Katy’s Grand Lakes Master Planned Community residents are invited to the Grand Lakes First Annual Fourth of July Celebration on Saturday, July 3, from 4 to 6 p.m. The festivities will be held at 3650 Hollow Trace Drive by the Lazy River Pool.

Activities include:

• Mike Amabile and the Run Over Twice Band
• Solo singer Destiny Houston
• U.S. Navy Color Guard
• James Coney Island’s hot dogs, hamburgers and drinks
• Snow cones, cotton candy and popcorn
• Bucky Loo the Clown
• Uncle Sam stilt walker
• Water slides
• Pony rides
• Face painters
• Crafts

Life is great in Grand Lakes! To tour homes in Grand Lakes, contact me. To search all the houses currently on the market in Katy/Houston see Home Search. I have sold Katy real estate for over 20 years and would be pleased to work together.

No carpet in this home, stunning wood and tile throughout. Gorgeous granite in kitchen and all baths. Plantation shutters accent all windows. Island kitchen opens to den and breakfast room, great for entertaining. Covered back patio is a great place to relax. No back neighbors. Sprinkler system already in place. One block from a stroll around the lake. All you need to do is move in and call this wonderful house “home”! $364,900.

I-10 West to Grand Parkway (Hwy 99). Left on Grand Parkway. Left on Fry Rd. Right on Rainwood Park. Left on Grand Brooks. Left on Statfield Glen which turns into Briar Landing. Right on Faircreek. House on left.

2030 Crystal Downs in Cinco Ranch North Lake Village, Sunday, June 20 from 2 to 4 p.m.

Very tastefully updated with new paint inside and outside. Granite counter tops. Jennaire cook top, stainless steel kitchen sink and stainless hardware. Wood flooring. The house has rich marble two-story foyer. Plush carpet. Near Cinco Ranch Golf Course. Five bedrooms plus game room/media room and library with hard wood floors. $390,000.

!-10 West. Exit Mason Road. Left on Mason. Right on Highland Knolls. Left on S. Peek Rd. Left on North Lake Village. Right on Tryburn Trail. Left at T-junction at Crystal Downs. House on right.

Okay, we will have to suffer the nightmare of more construction on I-10 to enjoy the results.

I have a personal interest in the following story as the commute to my office, Keller Williams Realty Katy in the Villagio center, entails exiting I-10 West to enter the Grand Parkway S, SH 99. It’s a hassle on a non-congested day, always the most time consuming section of my journey. Lots of my Katy neighbors share my frustration as evidenced by the inevitable delay.

Andy Meyers, Fort Bend County Commissioner Precinct 3, announced that the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will begin construction of ramps on and off I-10 at the intersection of the Grand Parkway. This should bring considerable relief to Katy commuters.

TxDOT received funding for two direct connectors (ramps) one going from SH 99 E onto I-10 and the other going from I-10 W onto SH 99. Construction is scheduled to begin mid-2010 and will take 18 months. Traffic signals at that Katy intersection will be re-timed to accommodate the direct connectors.

The nightmare at Fry Rd and the Grand Parkway adjacent to HEB is being addressed. ” This is one of the most congested intersections in all of Fort Bend County,” according to Myers. It also impacts property values; when showing Katy real estate in this area, potential Katy home owners often shy away from buying immediately adjacent to this traffic mess. This can negatively impacts Katy home sellers in Grand Lakes West and Seven Meadows. Buyers always comment on the inevitable congestion.

A year-long study was conducted to find a solution to this growing problem. There are no simple answers. For starters:  The traffic signal at the Grand Parkway and Fry Rd. is controlled by TxDOT. The traffic signal in front of HEB on Fry Rd. was installed by HEB. The red-light at Fry Rd. and Seven Meadows Blvd. was installed by the county. No wonder there are policeman directing traffic in front of HEB!

For details of this year long report and attempted solutions, some made permanent, to the Fry Rd./Grand Parkway problem read the entire report at SevenMeadowsLive.com.

For information about Katy area homes, you can search the entire Houston MLS from this blog. For questions or to tour any area homes, contact me directly at 713-818-2404 or via email. I have specialized in Katy real estate for over 20 years. Experience does count!