Construction on the long awaited tollway component of Hwy. 249 is slated to break ground later this month and is expected, upon completion, to increase mobility, alleviate traffic and have a positive economic effect.

The idea of a tollway running from Spring Cypress Road to FM 1774 in Pinehurst has been looked at for some time, said Craig Doyal, Montgomery County Precinct 2 commissioner. According to Doyal, traffic projections and reports in the region showed a need to build the tollway, and due to a collaborative regional effort between Harris and Montgomery counties a groundbreaking to start construction is set for Sept. 25.

"This [Hwy. 249 tollway] has been talked about for 50 years, and it's about to become an overnight success," Doyal said.

The Tomball Tollway, as it will come to be known, is a two-phase project. Phase I will stretch from Spring Cypress Road to FM 2920. The second phase will run from FM 2920 to FM 1774 in Pinehurst and requires a partnership between Harris and Montgomery counties for successful completion.

The Harris County Toll Road Authority is responsible for the Harris County portion of the project, which is all of Phase I and Phase II from FM 2920 to the Harris/Montgomery county line, which is Spring Creek. According to HCTRA, the Harris County portion of the project will cost an estimated $335 million.

The Montgomery County Toll Road Authority will oversee the portion of Phase II that extends from Spring Creek to FM 1774 in Pinehurst and is estimated to cost $90 million, according to Doyal.

Project details

Phase I, which will cost about $170 million, has been divided into two sections, according to HCTRA. The first section is the stretch from just south of Spring Cypress Road to south of Willow Creek. A bid was awarded Aug. 13 to Webber, LLC to construct the first section of Phase I and is expected to be complete in spring 2015.

The second section—the construction from Willow Creek to just north of FM 2920—has yielded seven bids with one to be approved as early as mid-September, HCTRA said. Construction is projected to begin later this fall with an anticipated completion in spring 2015.

The project was split into two sections to help make the overall management of the project easier.

"If you divide the work into definable chunks, it's a little easier to get each one done," said Jack Cagle, Harris County Precinct 4 commissioner. "We can actually get a better price for the constituents if we divide a major project up into multiple pieces and allow more folks to bid. Then that way we can both spread the work around and also get a better price for the constituents."

According to Cagle, the tollway is being built with room on its bridge structures to add a lane in each direction in the future if the growth warrants it. This, he said, will save the county money in the long run and prevent future widening projects that are expensive.

"I've got enormous praise for our Harris County Toll Road Authority's visionary approach to this particular project and to the precinct 4 staff and team for putting together a project to where we are not only building for today, but we are building for tomorrow," he said.

The tollway will have three lanes in either direction and will be built on the median between the existing service roads, according to HCTRA. The number of non-tolled lanes already in existence will not be reduced and will remain free of tolls. As for toll costs, HCTRA said it uses standardized pricing for all of its main lane tolling plazas and the Tomball Tollway is expected to follow the same pricing model.

"By having the toll component we are letting those who use the roads, pay for the roads," he said.

Shackelford said he does not anticipate there being much disruption as a result of the construction on the tollway.

Phase II of the tollway, which will run from FM 2920 to FM 1774 is scheduled for design in 2015 and construction in 2018, and includes a partnership between Harris and Montgomery counties.

The portion of Phase II that MCTRA is responsible for is in the planning stages, Doyal said. Traffic reports and revenue studies are being conducted to determine if the tollway is a viable candidate to fund itself through toll revenues.

"If the road cannot pay for itself, then obviously we wouldn't add a tax to pay for it," Doyal said.

Harris County has approved a loan of up to $20 million to help MCTRA fund its portion of the tollway, which should cover engineering, preliminary design work and marketing costs, Cagle said.

As for the remaining $70 million, Doyal said, the county will look to get funding from revenue bonds if the studies support it.

Economic impact

With the area around Tomball and Hwy. 249 exploding with growth, Cagle said the biggest problem preventing further growth in the area is the traffic gridlock in the mornings and evenings, and the inability to get around quickly and efficiently. Projects such as the Tomball Tollway will ease traffic congestion and improve mobility in the region, making it more attractive for businesses and residents, he said.

"By improving the mobility of the region, we will improve their ability to make a living and continue that prosperity," Cagle said.

According to Shackelford, Tomball is already seeing a large amount of growth, and he only expects it to continue once the tollway is built. Industry is coming to Tomball, its retail base is growing and more homes are being built, he said.

"More cars equals more retail and more development," Shackelford said. "It will provide easier access to businesses [and] industry. More people equals more sales tax. Businesses should benefit."

Kelly Violette, executive director for Tomball Economic Development Corporation, said Tomball has a lot of available land and prime real estate right on Hwy. 249 that will get developed due to the increased visibility the tollway will bring. She referred to property on Brown and Hwy. 249, as well as Holderreith and Hwy. 249, where she said either mixed-use developments or large retailers will develop because of the prime frontage along the tollway.

Given the major population growth in the city, its huge market and that it is known as a regional and commercial hub, road projects such as the Tomball Tollway only make Tomball a more alluring destination, Violette said.

"I think we are really going to start to see that pressure and that crunch and that interest in the Tomball area," she said. "Because of the construction of those main lanes, I think as a city, and really as an entire corridor, we are going to see some major economic impacts because of that ease of congestion. It's inevitable, I think it's just a matter of time."