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Fulshear forum candidates press for faster fixes, better communication on FM 1463 and other road projects
Summary
Candidates at a Fulshear Chamber forum criticized delays and poor communication on FM 1463 construction and urged closer coordination with TxDOT and Fort Bend County to reduce business disruptions and improve emergency access.
Traffic congestion and active road work on FM 1463 drew sustained criticism and proposals at a Fulshear Regional Chamber candidate forum, where several candidates described business losses and urged clearer project timelines and better coordination between the city and higher-level transportation agencies.
“Their businesses are down 30 to 40%,” Cameron Miller said, reporting conversations with small-business owners along the FM 1463 corridor. Miller and other candidates said construction has disrupted access for customers and threatened some local operators’ revenue.
Bonnie Tyler Buell said she had reviewed TxDOT planning materials and found that broader improvements to State Highway 359 were not scheduled to begin for about a decade. “Improvements on 359 are not slated to start work within the next 10 years,” Buell said, and she urged the city to press TxDOT for clearer priorities and to accelerate local capital-improvement work where possible.
Several candidates called for improved, consistent communication so residents and businesses know expected start and end dates for major projects. E. Brown Otoo recounted accounts from residents about emergency response delays during construction, saying, “By the time it got to them, it was 7, 10, 15 minutes. I don’t know how true that is, but I’m just giving feedback.” Candidates recommended that the city act as a regular liaison to TxDOT and Fort Bend County to obtain and share timeline updates and work with contractors to reduce impact windows for businesses.
Candidates also proposed local steps: accelerating the city’s mobility study, bringing some capital-improvement projects forward and negotiating construction timelines and mitigation measures that limit business disruption. Buell suggested moving a mobility study currently planned for April 2026–April 2027 earlier to provide timely data for planning.
The forum produced no formal city action; candidates urged voters to weigh road-construction management and developer coordination when choosing council members.
Ending — Candidates agreed on the need for tighter communication and better mitigation during road projects; several urged the city to press TxDOT and county partners for clearer schedules and more frequent updates to residents and businesses.
