After two years in the making, the Commissioners Court approved the Montgomery County Thoroughfare Plan on Jan. 26.

The plan identifies the type and general location of future roadways throughout the county over the next 50 years. A collaboration between the county, Houston-Galveston Area Council, the city of Conroe and the Texas Department of Transportation, this is the fourth update of the plan since it was first created in 1979, county officials said.

“Right now, I-45 is really the only major carrier of traffic,” H-GAC Chief Transportation Planner Thomas Gray said. “There are not really any alternatives to carry traffic from The Woodlands to Conroe. So one of the things we needed to find was more north-south connection[s].”

Future Tomball and Magnolia area projects proposed in the plan include an extension of Tamina Road north of FM 1488, a Magnolia Loop around the intersection of FM 1774 and FM 1488 and an extension of Woodlands Parkway from FM 2978 to Hwy. 249.

Before approving the plan, several commissioners debated the inclusion of the Woodlands Parkway extension—a project that has been on the thoroughfare plan since its last update about 30 years ago, County Judge Craig Doyal said.

Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack said the project would not have received support if public meetings had been held in The Woodlands. Public meetings were held in Conroe, Magnolia, Shenandoah and New Caney.

Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley supported the thoroughfare extension because of positive feedback he received in Magnolia for the project.

“I think it needs to stay right where it is at,” Riley said. “Magnolia wants the roadway.”

During the Feb. 9 Commissioners Court meeting, Magnolia ISD Superintendent Todd Stephens spoke in favor of the Woodlands Parkway extension, citing increased time in traffic due to a lack of east-west corridors in the county.

MISD Communications Director Denise Meyers said the district is only able to use two routes to reach schools on either side of Magnolia: FM 1488 or Hardin Store Road.

As growth in the western area of the county continues, students are spending more time in traffic each school day, she said.

“Some of our kids are [in traffic for] 20-30 minutes to and from school,” Meyers said. “We’re servicing 150 square miles, and having a third extension is going to help with our bus transportation and reduce the amount of travel time.”

Gray said the plan does not guarantee a roadway will be built.

“It is a planning tool to help the county figure out where roadways need to go as the county develops,” he said.