The grand opening of 23 miles of the Grand Parkway in February has had a great effect on use of the tollway.

The Grand Parkway Transportation Corporation – the quasi-state agency that manages and developed the tollway – reported almost 4.5 million transactions in February along the entire route. The figure is more than 2.6 times larger than the 1.6 million transactions handled in February 2015, buoyed in part by having more tolling stations along a longer route.

Officials began charging for the stretch from U.S. 290 to Interstate 45 in mid-February, indicating that its effect is likely even greater in terms of total transactions.

“​We are indeed pleased that actuals have been consistently running higher than the forecasted numbers, which we believe is strong evidence to support the need for the new roadway segments,” said Raquelle Lewis, spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Transportation in Houston.

Toll revenues also jumped dramatically, to nearly $4.5 million for the month, according to the quarterly report that tracked use from December to the end of February.

The northern segment, as well as the portion from I-45 to U.S. 59 north of Kingwood, are considered some of the most critical parts of the tollway, now stretching 70.4 miles on Houston’s western and northern edge.

Drivers who rely on it have cheered its opening, while some nearby homeowners and suburban sprawl opponents have said the parkway was disruptive to rural properties and natural areas.

The 38 miles of highway opened this year cost $1.1 billion to build and is tied to bonds that won’t be fully repaid for 30 years. State officials also received a $840 million federal loan for the 53 miles of the tollway from I-10 to U.S. 59 along the western and northern edge of the region.

Including land, design and construction, federal officials estimated the project at $2.9 billion.

Another 14.5 miles of the parkway from Interstate 10 to Texas 146 is open in Baytown. Eventually, officials are preparing for a 180-mile Grand Parkway acting as an outer ring road for the region.

Work is expected to start next year on the portion from U.S. 59 to Interstate 10 along the eastern side of the region. Initially, the upcoming segment will have a single lane in each direction, followed by two lanes in each direction at a later date, when development necessitates it.

The first phase is expected to open in 2021, officials said.