energyman2005

I'm sure the greatest people on this planet live in Greatwood, otherwise, why would they call it Greatwood?

For my friend who lived in the back of the neighborhood on Blue Spring Bonnet for three years, there was nothing great about spending 15 minutes, YES, literally 15 consecutive one minute intervals just trying to get out of the neighborhood during the morning rush, and the same during the evening rush.

I would visit him on the weekends and it would take me no less than 10 minutes from turning into the neighborhood to pulling in his driveway. Of course I obeyed all the speed limits, stoped at all the stop signs, and slowed down any time I saw kids on bikes.

I drive it everyday and it's 5 minutes from access road to my door, and vice versa. I'm back in Stonebridge. If you go out the main entrance on Greatwood Pkwy in the morning, that is backed up, but you can drive one minute further north and get out of Greatwood via the Riverbrook entrance with no wait and be further down 59 anyway. Simply, 15 minutes is no longer applicable to the area. Just saying.

So unlike a place like Greatwood, it doesn't take 15 minutes (literally with all the speed zones and stop signs) just to get out of the neighborhood.

Exaggerate much? I live in the back of Greatwood and it takes me 5 minutes to get out of my garage on to the access road of 59. Just thought I'd clear that up because I believe Greatwood would be a great place for the original poster to look at homes. There are nice homes in the price range they talked about, and Greatwood is a fully completed, 25-year old established community with big trees and great people.

You must be looking in the wrong place. It's outside the mall right by the Cheesecake Factory. It's done, but there's no 'real' sign, just a banner hanging on the building. The pizza was good and the prices were reasonable, but the place is VERY small and there's no lobby. By 6:30pm there were a lot of people crammed against the walls waiting for tables (kind of makes you feel pressured while you eat). The waiter was good, but getting the food took forever, but I think they are still working the kinks out.

You think Grimaldi's is VERY small? I bet there are 30 tables in there!

Grimaldi's officially opens at 4:30pm this Thursday, the 29th!

I called Grimaldi's Corporate Office.

They said it should be open the week of January 28th!

The Southwest Freeway has been brutal. Main-lane traffic now consistently backs up to Williams Trace in Sugar Land.

However, the worst part is the HOV. Today, the HOV completely stopped as soon as it went behind the barrier (right before the Beltway). I don't know if it's the sun in peoples eyes right after Westpark, or if it's just massive increase in HOV riders, but the HOV does not save ANY time anymore. It is stop-an-go the entire way. So frustrating.

greatwood's school is not so great! morning traffic is bad i heard! it takes forever to get to 59!

Greatwood is Lamar ISD. Greatwood has two exemplary elementary schools within the subdivision. A new middle and high school is on the drawing board that will primarily serve GW, but I'm not sure of the timing.

Since addition of more 59 lanes, morning traffic is not an issue anymore. Evening traffic is non-existent. You "heard" wrong. Check it out for yourself - I think you'll be pleased.

One more exit down 59 gets you a comparable home to Telfair for $100k less!

You can very easily get more for your money in Greatwood. It's only 2 miles further down 59.

Greatwood (Sugar Land) to Riverway (Woodway/I-610) - via 59 North to 610 North

23 Miles

Leave Before 7:15am - 35 minutes

Leave Between 7:15am and 8:00am - 45 minutes

Leave After 8:00am - 30 minutes

Leave Before 5:00pm - 35 minutes

Leave Between 5:00 and 6:00 - 40 minutes

Leave After 6:00 - 30 minutes

The recent completion of construction on 59 has reduced my commute by at least 10 minutes each way!

Via Chron.com's Fort Bend Blog:

Here is additional information I received from Jim Hunt at TxDOT re: construction work on 59. Hope it helps!

US 59/Grand Parkway Signalized Intersection: The new 59 and Grand Parkway frontage road intersection is expected to open by the end of this month. The new frontage roads will parallel the 59 main lanes. Grand Parkway frontage roads will be divided as they intersect 59, similar to the Grand Parkway signal intersections north of the 59 interchange This is expected to significantly enhance mobility.

As for the Brazos River, construction is tentatively planned to be complete by next May so you were right in estimating a year.

In two weeks (April 18-20), TxDOT will open two additional 59 northbound mainlanes and two additional 59 southbound mainlanes crossing the river. At that point, existing bridges crossing the river will operate as frontage road bridges. Some ramps will need to be closed and adjusted but officials will try to minimize closures by making these switches during the late night hours.

By April 21, Greatwood residents leaving their neighborhood via Riverbrook will be able to access the 59 northbound frontage road and cross over the Brazos River or take the Brazos River Turn-A-Round.

Motorists coming from 99, FM 2759, Greatwood, etc. who desire to proceed north onto the 59 mainlanes, will travel the northbound frontage road, crossing the river, and access a new entrance ramp onto 59 prior to University Boulevard.

As construction continues, the state will construct a permanent 59 northbound entrance ramp just south of the Brazos River, which will serve motorists coming from Grand Parkway and Greatwood. When this ramp opens, motorists on the 59 northbound frontage road coming from Grand Parkway or Greatwood can enter the freeway prior to the river, or stay on the frontage road and enter prior to University Boulevard. This ramp is estimated to be open to the public by the end of 2008.

I'll plan to post brief updates when these dates come up or the work is complete.

To correct a previous poster - 59 construction is NOT behind schedule.

They plan to open two new lanes in each direction in March; that will alleviate a lot of the traffic until completion of the entire project in the 3rd quarter of 2008. Ahead of projected finish of 4th quarter 2008.

Whole Foods set to open December 5th!

http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/sto...mp;surround=etf

Traffic was better when they kept the 2 lanes with ongoing construction until a couple of months ago. Now, they widened it to 4 lanes past First Colony, then back to 2 lanes after University. This has made traffic worse. They should've just kept it at 2 lanes until they completely finish construction by end of next year.

Seriously - you really believe this? My commute is 10 minutes shorter! That's a fact!!

The backup weekday afternoons on 59 southbound starting in the First Colony area is just brutal. One of the worst bottlenecks I think I've seen. I don't drive it every day, but have done so maybe 10 or so times in the last couple months. After 3:00 forget it, you're stuck. It's 8 lanes ( 4 main lanes, diamond lane, 3 service road lanes) merging into 2 as you cross the Brazos. Misreable. And there's almost no alternative route.

It looks like they have a long way to go too. They haven't even poured concrete for the main lanes south of the river, and there's not even beams for the new bridges yet.

This project needs to be SPED UP !

I agree that it is bad. But it is absolutely better than it was before they finished the lanes out to University (contrary to what the original poster said). As I said earlier, my commute from the Galleria to Greatwood has been reduced by an average of 10 minutes in the evenings, from about 50 minutes total to 40 minutes.

I couldn't disagree more with your post. My evening commute from the Galleria to Greatwood has been reduced by 10 minutes because we have 4 lanes for an extra 2 miles now. I'm not sure how you could say traffic is worse.

This is great news, but the big question is why in the heck would this pizza place open a joint in Sugar Land?!?!?!

Drove by 59 Diner this morning and it was packed.

They are nearly finished with the highway out until just before the Brazos River (i.e. just past University exit).

Currently the road reduces to two lanes at Highway 6; it looks like the lane reduction will now occur about 2 miles further down. This should allow the Telfair and New Territory people to get off the freeway without much of a problem. It will definitely reduce evening commutes.

But you are correct in that the rest of the construction job (i.e. from University to Grand Parkway) is still a year away from completion. The construction of the 10-lane bridge over the Brazos River will take forever to complete.

Anyone have any information on the Grimaldi's that's going in? Any relation to the famous Grimaldi's in NY?

It looks like they've started clearing land on the south side of 59 (across the highway from Telfair). Is this another phase of Telfair, or another project altogether? Aren't they supposed to be building a park just south of UH-Sugar Land as well?

Also, it looks like 59 is a week or two away from being completed out to the river. This should alleviate some evening rush hour traffic.

A 3rd vote for Discount Tire.

I still take my car in there for balance and rotation for free, 4 years after I bought the tires.

Their tire prices are very competitive anyway - the lifetime services are an added bonus.

Post your suggestions here. That's one thing we miss about living in the city - the plethora of great breakfast spots!

Why is the Burning Pear having so much trouble? The wife and I went on Friday night at 7:00 pm, and it was COMPLETELY EMPTY! We parked on the top level of the parking garage, everything else was packed, and there was not one person in this restaurant. We've enjoyed it each time we've gone! I just don't get it. Good food at reasonable prices, huge portions, nice atmosphere.

What's the deal? Am I missing something?

Why is the Burning Pear having so much trouble? The wife and I went on Friday night at 7:00 pm, and it was COMPLETELY EMPTY! We parked on the top level of the parking garage, everything else was packed, and there was not one person in this restaurant. We've enjoyed it each time we've gone! I just don't get it. Good food at reasonable prices, huge portions, nice atmosphere.

What's the deal? Am I missing something?

I live in the area, and from the looks of it they appear to be nearing completion of 59 all the way out to the Brazos River (past University). I would guess this section is completed around mid-summer. However, the construction of the new 10-lane bridge over the river, as well as the segment of freeway that goes from the river past Grand Parkway looks like it's at least 1.5 years away from completion.