The completion date for the project to widen FM 1774 through Magnolia—originally set for September 2014—has been delayed until early 2015 as a result of a number of subterranean utility and environmental conflicts, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.

"The combination of both utility and environmental conflicts forced the contractor to not be able to work as efficiently as they normally would on a project like this, which has caused the delay in completion," said Richard Brown, TxDOT area engineer for Montgomery County. "We do not have an exact date yet, as we are still trying to assess how much these conflicts set us back by, but we are probably looking at January or February of 2015."

Brown said the utility conflicts the project has experienced are not unusual and often expected anytime there is major construction in a small town that takes place in a narrow right of way, such as in Magnolia. The ROW in Magnolia had a number of sanitary sewer lines as well as electrical, gas and water lines that had to be worked around, he said.

On the other hand, the environmental conflicts were unforeseen, Brown said. Contractors, while constructing the road, came across five gasoline tanks from a former gas station that had been underground for decades and needed to be removed. The gas tanks were not completely empty and the remaining fuel contaminated much of the soil underground.

"We weren't expecting the gas tanks at all and were completely unaware of their existence," Brown said. "The gasoline tanks had to be removed, and all the contaminated soil around the tanks had to be mitigated for by removing it and putting fresh dirt in its place."

Each of the five tanks took roughly a week to remove. Brown said he has also heard there are more tanks under the TxDOT ROW near the railroad tracks; however, those tanks have not yet been located.

Throughout the project, construction has also had an adverse effect on businesses lining the roadway—especially those in downtown Magnolia—as it has resulted in the removal of much of the parking and significantly decreased access to many establishments.

Magnolia City Administrator Paul Mendes said many of the businesses were using TxDOT ROW along the roadway for head-on parking in front of the storefronts. In order to widen FM 1774, TxDOT needed to use its ROW, which extended from the road right up to the businesses, he said. After the widening is complete, there will only be room for parallel parking in front of the businesses on FM 1774.

"We have seen some negative impacts on some of the businesses along FM 1774," Mendes said. "We have had a couple of little businesses that have gone out of business. It's difficult, but it's the cost of progress."

One such business that closed down as a result of the road construction was Angelic Cupcakes and More. Owner Trey Adams said his business saw a steady decline once the construction started, and even longtime customers stopped coming in because of the lack of access to his store caused by the road widening project, which began in October 2013.

"I had customers coming in saying 'I was going to come in and get cupcakes but I am not going to try pulling in [to the store],'" Adams said. "The front of my shop was torn up so bad my customers didn't want to come in. [The road construction] really killed business."

Frank Parker, president of the Magnolia Downtown Association, said the road widening brings with it both good and bad news.

"The good news is that when the project is finished, it's going to be a major improvement in the city," Parker said. "The bad news is, how do these businesses survive until it's done?"

Parker said a potential strategy for some businesses along FM 1774 might be to temporarily close and then reopen once the construction is done, rather than try and survive through it.

"Some businesses will do all right, but I worry about the rest of them," Parker said. "When I say 'all right,' I think they will survive, but I don't know how well."

Recognizing the effect of construction on businesses that line FM 1774 in downtown Magnolia, Brown said TxDOT has implemented strategies to try and help expedite the completion of the widening, such as combining phases of the construction plan and using a form of concrete that dries and sets faster than normal concrete.

Temporary left turn lanes will also be installed at stoplights along FM 1774 in Magnolia to alleviate some traffic as the construction continues, he said.

The road widening is about 72 percent complete, and most of the remaining work includes paving, intersection improvements at FM 1774 and FM 1488, and the construction of sidewalks and driveways, Brown said.

"When the project is finished it will be a tremendous improvement to downtown Magnolia, but [construction] takes time and it takes effort," Mendes said.