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Transportation

State Highway 288 Toll Project Gets Closer To Construction

TxDOT says drivers will soon see activity at one of Houston’s traffic hotspots.

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The State Highway 288 toll lanes will run about ten miles. There will be two tolled lanes in each direction that will take drivers from U.S. 59 to Brazoria County.

The project also includes a direct connector to the Med Center.

TxDOT's Varuna Singh says construction should ramp up over the next six months.

"We're utilizing the existing median, very wide, so we don't expect much impact to the free lanes that are operating today and will continue to operate," explains Singh.

Singh adds one of the first spots they'll tackle is 288 at the 610 South Loop.

"Construction will begin there and construction will end there, because there's so much work going on," says Singh. "Essentially the eight direct connectors we have out there today will be completely replaced."

The project will cost $850 million, and TxDOT says most of that will be paid by Blueridge Transportation Group. That's the private company that will build the lanes and collect the tolls.

Construction should be finished by the middle of 2019.

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Gail Delaughter

Gail Delaughter

News Anchor

From early-morning interviews with commuters to walks through muddy construction sites, Gail covers all aspects of getting around Houston. That includes walking, driving, cycling, taking the bus, and occasionally flying. Before she became transportation reporter in 2011, Gail hosted weekend programs for Houston Public Media. She's also covered courts in...

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