ease congestion and improve safety. Inconsistent medians, which contribute to crashes at intersections and other conflict points, is the reason behind the widening, according to TxDOT documents.
TxDOT plans to maintain two lanes in each direction during both phases of construction, though drivers should expect shifting traffic patterns and delays.
TxDOT's Public Information Officer Danny Perez said it's important for residents to "know before you go," when it comes to ongoing roadway changes.
The local impact
The FM 518 widening project requires about 25 acres of additional right-of-way, with total acquisition costs around $82 million, or nearly 44% of both project’s $187 million estimated budget.
TxDOT’s plans estimate that 20 businesses will require relocation. Local restaurant Tacos Toreados announced in August it would close its Broadway brick-and-mortar due to the project. The agency provides compensation for the businesses and aids in the relocation process, Perez said.
“Pearland has grown so much, and we wanted to include sidewalks and a shared-use path, so we had to acquire additional right of way," Perez said.
What to expect
Pearland has made recent investments in roadway upkeep and improvements. The city has increased annual street maintenance funding by $500,000 and contributed $28.5 million through the Pearland Economic Development Corp. over five years for utility relocations, traffic signals, street connections and landscaping associated with the FM 518 widening.
“We recognize there are a lot of people here, and we’re catching up with the growth that happened in the city and caused congestion,” Pearland’s Communications Director Josh Lee said. “Mobility is an important part of the community. It’s also about protecting the taxpayer’s investment.”
