The Texas Department of Transportation selected Blueridge Transportation Group as its partner for the construction of toll lanes on Hwy. 288.
The Texas Transportation Commission approved a public-private partnership between TxDOT and Blueridge Feb. 26 on the 10.3-mile project that stretches from Hwy. 59 to the Harris County line and will include new toll lanes and general purpose lanes.
The agreement is the Houston area's first in which a private contractor will design, construct, finance, operate and maintain the facility, according to TxDOT.
The $800 million project—which is scheduled to begin construction in late 2015—will ease congestion on the freeway, which carries more than 160,000 cars daily at the Hwy. 288 and Beltway 8 intersection, officials said. Planners expect the project to be complete by early 2019.
