A project to widen and extend Old Conroe Road between South Loop 336 and FM 1488 is expected to begin construction in 2026, Conroe City Engineer Chris Bogert said during an April 11 public meeting.
The city of Conroe and the Texas Department of Transportation are anticipated to widen and extend a roughly 5.7-mile stretch of Old Conroe Road for around $143.9 million, according to the April 11 public meeting materials.
“Currently, [FM] 1488 is extraordinarily overloaded, and there are other issues on [Loop] 336,” Bogert said. “So this will connect both of those and provide relief on [FM] 1488 for both the local residents and other travelers. In addition, there’s only currently one route over the San Jacinto in this area, and this will provide a second route during emergencies.”
In a nutshell
According to public meeting materials, the project includes:
- Widening Sgt. Ed Holcomb Boulevard and Old Conroe Road to four 12-foot-wide travel lanes, two in each direction
- A 14-foot-wide raised median
- A 10-food-wide shared-use path on the east side
- Curb-and-gutter drainage
- Intermittent 6-foot-wide sidewalks
A new bridge would be constructed over the West Fork San Jacinto River and Lake Creek that will consist of:
- Four 12-foot-wide travel lanes separated by a concrete barrier
- 10-foot-wide outside shoulders
- A 14-foot-wide shared-use path on the east side
Diving in deeper
Bogert said the city is responsible for the project’s design and land acquisition, with TxDOT in charge of reviewing the city’s plans. Conroe is still in discussions with TxDOT about what entity will handle contract administration.
Construction, which would last around five years, is anticipated to begin on this project in 2026, Bogert said.
“The bridge is quite long, and that will be one of the first things that get started,” Bogert.
The project is anticipated to cost around $143.9 million, with the city of Conroe responsible for 20%, Bogert said.
What they’re saying
Bob Bagley, who has lived in the Conroe area for 25 years, said his initial thought on the project was that it is a lot of money.
“I think there’s some good to this,” Bagley said. “Not all of it.”
Bagley also said he thought there was a lack of prior planning when it comes to the growth.
“I think a lot of it should have been looked at before they started doing the building,” Bagley said. “The lack of prior planning causes things like this now where you’re having to go in and spend a lot of money buying property from people that already have their homes there instead of having it done beforehand.”
What’s next
Following the April 11 public meeting, the project will move into the final design stage after all the received comments are addressed, Bogert said. Right-of-way acquisition will begin somewhere along the design phase, with 159 acres of additional right of way required, according to the public meeting materials.
“We need some level of design so that we’re confident that if we acquire land, we’re acquiring the proper amount,” Bogert said.
Get involved
Residents are invited to submit comments or feedback regarding this project through April 26.
