Toll lanes coming to Highway 288

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- If you commute into Houston from Brazoria County, you know how bad traffic can be on the South Freeway.

That's why the county is moving forward with a plan to install toll lanes along the freeway between County Road 58 and the 610 Loop near the Texas Medical Center.

Brazoria County Engineer Matt Hanks tells us it could cut the commute by as much as half for the thousands of people who drive between Brazoria and Harris counties everyday. Two lanes will be built in each direction where a grassy median currently separates northbound and southbound traffic. The trickiest part of the project is timing.

"Harris County's portion is about twice as long and has some major structures in it that we don't have in ours," Hanks says. "So if we started at the same time they started, we'd finish before they finish and we don't want that."

The Texas Department of Transportation is handling Harris County's portion. A spokesman says thy anticipate awarding the contract at the end of the month and starting construction early next year. Brazoria County will time the start here to finish around the same time.