FM-1960 targeted for expansion near Lake Houston

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- One of the Houston area's most troubled roads is getting a face lift. FM-1960 is being widened near Lake Houston, in the Atascocita area.

FM-1960 has become synonymous with traffic, especially between US-59 and West Lake Houston, where there are only two lanes in each direction.

Brandon Bass, like so many others, moved to The Lake Houston area to escape the hustle and bustle of traffic, but now his daily commute has slowed to a crawl.

"It's a challenge every morning," Bass said.

It is especially challenging near the busy intersection at West Lake Houston. Because of growth in the Atascocita area, TxDOT plans to expand the highway from four to six lanes, from FM-1960 Business to Lake Houston.

"It's needed, it probably should have been done three four or five years ago," driver Glenn Graham said.

Instead, the project is still in the design phase, and it could be five or more years before the roadwork is completed. TxDOT projects the number of cars through this area of FM-1960 to increase from 47,000 today to more than 71,000 by 2040. Drivers say a fix can't come soon enough.

TxDOT also hopes to reduce the number of accidents by removing the center turn lane and replacing it with a median.

"Yesterday I almost got in an accident because I was going to turn up here at Kroger and somebody got in that lane really early because they actually really use it to ride," driver Beverly Hebert said.

This part of the Houston area is perhaps the last to be targeted for development, so now it's a top target for projected growth.