Residents in Texas neighborhood forced to pay tolls just to leave their homes: ‘There is no other way in or out.’

The issue centers on Creekland Village, a subdivision within the Bridgeland development, where residents say the neighborhood’s sole entrance and exit funnels directly onto the Grand Parkway — a tolled roadway.

With no alternative access points, homeowners argue they have little choice but to absorb the cost regardless of how often they travel.

For families who commute daily, handle school drop-offs or run regular errands, the tolls quickly compound.

At first it might appear minor on a per-trip basis but residents have seen it quickly become a line on their monthly spreadsheet.

One resident, Nancy Wakeford, described the situation as a financial strain, telling local outlet KHOU 11 that the lack of access options leaves residents effectively locked into paying tolls (1).

“There is no other way in or out," Wakeford told KHOU 11. "So it is costing us hundreds of dollars a month."

The cost of the toll

At roughly 56 cents per trip, the toll may seem insignificant at first glance but even among homeowners willing to absorb that financial hit, frustration runs higher than the dollars tally itself (2).

Residents say they were not informed that tolls were planned when they purchased their homes, with some noting the roadway was not yet under construction at the time.

That lack of clarity has raised broader concerns about transparency and long-term planning, particularly in developments marketed around convenience and easy access to nearby amenities.

One resident, Mark, described the situation as a planning failure, arguing that basic access to local services should not require paying a toll.

Nationally, tolling is a common tool for funding infrastructure.

More than five billion trips are taken on tolled roads each year and advocates say tolls help finance safer roads, ease congestion and reduce reliance on tax increases (3). But federal law limits states’ ability to apply tolls to existing interstate lanes, often shifting costs to newer roadways and growing communities.

Harris County’s experience is not unique.

In June 2025, Mike Braun signed legislation allowing Indiana to raise tolls on existing interstate highways (4). It’s a move no other state has previously attempted, according to transportation expert Robert Poole of the Reason Foundation. While tolls currently apply to just a small fraction of U.S. highways, Poole says that share could expand quickly. In states like California, toll costs already average nearly $500 per month, according to an analysis of the latest Highway Statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation (5).

Who’s responsible

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), which oversees the Grand Parkway, says responsibility for building frontage roads typically falls to third parties under agreements with local counties, not the state itself.

The agency also noted that Creekland Village was developed after Highway 99 was already in place and that when the community was built, the toll road served as its only access point. It raises the question whether enough is being done to alert prospective residents that a toll road is coming and they have to budget for the extra monthly expense.

Howard Hughes Holdings Incorporated, the developer acknowledged residents’ concerns.

“We recognize the input shared by residents and are collaborating with government partners to explore potential solutions,” the company said, adding that those efforts will continue in coordination with community stakeholders.