Drivers along Texas 288 will see orange cones rather than open tollway lanes for a few more months, as myriad delays left the project stuck in the mud and motorists stuck in traffic well into Brazoria County.

Despite projecting as recently as April the opening this fall, the builder of the tollway in Harris County, Blueridge Transportation Group, now says the two lanes in the center of Texas 288 and associated ramps at the Texas Medical Center, Loop 610 and Sam Houston Tollway will not open until spring or summer 2020.

“It could open sooner, and portions of it could open sooner than others,” said Raynese Edwards, spokeswoman for the project. “We are looking for various ways to open as soon as possible.”

Edwards said a combination of weather and available steel led to major slides in the construction schedule.

Brazoria County Judge Matt Sebesta, whose constituents have the most to gain from the project in fast-growing Pearland and Manvel subdivisions, called the delay “not good” because of its effect on the county’s transportation plans.

“Within the next couple months we will be done,” Sebesta said of the Brazoria County side of the tollway, which is a different project.

Absent the 10.3 miles of tollway in Harris County, however, the Brazoria portion will sit unused, meaning residents will continue to sit in stop-and-go commutes.

“People are ready for that relief, and we are delivering it as fast as we can on our part,” Sebesta said.

The 10.3-mile tollway lies in the middle of Texas 288 and runs from the Brazoria County line to Interstate 69 in downtown Houston. In addition to two toll lanes in each direction from the county line northward, the project includes massive additions to the interchange with the Sam Houston Tollway and a total rebuild of the Texas 288 and Loop 610 interchange. Work started in mid-2016 on the project, which initially was expected to open in August.

A combination of factors led to months-long delays, Edwards said.

“Harvey really threw us for a loop, and just overall the weather,” Edwards said, noting crews earlier this year were optimistic they could catch up on work days lost to the heavy storms and still were aiming at an October or November opening.

Slowdowns in steel production and purchasing further complicated the weather-related delays, he said.

The delays create a cascade of effects: Drivers who have spent years in construction zones will wait months for relief and the ability to use a long-promised tollway; construction crews that could move on to other jobs remain in place; and the companies backing the project stand to lose millions in lost toll revenue.

Last month, Shikun & Binui Ltd., one of the companies that makes up Blueridge Transportation Group, said in a financial filing that losses related to the delay in opening the toll road will reflect a $12 million to $16 million loss on its quarterly earnings.

The tollway is the first to be built in the Houston area using a comprehensive development agreement in which private companies contracted with the state to build the highway. The companies will recoup their investment with the resulting toll revenues. The tollway, projected to cost $1.1 billion, is part of an estimated $2.3 billion agreement to build and maintain all of Texas 288 for the state until 2066.

Shikun & Binui, an Israeli construction giant that works globally, is one of three major components of the tollway team. Blueridge also includes Spanish construction giant Grupo ACS and investment firm InfraRed Capital Partners, based in London.

Blueriudge created another company, Almeda Genoa Constructors, to build the project. That company is a joint venture of Pulice, Dragados USA and Shikun & Binui’s American office. Pulice is owned by Dragados, which in turn is owned by Grupo ACS.

Delays on the tollway, however, have effects beyond the county line. Sebesta said the Brazoria County segment of the tollway cannot open until the northern end is ready.

Brazoria County opted not to join the state in the comprehensive development agreement and retained control of the tollway in its jurisdiction. As a result, the county is overseeing construction of the $100 million project, including rebuilding the intersection of Texas 288 and FM 518.

Sebesta said Brazoria County officials are talking to TxDOT about whether the delays on the Blueridge end entitle Brazoria to some payment of the tolls it would have generated had the state-led tollway opened on time.

The delayed opening may be a letdown, but it does not diminish the value of the project, Sebesta said. Officials started working on new lanes along Texas 288 more than a decade ago. The complexity of the Harris County portion of the tollway, with major freeway interchanges and numerous bridges spanning local streets or area bayous, makes it a tough project to keep on time, he said.

“Construction challenges are construction challenges,” Sebesta said. “Whether you have them in the highway world or the petrochemical world.”

Some drivers were less forgiving, but resigned to waiting for the lanes.

“I guess I should not be surprised,” said Todd Friendly, as he finished lunch near Texas 288 and Loop 610, saying he recently had been impressed with the progress. “It looks so close that you get your hopes up.”

dug.begley@chron.com