Summerwood, located on Beltway 8 between U.S. 59 North and U.S. 90A East, already boasts one of the quickest commutes to downtown Houston among area master-planned communities, and the transformation of Beltway 8 into an express tollway with a stoplight-free connection to U.S. 59 North, will soon make that commute even shorter.This stretch of Beltway 8 will become the final leg of the Sam Houston Tollway, with construction on schedule and planned to be completed in early 2011. The project includes an exit at W. Lake Houston Parkway, which is the main point of entry for the 1,500-acre Summerwood community.The 13-mile project will expand Beltway 8 to a total of six lanes, three in each direction, all the way from U.S. 59 North to south of U.S. 90A. When it is completed, this portion of Beltway 8 will be known as the Sam Houston Tollway, and the entire tollway – the second beltway encircling the Houston area – will be complete.This section will be the only part of Sam Houston Tollway where drivers must have prepaid EZ Tags for electronic toll collection, as there will be no tollbooths along this stretch. The EZ Tag eliminates waiting in line to pay cash and also ends the need to keep cash on-hand for tolls, according to the Harris County Toll Road Authority.Another key component of the project will be a flyover connection allowing drivers to access the eastbound tollway, toward Summerwood, from U.S. 59 North, without having to exit the freeway and go through a signalized intersection as they do currently. The project will also provide express access in the opposite direction, from the new tollway lanes to U.S. 59.“Since Summerwood opened, we have conducted several drive-time studies which have confirmed that Summerwood offers one of the quickest commutes to downtown Houston,” said Kayla Webb, marketing director for Newland Communities, developer of Summerwood. “With this expansion project eliminating the need to exit U.S. 59 to get on the Beltway, and with the elimination of a number of stoplights between U.S. 59 and Summerwood, we believe that the new seamless commute will offer a significant time reduction for residents,” Webb said.Webb said many Summerwood residents also commute east on the Beltway, toward the Port of Houston Industrial Complex. “Summerwood residents will win in all directions, with more time to spend at home and enjoy the 200 acres of recreational amenities in their community,” she said.The Sam Houston Tollway project is opening at a time when this portion of the Beltway is experiencing impressive growth. “The H-E-B Summerwood Market and the Woodcreek Middle School have both just opened in Summerwood, near our main entrance along Beltway 8,” said Webb. “And just across the street, the beautiful state-of-the-art Summer Creek High School opened last year. All of these developments, along with future developments such as a new YMCA campus planned for Summerwood, are happening in sync with the Beltway 8 improvements.”For more information about Summerwood, contact Sherry Wilsher at 281-225-4400, or visit our model home located at 16415 Boulder Field Lane, Houston, TX 77044.