TEXAS — Considered the biggest roadway infrastructure project of its kind in the country, the North Houston Highway Improvement Project or Interstate 45 Expansion Project is underway in Houston. Neighbors and business owners have weighed in on the construction, and a liaison for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) gave Spectrum News an update on the progress, sharing why the estimated costs and timelines for the multibillion-dollar project have drastically increased.

Hoffie Ferreira, the owner of J-Bar-M BBQ on Leeland Street, east of downtown Houston, says people travel quite a distance for his top menu items of brisket, ribs and turkey. However, he says construction from Houston’s I-45 expansion often makes it hard to get there.

“It’s gonna be an ongoing thing for a good while, so hopefully it’s a short impact now,” Ferreira said.

Mike Zientek, a public involvement liaison for TxDOT, said I-45 will expand through downtown to Beltway 8 North to address traffic congestion.

“This is the biggest infrastructure project of its kind, roadway, in the United States,” Zientek said. “The Pierce Elevated will no longer carry traffic once we’re finished. It will be rerouted inside Interstate 10, inside Interstate 69 and go on to Galveston, as it does today, and the main reason for that is to reduce the number of interchanges.”

Zientek said this is a $13 billion project, which is nearly double the amount of TxDOT’s initial estimate of about $7 billion. He confirmed inflation, legal hurdles and delays are driving up costs for taxpayers. FIFA World Cup preparations are now stalling some of the project even further.

“You’ve got weather, complexity, contractors and subs that all have to work together, and if that doesn’t happen perfectly, and let’s face it, it’s not a perfect world, that’s when things are going to slide,” said Zientek.

TxDOT records show skyrocketing estimates for other state highway improvements, including the I-30 Canyon Project in North Texas, which has tripled to nearly $890 million, and the I-345 Project in Dallas, which has risen from $1 billion to $1.65 billion.

“You can’t have a crystal ball and say we know exactly what’s going to happen when, but I do have to say TxDOT accounts for inflation in its estimates,” Zientek said, adding crews could complete Houston’s I-45 drainage work by 2028.

“I’m thinking 2038, 2040 for all this to be finished,” he said, regarding the overall project.

For now, he says flood mitigation is top priority. Workers are building a huge detention pond on Runnels Street, which he said will be able to hold 76 million gallons of water.

Crews also dug a massive 50-foot hole to install pipes at the corner of McIlhenny and St. Emmanuel streets, and now they’re filling it in.

“It’s a mess right now, but I guess in 20 years when I won’t be here anymore, it’s gonna be a lot better for everyone,” said Mary Waller, who lives near the construction in downtown Houston.

Brooklyn Haynes, another downtown Houston resident, is looking forward to the end of the construction.

“It needs to get done, but also, you know, it’s been so much traffic from it all,” she said.

It’s all for safer roads, and if fate will have it, according to TxDOT, ultimately less traffic.