TxDOT taps joint venture for SH 99 Segment B-1 toll extension southeast of Houston
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The Texas Dept. of Transportation has tapped Ferrovial Construction–Webber 99, a joint venture of Ferrovial and Webber, to design, build, and maintain the nearly 15-mile SH 99 Grand Parkway Segment B-1 southeast of Houston, valued at about $1.47 billion.
Officials selected the team through a best-value process after a yearlong review. The total contract includes a $1.438 billion design-build contract and a $28.25 million capital maintenance agreement covering years one through 15. Final approval is pending the Federal Highway Administration’s agreement, with contract signing expected this summer. The project is scheduled for substantial completion in the winter of 2031–2032.
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The project extends the 184-mile Grand Parkway loop southeast of Houston through Brazoria and Galveston counties. It includes four new TxDOT-operated tolled lanes and discontinuous frontage roads along approximately 15 miles, from FM 2403 to FM 646, two direct connectors at the SH 99/SH 35 interchange and roughly 5.9 miles of operational improvements along SH 35. That includes 1.3 miles of reconstructed main lanes and frontage roads, plus 4.6 miles of operational improvements. TxDOT said the project is intended to improve safety and mobility, support regional economic development, and strengthen hurricane evacuation capacity.
Ferrovial Construction CEO Ignacio Gaston said in a press release that the award extends the firm’s existing presence on the corridor. «Building on our success with SH 99 Segments H and I-1, we look forward to enhancing mobility and connectivity across southeast Texas,» he said.
According to Community Impact, TxDOT Houston District Engineer Glenn Allbritton said in a May 6 release that the project would benefit communities well beyond the construction limits. «In addition to further integrating the transportation networks of Brazoria and Galveston counties, this transformative project will serve as a catalyst for growth in surrounding communities, while supporting long-term regional economic development,» he said.
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Beyond roadway construction, the project involves more than 2 million sq ft of bridge structures, 10 million sq ft of pavement and over 1 million sq ft of retaining walls, with major earthwork required to raise the corridor above the area’s water elevations, according to Ferrovial.
«This corridor brings a combination of high-plasticity soils, flood-plain constraints, major utility impacts and a rail relocation, all of which require early coordination with local partners,» says Khalid Ansari, Ferrovial spokesperson. «Those lessons from Segments H and I-1—especially in drainage, drilled shafts and traffic management—are shaping our approach on B-1.»
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The Grand Parkway Transportation Corporation will finance the tolled elements through a combination of toll revenue, debt and cash on hand, following the Texas Transportation Commission’s assignment of development rights for Segment B-1 to GPTC in January 2024. A separate $186.8 million in TxDOT funds covers the non-tolled SH 35 work.
Ferrovial holds a 70% equity stake in the joint venture, with Webber, LLC holding the balance. Major design and engineering subconsultants include Consor Engineers, LLC; CONSOR-OTHON, a joint venture; OTHON, Inc.; and Rodriguez Engineering Laboratories LLC.
The segment is part of the larger 28-mile Segment B corridor, a controlled-access toll road linking I-45 South in League City to SH 288 near Rosharon through Galveston and Brazoria counties.
