Brothers Construction Co. Inc. is wrapping up the fourth and final phase of the latest Texas Clear Lanes Project, and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 1, 2025, to celebrate its $117 million Interstate 610/Cambridge project in the south-central area of Houston.
The transformational, multi-year project began in early 2020. Williams Brothers reconstructed main lanes and frontage roads and built a freeway overpass with eight direct connect tie-ins at Interstate 610/State Highway 288 to relieve traffic congestion and offer increased mobility.
The project is being delivered several months ahead of schedule.
Texas Department of Transportation photo
"The reduction in the overall timeline can be attributed to the commitment by both TxDOT and the contractor to deliver this project in as timely of a manner as possible," said Bambi Hall, TxDOT public information officer. "Particularly when the IH-610 eastbound main line connectors to SH-288 northbound and southbound were closed for reconstruction, there was a great sense of urgency and diligence to get them reopened ASAP to decrease impacts to the commuters.
"In the months between the completion of the I-610 main lanes and the frontage roads," she said, "timely coordination between TxDOT and the representatives for localities and railroads helped close out the activations of the signalized intersections. These were progressing simultaneously alongside the at-grade pavement, sidewalk and miscellaneous infrastructure also being constructed, which further helped shorten the overall delivery timeline."
In the latter part of 2024, the contractor constructed the I-610 eastbound main lane bridge from the frontage road to the SH 288 north and southbound main lanes, and the I-610 South Loop eastbound main lanes between Fannin and Scott streets. Crews also removed the old retaining walls from the east and west sides of the I-610 bridge over Farm-to-Market 521/ Almeda Road and the old I-610 eastbound mainline bridge bent caps and columns. They also constructed new columns and bent caps.
"The I-610 South Loop eastbound frontage road from Fannin Street to SH 288 remains under construction with estimated completion in late 2024," a 2024 progress report noted. "Work is also ongoing to place new high mast lighting along the new main lanes of the I-610 South Loop [and] is also continuing on the computerized transportation management and signal systems for the new proposed Cambridge intersection that will cross under the I-610 South Loop main lanes, along with the addition of sidewalks along FM 521/Almeda Road and I-610 eastbound frontage road where sections of the roadway have been completed."
Storm sewer operations were wrapping up about that time along FM 521/Almeda Road, as were the I-610 eastbound main lanes on the west sides of the SH 288 Intersection reconstruction. Crews were finishing concrete paving adjacent to the Union Pacific Railroad tracks on the I-610 eastbound frontage road.
Hall said TxDOT appreciated the speed of the construction.
"Since September of 2024, work continued to carry on at a spectacular pace, with great attention to detail," said Hall. "The contractor used several specialized crews [such as bridge, pavement, signage and intelligent transportation systems] to assist in the various work scopes that were ongoing simultaneously in the project."
Work along the I-610 main lanes and direct connectors with SH 288 was finished in November 2024. The I-610 frontage roads and new intersections at Cambridge Street and Almeda Road were completed in March 2025.
Texas Department of Transportation photo
Operations are concluding in placing high-mast lighting along the new main lanes of the I-610 South Loop, as well as installing the computerized transportation management and signal systems for the proposed Cambridge intersection that will cross under the main lanes.
"For high-mast lighting installations, the subcontractor performed an outstanding job in the installations," Hall said. "That type of work is more challenging than it seems, largely due to the height of the appurtenances. In Houston, many of these lights are around the 175-ft. height range. By the same token, high-mast lights need fairly deep foundations to sustain the high winds and general loads and stress that come when dealing with such large dimensions.
"These lights have to be erected, typically, near live traffic, adding another level of difficulty," she said. "Through the great level of coordination between the contractor, TxDOT and the locality, these lights were successfully installed in synchrony to the pavement and bridge work."
The remaining elements have crews completing the reconstruction of the I-610 eastbound main lanes connector ramps to SH 288 northbound and southbound; the eastbound on-ramps from Almeda to I-610 and SH 288; and the westbound off-ramp to Almeda/Fannin.
The project was equipment driven.
Williams Brothers and its subcontractors had a large fleet of assorted vehicles on site, including excavators, dozers, a variety of cranes, skid steers, motor graders, drill rigs, loaders and pickup trucks. The fleet included large Hyundai excavators and CAT 235 L hydraulic excavators.
The massive earthwork operations, lane and bridge construction and utility installations took a toll on the equipment. Daily wear-and-tear issues were handled promptly by on-site mechanics and others called in to assist.
Project subcontractors included Statewide Services Inc., TRAF-TEX Inc., Southwest Road & Safety Contractors LLC, Roadside Traffic Systems Inc., Scott Derr Painting Co. LLC, Highway Pavement Specialties Inc., Quality Turf Farms LLC, Royal Rebar, A&A Construction Co., Area Wide Protective, USA Amtec, The Fischel Co., Online Directional Boring, Yellowstone Landscape — Central, Boot Construction, BorTunCo, Weeping Services of Texas, Total Highway Maintenance LLC, Curb Planet Inc. and BTM Services LLC. CEG
