Construction planned to expand Westpark Tollway

FULSHEAR, TX (KTRK) -- What was once a bustling town just a decade ago is now bustling with bumper to bumper traffic. With several new home developments added to the Fulshear landscape, creating the roadways to support the growing population -- especially on FM 1093 -- is now a priority for Fort Bend County.

East of the Grand Parkway, the Westpark Tollway's multiple main and feeder lanes keep traffic moving. But west of the Grand Parkway, FM 1093 is a two-lane rural road unequipped for the area's congestions. So, starting this fall, construction will begin on the highly anticipated FM 1093 expansion.

"The plan is to widen 1093 and to extend the Westpark basically from Highway 99 all the way to the Fulshear area," explains the Fort Bend County Engineer Richard Stolleis.

The expanded Westpark Tollway will include four lanes. Then, FM 1093 will have four lanes at grade.

There will be a total of eight lanes for commuters, explains Stolleis. "It's going to quadruple the size."

Phase two of the construction will begin next year. "Phase two is from 1463 to James Lane which is on the west side of Fulshear. And, it will be four lanes," adds Stolleis.

The completion of phases one and two will give easy access to 1463, 359, and the Grand Parkway, which allows a quick hop to I-10 and US-59.

"We anticipate that phase one will be open to traffic in September of 2017, and phase two will be open in 2018," says Stolleis.

While construction takes place, residents will still have one lane in each direction to travel on. When it's complete, they hope to cut residents' commutes in half.

Along with the widening of FM 1093 and Westpark expansion, there's a new parkway being proposed that will extend from FM 1093 in Fulshear to I-10 west of Katy. That road work should begin in about two years.