KATY (Covering Katy News)—Harris County Precinct 4 engineers expect road construction on North Fry Road near Morton to wrap up in August. Residents and businesses say they can't wait.
Home growth has dramatically outpaced road construction, making traffic a challenging part of everyday life for residents who live in north Katy.
Dedicated right turn lanes are being added to North Fry Road on the northbound and southbound sides at the Morton Road intersection. When completed, there will be four lanes, as the intersection already has a dedicated left turn lane and two straight lanes. Morton Road will not have any lane expansions at the intersection.
Daina Munoz lives in the area and is a manager at the CVS Pharmacy on the corner of N. Fry Road and Morton Road. She says traveling through the subdivisions is often faster than using North Fry.
"Sometimes I have to go inside the subdivisions to get to my house," Munoz said. "I live three blocks from here. When they finish, I hope I don't have to do that anymore."
She also says CVS sales have gone down since construction began and the nearby Jack in the Box is in a similar situation.
"Once the road is completed, it will help the flow of traffic and also help the restaurant," said Jack in the Box Director of Operations Michael Akinkugbe. "I can't wait to see what kind of impact it will have on my business."
The Jack in the Box at 3072 N. Fry Road has been there for more than 20 years, and the area has seen remarkable residential growth, contributing to more traffic in a formerly rural area.
It's been "a little bit rough," Akinkugbe said.
Like Akinkugbe, Munoz is optimistic about improved business when the construction is complete, and she credits construction workers for keeping the area free of debris.
"I just hope they finish," Munoz said.