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What they said<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tConceptualized in the early 1960s, Grand Parkway, or State Hwy. 99, is a proposed 180-mile circumferential highway that travels around the Greater Houston metro. It is now moving into the southeastern region, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.<\/p>\n
The big picture<\/p>\n
The project will extend the highway 14 miles from FM 646 in League City to south of FM 2403 in Alvin, TxDOT documents show.<\/p>\n
The expansion project, titled \u201cSection B-1,\u201d is slated to start construction in 2027.<\/p>\n
Before then, technical and price proposals are due by the end of February, with a contract expected to be awarded in April and executed in July. Design and project mobilization will follow in the second half of 2026, said Kenneth Shirley, a TxDOT construction management engineer.<\/p>\n
According to TxDOT documents, the expansion will include construction for the following:<\/p>\n
Four-lane tollway with discontinuous two lane frontage roads and interchangesTwo direct connectors at State Hwy. 35State Hwy. 99 mainlanes north of GrandParkwayFour direct connectors at I-45 interchange<\/p>\n
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The cost<\/p>\n
Section B-1 will cost $1.96 billion to build out, according to TxDOT documents.<\/p>\n
It will be primarily funded through toll revenue collected from users, Shirley said.<\/p>\n
Separately, a small portion of the project north of the Hwy. 35 interchange will be funded by state funds, Shirley said.<\/p>\n
A project cost breakdown is not yet available, but is slated to be released shortly after April, when proposals for the project are submitted, according to TxDOT documents.<\/p>\n
While toll rates have not yet been established for Section B-1, the Grand Parkway\u2019s toll rates are established and updated on a regular basis in concert with local toll facilities, Shirley said.<\/p>\n
TxDOT reported $347.7 million in operating revenue for the Grand Parkway in 2024, according to its annual financial report.<\/p>\n
What they said<\/p>\n
On the business side, Bryan Bolton, League City Chamber of Commerce president, said he believes the expansion of Grand Parkway will be \u201ctransformative\u201d for League City\u2019s identity.<\/p>\n
The roadway expansion, along with development coming to the city\u2019s west side, will also help achieve the chamber\u2019s mutual goal with League City\u2019s Economic Development Corp., which is to provide a place where people can live and work in League City\u2014or close to it\u2014without having to drive to Houston.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to be huge,” Bolton said. “It\u2019s just going to really open up a lot of opportunities where we\u2019re seen as an economic hub, like The Woodlands. That\u2019s what we want for League City.\u201d<\/p>\n
Zooming out<\/p>\n
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What’s next?<\/p>\n
Segment B-1 is still in its procurement phase, meaning TxDOT is evaluating and getting set to select a contractor to design and build the segment.<\/p>\n
After a contract is executed, design and project mobilization will take place in the summer, fall and winter of 2026, Shirley said.<\/p>\n
When construction occurs, Shirley requests that drivers:<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t use phonesSlow downObey warning signsSection B-1 is slated to open to traffic in the summer or fall of 2031, Shirley said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 2031, we\u2019ll have a new roadway to drive on and alleviate some of the congestion issues that will come with all the new growth,\u201d League City City Manager John Baumgartner said.<\/p>\n