Fort Bend Commuters Hope For Traffic Relief With Long-Awaited Toll Road Extension

The $150 million project will extend the Westpark Tollway for about two-and-half-miles from west of the Grand Parkway. Existing FM 1093 in Fort Bend County will be used as a frontage road. After the tollway ends, 1093 will be widened another few miles to the town of Fulshear.

Fort Bend Precinct 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers says the work is desperately needed as the county continues to grow.

"People driving late at night, there's not a lot of lighting there, and it's dark,” explains Meyers. “And people aren't aware that the traffic is stopped in front of them. And we've had some rear ends — not totally serious — but still you don't like accidents."

That project was delayed for several years because a dispute with the federal government concerning the environmental review. There were also disagreements with the state over financing. Meyers says during that time, the traffic has only gotten worse.

"I've got in excess of 40,000 cars a day trying to get down a two-lane road," says Meyers. "And the traffic congestion is horrendous."

Meyers says once they start construction, they'll route traffic on the existing lanes, and shift to the new lanes once they're complete.

"Motorists will be somewhat inconvenienced but not more terribly than they are now," adds Meyers. "I mean, they've got a horrific traffic jam as we speak."

The project will be done in two phases. Officials expect to complete the work by the summer of 2018.