The Project

The Grand Parkway Project is a 184-mile highway project in various phases of development around the greater Houston area and spread across the seven counties of Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty and Montgomery.

The purpose of the Grand Parkway Project is to:

• Provide an outer loop around the Houston metropolitian area to improve connectivity within the existing network
• Reduce transportation congestion and enhance mobility and travel options
• Improve safety by reducing unsafe "stop and go" conditions
• Accommodate demographic and economic growth

In 2009, TxDOT and the seven counties (Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty and Montgomery) traversed by the Grand Parkway Project signed a Market Valuation Waiver Agreement (MVWA) to agree on certain policies and principles for the development of the 184-mile toll project. The MVWA describes the minimum scope and ultimate scope of the Grand Parkway Project and phased construction of a number of direct connectors. Frontage roads are limited to specified intermittent distances to prevent adverse effects on toll revenues. In addition, the MVWA sets out principles of governance for all segments of the Grand Parkway Project, including:

1. baseline toll rates and annual toll escalation policy that are based on average per mile toll rates of the Harris County Toll Road Authority in effect in 2009;
2. a prohibition on the use of toll revenues outside the Grand Parkway Project until the ultimate scope has been constructed and placed in service; and
3. limits on competing roads that impact tolled traffic on the corridor project.

TxDOT and the seven counties that are parties to the MVWA have entered into various waiver agreements with respect to the terms of the MVWA since its initial adoption to accommodate certain aspects of the development and operation of the Grand Parkway Project.