KATY, TX (Covering Katy News) - The Texas Department of Transportation is adding two additional sound barriers to the Grand Parkway (TX 99) expansion project between FM 1093 and the Katy Freeway, bringing the total to 14 sound walls along the heavily traveled six-mile stretch.
The barriers will reduce road noise that travels into neighborhoods along the Grand Parkway after it is expanded from four to six lanes, three northbound and three southbound.
Installing sound barriers can be a lengthy ordeal when they are not on a TxDOT right-of-way because of the time involved in negotiating with landowners for the right to build the structures.
"In those cases, we need another entity to work with us to complete the process," TxDOT spokesman Adam Wood told Covering Katy News.
With this project, negotiations typically involve homeowners associations or municipal utility districts. So, even though sound barriers have always been part of the project, TxDOT was not able to announce immediately where they'd be located. Fortunately, nine of the 14 sound barriers planned for the project are on TxDOT rights-of-way, meaning only five walls will require negotiation.
Woods says the two new sound barriers added to the project will be on TxDOT rights of way.
"We don't have to go through that arduous process," he said.
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This wall sits between the Grand Lakes subdivision and the Grand Parkway near Fry Road.
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This wall sits between the Grand Lakes subdivision and the Grand Parkway near Fry Road.
TxDOT says the location of sound barriers can change. Construction can also become complicated if utilities, like pipelines, have to be moved to make room for the noise barriers.
Between January and May 2023, TxDOT met with Cinco Ranch, Grand Lakes, and Falcon Point residents to discuss proposed noise-barrier locations and options available to the HOAs for constructing off-right-of-way noise barriers.
Planning for the project began several years ago. Since then, Fort Bend County has added additional frontage roads to the project.
"With the addition of Fort Bend County's frontage-road projects within the corridor, some proposed off-right-of-way noise barrier locations are subject to change," a TxDOT statement said.
Frontage roads will be built in the following locations:
- Southbound between Fry Road and Westheimer Parkway
- Northbound between Fry Road and Westheimer Parkway
- Northbound between Westheimer Parkway and Cinco Ranch Boulevard
- Southbound between Cinco Ranch Boulevard and Bay Hill Boulevard
- Northbound between Cinco Ranch Boulevard and Bay Hill Boulevard
The frontage road completion date has yet to be determined, according to TxDOT.
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Bridge work at the Grand Parkway and Fry Road.
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Work continues on the Grand Parkway expansion project in Katy.
Expansion of the main lanes will cost $85 million and take about two-and-a-half years to complete. Construction began on May 8, 2023, meaning the main lanes would be completed around November 2025.
A public meeting about the frontage road projects was scheduled for August but was recently rescheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 5, 2023, according to Woods. The location has yet to be determined.
Covering Katy will update this story when the location of October's public meeting is announced. We will also place the event on our calendar, which is located on the homepage of CoveringKaty.com.