TRANSPORTATION UPDATES

1.  I-45 HOV lane extension

A contractor has been selected for the 17-mile I-45 high occupancy vehicle lane extension project and is waiting on coordination with the Grand Parkway. Texas Department of Transportation crews began removing barriers in October to start the project. There will be two lanes, one in each direction, along I-45 from north of FM 1960 to Loop 336 in Conroe. Timeline: October 2015-April 2016 Cost: $2.6 million Funding sources: TxDOT Project Update Hwy. 242 widening[/caption]

2. Hwy. 242 widening

The 3-mile widening project will expand Hwy. 242 from four to six lanes from Greenbridge Drive to I-45. The project is 30 percent complete. Timeline: TBA Cost: $13.5 million Funding sources: TBA

3. FM 2978 widening

The 4-mile project will widen the roadway from two lanes to four lanes from FM 1488 to Conroe Huffsmith Road. The project consists of drainage and signalization improvements. Sound walls will also be erected in four locations. Once construction begins, the project will take about three years. Timeline: first quarter 2016-first quarter 2019 Cost: $21 million Funding sources: TxDOT, Federal Highway Administration

4. Lake Woodlands Drive grade separation

The project is a 2-mile overpass on Lake Woodlands Drive at Lake Front Circle and ends just west of Six Pines Drive. The Woodlands Road Utility District No. 1 is designing and funding the project. The grade separation will be two lanes in both eastbound and westbound directions. The grade separation project is still in the design phase and could be approved by the WRUD board in late fall or early winter. Timeline: One year from start of construction Cost: TBA Funding sources: WRUD No. 1

5. Kuykendahl Road bridge

The Kuykendahl Road bridge over Spring Creek is being designed by the WRUD, and funding will be provided by Harris and Montgomery counties. The project will be sent out for bid in December or January, and construction could begin in March. Timeline: March 2016-September 2017 Cost: $3.6 million Funding sources: Montgomery and Harris counties, WRUD No. 1 I-45 single-point urban interchange[/caption]

6. Grogan’s Mill Road widening

This project is a combination of widening the northbound and southbound approach lanes on Woodlands Parkway and widening northbound and southbound lanes under the overpass at Woodlands Parkway and Grogan’s Mill Road. Additionally, eastbound and westbound left-turn lanes will be added, and the southbound right-turn lane will be extended at Grogan’s Mill Road and Woodlands Parkway. Timeline: TBA Cost: $1.2 million Funding sources: WRUD No. 1

7. Lake Woodlands Drive expansion

The Lake Woodlands Drive project will widen the roadway from four to six lanes from east of Lake Front Circle to I-45. It will take about one year to complete once the engineering design is finished and a winning bid has been selected, said Matt Beasley, project manager for Precinct 3. Timeline: TBA Cost: $2.6 million Funding sources: Montgomery County

8. Woodlands Parkway expansion

The westbound and eastbound expansion of Woodlands Parkway stretches from Grogan’s Mill Road to I-45. The roadway will widen from three to four lanes with dedicated right-turn lanes. The project will take one year to complete from the start date, which will be determined at a later date. Timeline: TBA Cost: $14.6 million Funding sources: Montgomery County Proposed project Grogan’s Mill Road widening[/caption]

9. I-45 single-point urban interchange

A single-point urban interchange will widen and realign Robinson Road from I-45 to east of the Union Pacific railroad tracks near Hanna Road. The SPUI will extend the existing Woodlands Parkway direct connector over Woodloch Forest and Six Pines drives. This project is part of a list in the memorandum of understanding between the Texas Patriots political action committee and Montgomery County. Timeline: TBA Cost: $60 million Funding sources: Montgomery County