Smith Ranch Road - Brazoria County
The TxDOT Houston District is proposing to widen Smith Ranch Road, from Hughes Ranch Road to north of Broadway (FM 518) in Brazoria County, Texas. The purpose of the project is to improve mobility and connections of the existing roadway.
Current conditions
Currently, Smith Ranch Road is a two-lane roadway with open ditches. In addition, the sidewalk on Smith Ranch Road is segmented and is not currently connected.
Background
TxDOT is reviewing this roadway due to:
- Increase in traffic growth; in reviewing traffic data - an estimated 7,900 trips per day ocurred in 2010, and is projected to increase to more than 16,000 trips per day
- Increase in traffic based on the SH 288 toll lane project, given access to toll lanes from Hughes Ranch Road
Proposed improvements
The project includes the following:
- Widen the roadway from a two-lane roadway to a four-lane divided urban roadway
- Add a 10-foot-wide shared use path on the west side of Smith Ranch Road
This construction will take place within the existing roadway alignment of Smith Ranch Road; however, additional right of way will be required. The proposed improvements are consistent with local plans and growth patterns for the area; therefore, the project itself would not cause significant impacts to planned growth for the area.