Despite Fort Bend County Judge Bob Hebert’s assertion that he won’t see Segment C of the Grand Parkway built during his lifetime, the project remains alive and well.

Officials of Texas Department of Transportation and the Grand Parkway Association, two proponents of the project, gathered with representatives of the Fort Bend Toll Road Authority and Commissioners Court recently and continued to show enthusiasm in making the project a reality.

Envisioned as part of an 11-segment Grand Parkway toll road looping around the Houston area through seven counties, Segment C would extend the parkway from U.S. 59 through south of Fort Bend County all the way to the county line at Texas 288.

Concerns about overpass

At discussion were two different routes of Segment C, one proposed by the association and the state and other by Precinct 1 County Commissioner Richard Morrison.

Morrison, whose slogan was “no toll road” during his campaign for county commissioner, apparently realized his inability to stop the toll road being the lone ranger among his colleagues, and now tries to do what he can to minimize the impact of the project on the community.

Morrison has been pushing for the widening of Crabb River Road. In his proposal, that road would serve as a frontage road for the future Segment C, which he wants to see built not as an elevated overpass as it stretches from U.S, 59 through a densely populated area that includes Greatwood, Canyon Gate Estates, Tara and Bridlewood Estates.

The parkway association and the state envision Segment C as elevated not exactly along the Crabb River path because it would entail less construction complication and would be less costly. However, Morrison and area residents see that plan as destructive to the community.

One spot that garnered a lot of attention during the discussion was the Sansbury intersection on Crabb River Road.

Morrison proposed Segment C be built with Crabb River Road as its frontage as an underpass at the intersection to eliminate traffic conflict with Sansbury.

However, that idea didn’t excite state and association officials, who said it was not financially feasible.

TxDOT and association officials also said that Crabb River Road, once expanded, would still have to be torn up in the future when Segment C is built. They suggested Crabb River Road be widened with asphalt top so the pavement can be recycled in the future.

The state’s and the association's plan also includes an overpass over the BNSF railroad track and the removal of the current Bridlewood Estates entrance, leaving Berdett the only access in and out of the subdivision.

Morrison and some residents said they are particularly concerned about the loss of that entrance.

Construction within two years

During the same workshop, Segment D, which stretches from Interstate 10 to U.S. 59, was also talked about.

Late last year, the county joined a regional agreement to take over the development of the parkway from the state to assume the responsibility in its design, financing, phasing, building and tolling. The county is obligated to start construction within two years or it would lose control of the development.

Bill Jameson, a consultant to the Fort Bend County Toll Road Authority, said a project design, traffic projection and a financial feasibility study are being completed for the Segment D project, which would include overpasses at each major intersections and direct connectors from Grand Parkway to Westpark Tollway.

Direct connectors are also part of the plan at the I-10 intersection.

"Our focus is to get the Segment D project off the ground within the two-year period," Jameson said.

The state is reviewing an environmental assessment for Segment C and a separate environmental study for Crabb River Road expansion. Morrison believes starting construction of Crabb River Road, a future Grand Parkway frontage road in his proposal, would satisfy the two-year requirement.

Hebert said he sees tolling as the only option for the project.

"But I don't see the toll revenue that Segment C would generate to make this a economically viable project," he said.

Morrison urged officials not to "put us in a box" by just look at tolling and urged all options explored.