Fort Bend County Commissioners approved an engineering contract for the widening of Ransom Road last week. The widening effort will enhance the new county offices now under construction.

Ransom Road is a two-lane road that runs in front of the current county jail and will be flanked by several new county facilities now being built. The road has had a drastic increase in traffic due to new residential and commercial developments along U.S. 59 in recent years.

Without any discussion, the four commissioners approved the request. County Judge Bob Hebert was absent from the court session and the only comment made prior to approval was from Precinct 1 Commissioner Tom Stavinoha who noted that this item was welcome and a long time coming. The contract calls for $740,000 in engineering work by Othon Inc., for widening and improvements to Ransom Road.

Plans currently are for Ransom Road to be expanded to four-lanes and the design was included in the mobility bond referendum package passed by the voters last year.

The county is seeking to get voter approval for a judicial complex on the 40-acre, county owned property on Ransom Road. And currently the county is expanding the county jail and building a facility for the Precinct 1 commissioner and constables, as well as offices for the Emergency Medical Service and the county fire marshal.

The court also agreed to pay for continued rental of the office of Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1, Place 2, Gary Geick through July of this year. The county has been renting office space for Geick for four years. He will occupy an area of the offices currently being built on Ransom Road, which is expected to see completion by the date of the expiration of the extended rental contract.