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| Photo by Jennifer Reynolds |
LEAGUE CITY — In preparation for the widely anticipated Tanger Factory Outlet Center, a management district in League City will front the cost for reversing Interstate 45 ramps near the planned complex.
Sonrisa Development LLC, which owns the land Tanger plans to build on, gave Galveston County Management District No. 1 about $1 million for the construction.
The district and the Texas Department of Transportation have an agreement for the project, which will convert south exit 20 to an entry ramp, and switch an entry ramp about half a mile north to an exit, Randy Hall, president of Sonrisa Development, said.
The district and TxDOT’s agreement has been in place since April, Hall said.
Tanger has plans for a 95-store outlet mall on 35 acres west of Interstate 45 between Big League Dreams and Bay Colony Shopping Center.
Ramp reversals will accommodate increased traffic once the outlet mall is built and provide safer access to HEB, restaurants and other retailers located on the management district’s 100 acres.
The project will alleviate congestion at the intersection of FM 646 and the freeway’s frontage road, Hall said.
The new exit, which will be south of state Highway 96, will entice developers to build on unused land north
of the Bay Colony retail area, Hall said.
TxDOT had planned the ramp reversals to accommodate widening Interstate 45 through League City, but the department doesn’t have funding for either project, TxDOT spokeswoman Deidrea Samuels said.
Widening the freeway and constructing a flyover at FM 646 are a part of the department’s master plan.
Ramp construction should be finished at the end of the year, about the time when Tanger plans to break ground on the outlet mall, Hall said.
“TxDOT has all kinds of funding issues, but I think this will definitely help move along some of their projects,” said Rick Wade, incoming chairman of the League City Chamber of Commerce.
Sonrisa Development LLC, which owns the land Tanger plans to build on, gave Galveston County Management District No. 1 about $1 million for the construction.
The district and the Texas Department of Transportation have an agreement for the project, which will convert south exit 20 to an entry ramp, and switch an entry ramp about half a mile north to an exit, Randy Hall, president of Sonrisa Development, said.
The district and TxDOT’s agreement has been in place since April, Hall said.
Tanger has plans for a 95-store outlet mall on 35 acres west of Interstate 45 between Big League Dreams and Bay Colony Shopping Center.
Ramp reversals will accommodate increased traffic once the outlet mall is built and provide safer access to HEB, restaurants and other retailers located on the management district’s 100 acres.
The project will alleviate congestion at the intersection of FM 646 and the freeway’s frontage road, Hall said.
The new exit, which will be south of state Highway 96, will entice developers to build on unused land north
of the Bay Colony retail area, Hall said.
TxDOT had planned the ramp reversals to accommodate widening Interstate 45 through League City, but the department doesn’t have funding for either project, TxDOT spokeswoman Deidrea Samuels said.
Widening the freeway and constructing a flyover at FM 646 are a part of the department’s master plan.
Ramp construction should be finished at the end of the year, about the time when Tanger plans to break ground on the outlet mall, Hall said.
“TxDOT has all kinds of funding issues, but I think this will definitely help move along some of their projects,” said Rick Wade, incoming chairman of the League City Chamber of Commerce.
Great welcome to traffic hell. Let's not fix the roads to accommodate extra traffic, let's jam the extra traffic on the frontage road slowing everyone down. Hey what's next doing a conversion of 646 like NASA road 1mph and stick a new traffic lit on the frontage road. Can't wait thanks for making my commute worse.
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