TxDOT officials held a public hearing in Magnolia on July 30 for the FM 2978 improvement project, which will widen the road to four lanes from FM 1488 to Conroe Hufsmith Road.

Construction is expected to begin this fall to widen FM 2978 to two 11-foot lanes on either side with a center-turn lane for a 6.5-mile stretch. A 5-foot shared-use bike lane and shoulder will also be part of the project.

Houston-based firm Jacobs Engineering has developed plans and a draft environmental assessment for the project.

James Caughorn, a project engineer with the firm, said the roadway widening is necessary to keep up with growth in Montgomery County.

“The purpose of [the project] is to improve safety, traffic operations and travel times [along FM 2978],” Caughorn said. “The area around [FM] 2978 has been growing and is expected to continue to grow. Improvements are needed for connectivity and to accommodate growth.”