SH 288 is a 61-mile highway between Houston and the Gulf of Mexico providing a vital route for commuters, commercial trucking, and hurricane evacuation. The highway's configuration has remained essentially unchanged since 1984. It extends from I-45 in downtown Houston to US 36 in Freeport and provides two to four general-purpose lanes in each direction separated by a grassy median. Communities along the northern portion of the route through Harris County and the northern portion of Brazoria County have experienced significant population growth since the early 1990s, contributing to increased traffic congestion. Projections estimate a 60 percent increase in the population along the corridor between 2005 and 2025. Estimates indicate that traffic levels in the corridor would increase by 32 to 74 percent between 2011 and 2035.
TxDOT sought solutions to alleviate existing and projected traffic congestion along the route while improving access to the Texas Medical Center, a major employment destination. The Texas Medical Center, situated southwest of SH 288's interchange with US 59, is the world's largest with 106,000 employees.
TxDOT and the Houston region's metropolitan planning organization conducted a project feasibility study between 2003 and 2005 that examined the full SH 288 corridor. The study considered a wide range of improvements, including building additional lanes, using technology to improve traffic management, and introducing commuter or light rail transit. Ultimately the study identified a set of the most feasible alternatives, led by the addition of 17.5 miles of high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes-two in each direction-between US 59 and SH 6 in Brazoria County. HOT lanes charge higher tolls for vehicles with fewer occupants (and potentially no toll for high occupancy vehicles) and vary those tolls depending on traffic levels to better manage travel demand and ensure a reliable trip.
TxDOT began developing preliminary schematic designs and conducting environmental studies in 2006 on the recommended outcome of the SH 288 Corridor Feasibility Study. It presented the project to the public in February 2007 and revised its design schematics based on the feedback received. TxDOT also determined that it would be necessary to toll all vehicles using the proposed new lanes, as toll revenues could help finance the project and expedite project implementation. Lanes in which all vehicles are charged variable tolls regardless of occupancy, alongside general-purpose (untolled) lanes, are called express toll lanes.
TxDOT ultimately conducted a formal environmental analysis of the project that emerged from its preliminary design work. The environmental analysis focused on the 26-mile stretch of SH 288 from US 59 to County Road (CR) 60 in Brazoria County. TxDOT assumed the project would be built in two phases: an interim phase consisting of two reversible express toll lanes between US 59 and SH 6 and an ultimate phase adding two more express toll lanes between those points, providing a total of four express toll lanes. The ultimate phase would also add an additional general-purpose lane in each direction between I-610 and SH 8. Both phases included select direct connector, interchange, and overpass improvements. TxDOT estimated the cost of the interim phase at $300 million over four years. The ultimate phase would not be operational until 2035 at an additional cost of $1.4 billion. TxDOT noted, however, that if additional funding were to become available, all four express toll lanes could be constructed at once between US 59 and SH 6.
The federal government granted its environmental approval of the SH 288 project between US 59 and CR 60 in May 2013. In fall 2013, TxDOT completed additional environmental analysis of the Texas Medical Center connector for which it had been studying various alignment alternatives since 2012. The connector also received federal approval and was later included in the project.