Montgomery County mobility projects slated to progress in 2023

Texas Department of Transportation projects to widen portions of three east-west thoroughfares in Montgomery County—Hwy. 105, FM 1488 and FM 1097—experienced delays in 2022 that have led to the projects falling into 2023 and beyond, according to Public Information Officer Emily Black.

A $9.83 million widening and raised median project on Hwy. 105 from FM 2854 to I-45 has been underway since October 2021, according to TxDOT, and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2024, which is a delay from its original date of June 2023.

Black said in a Dec. 20 email the delay comes from cement shortages and design changes made to the project by the city of Montgomery.

Other east-west mobility projects across Montgomery County making progress in 2023 include three projects on FM 1488 from the Waller County line to I-45, which will expand the road to four lanes through Magnolia and create a raised median closer to I-45.

All three projects are expected to be completed by late 2025, per TxDOT.

In addition, projects to expand FM 1097 to four lanes from Blueberry Hills Road to Anderson Road will be finished by the first quarter of 2024, according to TxDOT.

Both series of projects have seen utility delays, Black said.

Black said the projects are intended to improve safety along the east-west corridors of Montgomery County. For example, there were 1,414 crashes from 2017-21 on Hwy. 105, data shows.

“The ultimate goal of these projects is to provide a safe and reliable corridor for drivers in this increasingly expanding area,” Black said. “We have a lot of focus on the Montgomery County area as it is one of the fastest growing in the region, and we want to ensure our roadways are able to keep up with that growth.”