The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) in the US will soon award contracts to build a section of the 180-mile Grand Parkway, known as State Highway 99, following the receipt of an approval from the state Transportation Commission.

The Commission has approved the design work, but has not authorised funds to start work on Segment E of the tollway, which would link the Katy Freeway to the Northwest Freeway, just west of Fairfield.

TxDOT estimates that the project will cost about $350m and involves work on 15 miles of toll road between the Interstate 10 to the US 290.

Construction will commence by the end of the year, although the agency has not fixed any deadline.

The total cost of the project is expected to exceed $6bn.