Commuters along the 99 Tollway, especially those traveling through Cypress and Katy, are voicing frustration over a long-standing issue: extreme darkness at night. Many drivers report feeling uneasy navigating this stretch of road after sunset due to nearly nonexistent lighting.
For over a year, residents have been describing the stretch of road as “pitch black,” with some avoiding travel altogether once the sun goes down. Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) officials have now said that a major construction project is to blame for the lack of lighting.
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A Roadway in the Dark: What’s Behind the Issue?
As KPRC 2 News reporter Joy Addison discovered, the stretch of the 99 Tollway, near the Telge Road exit, is currently lacking proper lighting due to ongoing construction efforts. The only visible light is from the news crew’s equipment. Without this, the road is nearly impossible to navigate.
Renee Crenshaw, a resident of Northwest Harris County, shared her experience of how the lack of lighting affects daily life. “I only try to come out between 9 a.m. and maybe 4 p.m. because after that, it’s dark,” Crenshaw said. “If you come out after, let’s say, 7 p.m. to 11, it is totally dark. You have to put your brights on, and that’s also a hazard because other drivers might have their brights on too.”
The Cause: Construction Project Delays
TxDOT has confirmed that the lighting issue is tied to a larger road construction project aimed at widening the roads in the area. The construction zone spans from State Highway 10 to FM 1093, including both the main lanes and frontage roads of the 99 Tollway.
Although the lights are expected to be fully operational by the first quarter of 2026, many residents argue that they can’t wait that long for improved safety measures.
Safety Concerns: Accidents on the Rise
Local residents, like Brandon from Cypress, are concerned about the increasing number of accidents on this dark stretch of road. “It has made a difference in accidents,” Brandon said. “Every time you go in that area, you can see that the middle cable, the safety cable that divides the two directions of the freeway, is always torn out, which means somebody has crashed into it.”
To investigate, KPRC 2 News reviewed TxDOT’s crash records. Between 2021 and 2023, 616 crashes occurred on this stretch of the 99 Tollway. In the two years since, that number has risen by more than 200 incidents, reaching 836 crashes—a 35% increase. However, officials are cautious to attribute the rise in crashes solely to the lack of lighting, though the dark conditions undoubtedly contribute to the hazards.
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Calls for Immediate Action
The community is speaking up, urging TxDOT to address the issue as soon as possible. “We need something to be corrected before someone gets hit or, unfortunately, killed,” Crenshaw said, echoing the concerns of many residents.
As of now, TxDOT has not provided a temporary solution to the lighting issue. KPRC 2 News reached out to TxDOT to inquire about the possibility of additional lighting while the construction continues, but they have yet to respond.
For now, commuters are left navigating a dark and potentially dangerous road, hoping for a resolution before the situation worsens.