When choosing a home in the Houston area, some homebuyers choose to live well outside of the urban heart of the city. Many hope to avoid the traffic that can tighten the roadways during rush hour, and to avoid the congestion on some of Houston’s busier highways, locals often flock to the suburbs.

Areas surrounding Houston are experiencing incredible growth, and this is no different with Katy, which has long been a popular destination for new homeowners. While traffic has increased in this suburb, Community Impact Newspaper reports that city officials are ready to bring some relief to residents. Here’s how. 

Road Development

LaCenterra rendering courtesy of Boucher Design Group

An especially congested intersection in Katy is at Grand Parkway and Cinco Ranch Boulevard. Vehicles feed into the highway from the nearby LaCenterra shopping center and Cinco Ranch High School. As a result, traffic tends to get pretty thick, particularly in the afternoon as people are returning home from work and students are leaving school.

To help address the traffic issue, the city plans to build new frontage roads. One will connect to Westheimer Parkway while the other will connect to Westpark Tollway. The only downside is that designing the frontage roads will take up to 10 months, while actual construction will take up to a year and a half to complete. However, it’s a project that’s been a long time coming. Katy’s traffic is owed not only due to its growth in recent years, but also due to the number of tourists it attracts. Grand Parkway itself will be widening from four to six lanes to help accommodate highway traffic that’s also common in the area.

Biking

Photo courtesy of Bike Houston

Of course, commuting by car isn’t for everyone, and there are a number of people in Katy who would like to see more biking solutions around town. The nonprofit organization Bike Houston has also advocated for development at Grand Parkway. Along with the new frontage roads and highway expansions occurring in the area, Bike Houston would like to see the installation of 10-foot sidewalks where bikers can feel safe. Katy is also currently investigating new areas where they can install biking trails, and the city is hoping to develop those trails along popular routes around the area. 

Finally, city planners are considering the idea of increasing the width of roadway shoulders so bikers have a safer commute when travelling. The only major obstacle to expanding biking trails is — as in many cases — money. Bike trails are cheaper to build than streets, but Katy has to get permission from local land and property owners to have those trails installed.