Texas State Highway 99

State Highway 99, also known as the Grand Parkway, is a highway in Texas, United States, that opened its first section in 1994. When State Highway 99 is complete, it will be the longest beltway in the U.S., the third longest ring road in the world, and the third (outer) loop within Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area, with Interstate 610 being the first (inner) loop, and Beltway 8 (Sam Houston Tollway) being the second (middle) loop. The proposed 170-mile (270 km) loop has been divided into 11 separate segments for construction and funding purposes.[1] In May 2019, the Texas Department of Transportation gave the Grand Parkway a secondary, yet honorable designation as the Mayor Bob Lanier Memorial Parkway. Bob Lanier, who served as the mayor of Houston from 1992 to 1998, had spearheaded the creation of the Grand Parkway.[2]

State Highway 99
Grand Parkway
Route information
Maintained by TxDOT
Length85.5 mi (137.6 km)
Existed1994–present
Segment 1
Length71 mi (114 km)
CCW end I-69 / US 59 in Sugar Land
Major
junctions		 I-10 / US 90 in Katy
I-45 in Houston
CW end I-69 / US 59 in New Caney
Segment 2
Length14.5 mi (23.3 km)
CCW end I-10 in Mont Belvieu
CW end
Bus. SH 146 in Baytown
Highway system
← SH 98SH 100 →

Previous routes
Historic SH 99

SH 99 was designated on August 18, 1924, from San Angelo to Fort Stockton.[3] On June 25, 1929, SH 99 had extended to Alpine.[4] On March 2, 1932, and a spur to Sherwood, SH 99A, was added but was maintained by the county.[5] On July 23, 1934, this route was transferred to SH 10, and SH 99A was cancelled by then.[6] On October 29, 1960, a new route was made for SH 99, going from Denton to the Oklahoma line as a renumbering of SH 10, to match OK 99 at its border. On April 29, 1968, this route became part of US 377. On October 25, 1984, SH 99 was designated along a very similar route to today's, but ending at SH 146 (Loop 201 until March 28, 1996) and Spur 330. On March 28, 2002, SH 99 was rerouted further east along a new route south to Spur 55 and along Spur 55 to Business SH 146. Spur 55 was cancelled, but it was not effective until completion of that section of SH 99 in 2008.

Segments

Overview
SegmentStatus(Planned)
completion		FromToLength
(miles)		(Future)
Toll Road
A Currently not considered a viable project[7] Unknown SH 146 I-45 south tbd (yes)
B Construction has yet to be scheduled[8] Unknown I-45 south SH 288 28.0 (yes)
C Construction was originally scheduled to begin in August 2016, but the plans were re-evaluated and re-approved on March 9, 2017[9] Unknown SH 288 I-69 / US 59 south 26.0 (yes)
D Completed; toll collected 1994 I-69 / US 59 south I-10 / US 90 west 18.2 partial
E 2013 I-10 / US 90 west US 290 / SH 6 15.2 yes
F-1 2016 US 290 / SH 6 SH 249 / Tomball Tollway 11.9 yes
F-2 2016 SH 249 / Tomball Tollway I-45 north 12.1 yes
G 2016 I-45 north I-69 / US 59 north 13.6 yes
H & I-1 Construction began in summer of 2017[10] (2022)[10] I-69 / US 59 north I-10 east 37.5 (yes)
I-2 Completed; toll collected 2008 I-10 east SH 146 14.5 partial

Segment A

Segment A is a segment that would extend from SH 146 to I-45 South. It is currently not considered a viable project.[7]

Segment B

Segment B Construction has not yet begun.[8] This segment extends from I-45 South to SH 288.

Segment C

Segment C Construction has not yet begun.[9] This segment extends from SH 288 to I-69/US 59 South.

Segment D

Segment D, the first section opened, runs from just north of Interstate 10/US 90, west of Houston, south to Interstate 69/US 59 in Sugar Land where it terminates and intersects with FM 2759. The portion of this segment south of the interchange with the Westpark Tollway is now a four-lane divided highway feeder road, with maintains crossing over the Westpark Tollway.

The 18-month-long construction of two ramps connecting westbound I-10/US 90 to southbound SH-99 and northbound SH-99 to eastbound I-10/US 90 was completed in 2011. The occasional traffic jams at this intersection prompted the sped-up construction of the ramps before the through lanes of SH-99 were built through the I-10/US 90 interchange. Two more ramps connecting southbound SH-99 to eastbound I-10/US 90 and westbound I-10/US 90 to northbound SH-99 opened as part of the construction of Segment E in December 2013. A final ramp connecting northbound SH-99 to westbound I-10/US 90 has been completed and is operational.

Between the Westpark Tollway and I-69/US 59, Fort Bend County has constructed toll overpasses at nine locations along Highway 99. Motorists are charged around 35¢ to use each overpass, or can bypass the toll by using the current roadway through the signalized intersections.[11] Overpasses between I-69/US 59 and US 90-Alt opened on February 27, 2014, Airport Boulevard and Harlem Road on March 18, 2014, and Mason Road and Bellfort Street on March 30, 2014. The rest of the tolled overpasses to I-10/US 90 opened in late April 2014.[12]

A TxDOT study is currently underway for Segment D of the Grand Parkway.[13] The study includes looking at ways to reduce traffic in the original segment of the non-tolled portion of the freeway; this includes the possibility of adding continuous feeder roads. This segment has been open since 1994 and population, and thus traffic, in the surrounding area has increased exponentially. There is no timetable on when or if any new projects will come out of this study.

Segment E

September 2011 construction began on Segment E connecting I-10/US 90 Katy Freeway in the south to US 290/SH 6 and opened in December 2013. On June 3, 2008, the Harris County Commissioners Court voted to fast track the construction of Segment E with construction to begin in 2009 and then came the addition of $150 million in Stimulus money yet still the project stalled. As with many Stimulus projects it turned out not to be "shovel ready" enough and the $150 million was sent back to TxDOT for use elsewhere.[14] In 2011 the Wetlands permit from the Army Corps of Engineers was acquired. In addition, Harris County relinquishing its rights to TxDOT who will construct a Public Private Cooperative toll road. At its April 28, 2011 meeting TxDOT allocated $350 million and the construction permits were let in July 2011.[14] On July 28, 2011 TxDOT reported that three out of four contracts for Segment E were awarded and that construction would start by early September 2011.[15]

The multi year reconstruction of I-10/US 90 was completed in 2008 while US 290/SH 6 reconstruction was not due to even start until 2011. "[16] The 22-mile (35 km) long section of I-10/US 90 from the suburb town of Katy to just inside the I-610 loop has expanded it to handle the rapidly expanding western suburbs of Houston not just adding lanes, but also an expanded HOV with two lanes in both directions where there was one lane reversed back and forth with rush hour and a toll lane for commuters willing to pay congestion prices for the quicker ride. The idea put forth is that Segment E is toll-viable from the start meaning it would pay for itself with tolls collected because of the need to relieve traffic on US 290/SH 6 along with the continued expansion of the western suburbs. After US 290/SH 6 construction is completed and less traffic is diverting down the E Segment of the Grand Parkway; the reasoning is that the inevitable population explosion going on in the area would not just replace the lost traffic from the US 290/SH 6 completion, but increase its use.

Segment F-1

Segment F-1 connects US 290/SH 6 to Texas State Highway 249. Construction began June 2013 and was completed and opened to traffic on February 5, 2016.[17][18] In early 2020, construction commenced on four direct connectors: two from northbound Tomball Tollway to east and westbound SH 99 (Grand Parkway), with the other two connecting to southbound Tomball Tollway from east and westbound SH 99. The projected is projected to be completed in 2022.[19]

Segment F-2

Segment F-2 connects Texas State Highway 249 with I-45. Construction began on Segment F-2 in June 2013. A one-mile section of frontage road lanes between I-45 and Holzwarth Road (near the ExxonMobil Campus in Spring) was completed and opened to traffic in April 2015. The remainder of Segment F-2 opened on February 5, 2016.[20][18]

Segment G

Segment G connects I-45 with I-69/US 59 North. Construction began June 2013 and was completed and opened to traffic on March 29, 2016. An interchange with the Hardy Toll Road to the Grand Parkway was completed on July 18, 2016.[14][17][21]

Segment H and I-1

Texas Transportation Commission members met in Pasadena in late June 2015, and one item on their agenda is soliciting interested builders to develop, build and maintain the next 37.4 mi (60.2 km) Grand Parkway segment from Interstate 69/US 59 north of Houston to Interstate 10 east of the city. The project, which began construction in the summer of 2017,[10] is expected to cost $1.2 billion. The completion date was delayed from 2019 to the spring of 2022 due to Hurricane Harvey.

Segment I-2
The southern end of the tolled portion of segment I-2

Segment I-2, which opened on March 25, 2008, after five years of construction, runs from Interstate 10 east of Houston south to Business State Highway 146 in Baytown. (The former Spur 55, which ran from FM 1405 to Business 146, was renumbered SH 99 and connects with the newly constructed portion of Segment I-2 at FM 1405.)

TxDOT began collecting tolls on this segment on November 1, 2011. Motorists are able to pay tolls using any of the Texas toll tag transponders (TxTag, EZ TAG or TollTag), the K-Tag (Kansas) or the Pike Pass (Oklahoma). No cash or mail payments are available on this segment. Tag reader gantries have been installed on the mainline just south of FM 565, and on the northbound entrance and southbound exit ramps at FM 565. Tolls will be $1 for two-axle vehicles.[22]

Future construction

Future sections of the Grand Parkway will be built as tollways. The next sections to be constructed are Section C along with Sections H and I-1, which will include improvements/upgrades to the existing portions of Section I.

Opposition and support

Current residents who live along the Grand Parkway in Harris and Fort Bend counties (namely in the Cinco Ranch/Falcon Point areas within segment D) have noticed increased noise due to expansion of the highway, which includes construction of new overpasses as well as increased growth in the surrounding area. Sound barriers have not been constructed based on a 30+ year old environmental study. Resident petitions and protests for a new sound barrier study have not been addressed and Texas DOT claims "This section of the Grand Parkway does not qualify for that."[23] Further expansion in this area is planned to start in 2010 with two tollway lanes added in each direction.[24]

Some groups in some neighborhoods are opposing the idea of the Grand Parkway going through their neighborhoods. For instance, a group called "United to Save Our Spring" tried to stop the Parkway from going through a neighborhood off FM 2920. Residents in other unincorporated areas such as The Woodlands have not shown the same opposition and support the construction of the Grand Parkway, namely segments E, F-1, F-2, and G, as this would give residents living in the outer suburbs a toll road option to drive to San Antonio, Austin, northeast Texas, or Louisiana without having to drive through the city of Houston, or using Sam Houston Tollway (Beltway 8) to bypass around the city.

Some residents in Brazoria County, along segment B, have voiced opposition to several of the proposed alignments. However, TxDOT has recently proposed a fifth alternative alignment to the north of Alvin. This alternative is acceptable to the opposition group Citizens Against the Grand Parkway and is likely to encounter much less opposition from the community.[25]

The controversial segment A, which would stretch from Texas State Highway 146 to Interstate 45 southeast of Houston through a very developed area, has not been fully designed yet. Texas Highway 146 is a possible route of the highway during segment A, but TxDOT has released plans for the highway to intersect I-45 from the west at its intersection with FM-646. If the highway continued south on Highway 146 to its intersection with FM 646 (Supposing the highway was built along the route of FM-646), it would eventually have to pass through the town of Kemah, which could not support a large highway unless many businesses were destroyed.[26]

Exit list

All exits are unnumbered.

CountyLocationmikmDestinationsNotes
Fort BendSugar Land I-69 / US 59 / FM 2759 / Crabb River RoadI-69/US 59 exit 105.
​Riverpark Driveinterchange; current south end of toll road
​Toll gantry for both directions
Electronic toll tags only, no cash allowed
​New Territory Boulevard
​Toll gantry for both directions
Electronic toll tags only, no cash allowed
​
Alt. US 90 / FM 1464 / Sandhill Drive
​Toll gantry for both directions
Electronic toll tags only, no cash allowed
​Toll gantry for both directions
Electronic toll tags only, no cash allowed
Gantry is located between Harlem Road and Airport Boulevard
​Airport Boulevard / Harlem Road
​Toll gantry for both directions
Electronic toll tags only, no cash allowed
Gantry is located between Mason Road and Bellfort Street
HoustonMason Road / Bellfort Street
Peek RoadFormer proposed interchange[27]
​Toll gantry for both directions
Electronic toll tags only, no cash allowed
HoustonBellaire Boulevard
FM 1093 / Fort Bend Westpark Tollway east
​Toll gantry for both directions
Electronic toll tags only, no cash allowed
KatyFry Road
Westheimer Parkway
Cinco Ranch Boulevard
Bay Hill Boulevard / Highland Knolls Drive
HarrisKingsland Boulevard
SH 99 north (Frontage Road)northbound (clockwise) exit and southbound (counterclockwise) entrance, access to Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital
I-10 (US 90) – San Antonio, HoustonI-10 exit 743B.
Franz Road / Colonial Parkway / I-10 Frontage Road
​Morton Ranch Road
HoustonClay Road
​Toll gantry for both directions
Electronic toll tags only, no cash allowed
​ FM 529
​West Road
​Tuckerton RoadRoad not connected yet
​Bridgeland Creek Parkway
​North Bridgeland Lake ParkwayRoad not connected yet
​Toll gantries for both directions
Electronic toll tags only, no cash allowed
North bound gantry is near Louetta Road and South bound Gantry is near North Bridgeland Lake Parkway
​Louetta RoadRoad not connected yet
​ US 290 (SH 6) – Austin, Houston
​Toll gantry for both directions
Electronic toll tags only, no cash allowed
​Cumberland Ridge Drive
​Mueschke Road
​Cypress Rose Hill Road
​Telge Road
​Toll gantry for both directions
Electronic toll tags only, no cash allowed
Tomball Tomball Tollway southFuture eastbound and westbound direct ramps to Tomball Tollway south.[19]
SH 249 / Tomball Tollway / Boudreaux Road / Rocky RoadAccess to Tomball Tollway via Frontage Road.
Gleannloch Forest Drive / Champion Forest Drive
​Toll gantry for both directions
Electronic toll tags only, no cash allowed
Houston FM 2920 / Spring Stuebner Road – Tomball
Kuykendahl Road / Spring Stuebner Road
Gosling Road
​Toll gantry for both directions
Electronic toll tags only, no cash allowed
​Springwoods Village Parkway / Holzwarth RoadSpringwoods Village Parkway does not connect yet
​ I-45 south – HoustonAccess to I-45 Southbound via Frontage Road, exit 71.
​ I-45 north – DallasDirect Ramp to I-45 Northbound, exit 71.
​Toll gantry for both directions
Electronic toll tags only, no cash allowed
​ Hardy Toll Road southNo exit to northbound Hardy Toll Road.
Montgomery​Riley Fuzzel RoadWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
​Toll gantry for both directions
Electronic toll tags only, no cash allowed
​Rayford RoadEastbound exit and westbound entrance
​Birnham Woods DriveWestbound exit also signed with Rayford Road.
​Townsen Boulevard, Imperial Promenade DriveTownsen Boulevard does not connect yet
​Riverwalk DriveRoad not connected yet
​ FM 1314 – Porter, Conroe
​Toll gantry for both directions
Electronic toll tags only, no cash allowed
​ I-69 south / US 59 south / Loop 494 / Community Drive, Valley Ranch Boulevard – HoustonI-69/US 59 exits 157A-B northbound; eastbound exit and westbound entrance; temporary access to Loop 494 via Community Drive.
​ I-69 north / US 59 north – ClevelandDirect Ramp to I-69/US 59 Northbound, exit 157 southbound.
Gap in route
Chambers​ I-10 – Beaumont, HoustonI-10 exit 799.
​Old Needlepoint Road
​Kilgore Parkway
​ FM 565 / FM 2354 – Cove, Beach City
​Toll gantry for both directions
Electronic toll tags only, no cash allowed
​Turnaround
​Fisher RoadCurrent-south (clockwise) end of toll road
​Turnaroundinterchange
​ FM 1405 to SH 146 – Beach CityAt-grade intersection
BaytownWest Bay RoadAt-grade intersection
​Koppel RoadAt-grade intersection
​Turnaroundinterchange; southbound (clockwise) exit and northbound (counterclockwise) entrance
HarrisBaytownTri Cities Beach RoadAt-grade intersection

Bus. SH 146		At-grade intersection
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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See also
  •  Texas portal
  •  U.S. Roads portal

References
  1. Grand Parkway Association. "Grand Parkway Segments". Retrieved August 13, 2008.
  2. Portions of Grand Parkway named for former Houston mayor Bob Lanier Click2Houston.com (KPRC-TV) 20 May 2019 (Retrieved 26 February 2020)
  3. (PDF) https://publicdocs.txdot.gov/minord/MinuteOrderDocLib/003676890.pdf. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. (PDF) https://publicdocs.txdot.gov/minord/MinuteOrderDocLib/003673784.pdf. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. (PDF) https://publicdocs.txdot.gov/minord/MinuteOrderDocLib/003673845.pdf. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. (PDF) https://publicdocs.txdot.gov/minord/MinuteOrderDocLib/003673853.pdf. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. https://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/projects/studies/houston/sh99-grand-parkway/overview/segment-a.html
  8. https://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/projects/studies/houston/sh99-grand-parkway/overview/segment-b.html
  9. https://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/projects/studies/houston/sh99-grand-parkway/overview/segment-c.html
  10. https://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/projects/studies/houston/sh99-grand-parkway/overview/segment-h-i1.html
  11. "Toll Rates – Fort Bend County Toll Road Authority". Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  12. fbctrac1. "Current Projects – Fort Bend County Toll Road Authority". fbctra.com. Archived from the original on March 6, 2014.
  13. https://communityimpact.com/houston/katy/news/2016/10/14/txdot-to-consider-feeder-roads-on-segment-d-of-grand-parkway/
  14. "West Houston Association". westhouston.org. Archived from the original on August 12, 2011.
  15. http://www.txdot.gov/news/local_news/houston_news/043-2011.htm Archived June 16, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  16. RAD SALLEE (June 3, 2007). "Fast lane sought for parkway plan". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved June 4, 2007.
  17. "Grand Parkway, Cy-Fair – Community Impact Newspaper". Community Impact Newspaper.
  18. "New section of Grand Parkway opens early". ABC13 Houston.
  19. Work begins on Hwy. 249, Grand Parkway direct connectors in Tomball Community IMPACT Newspaper. 20 April 2020 (Retrievied 9 Aubgust 2020)
  20. Begley, Dug. "Grand Parkway frontage roads open to ease flow around I-45". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
  21. "Hardy Toll Road goes EZ Tag only". KHOU 11 News.
  22. "Rates". Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
  23. Kevin Quinn (May 31, 2007). "Residents suffer from Grand Parkway growing pains". abc13.com. Retrieved June 1, 2007.
  24. Betty L. Martin (May 23, 2007). "Parkway toll plan gets mixed reaction". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved June 1, 2007.
  25. Progress on Grand Parkway moving slowly. John Tompkins, The Facts. November 12, 2006. Last accessed November 26, 2006.
  26. "Grand Parkway". grandpky.com. Archived from the original on September 3, 2014.
  27. Construction in April 2016 closed turnaround. Jersey barriers now block both sides of the former northbound "Texas U-turn lane", as well as the nominal 4 through lanes of the long abandoned proposed interchange. Southbound u-turn lane access was narrowed considerably and is now for official and emergency vehicle use only. Largely considered to be the most dangerous strectch of segment D, and it is the only portion of section D to have a maximum speed limit of 50 mph. Further safety concerns due to traffic level increase coupled with scant development south of the current terminus of Peek Road also factored heavily into the decision to abandon the interchange.

Further reading
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