As the Texas Department of Transportation prepares to make improvements to Hwy. 242 from FM 1488 to I-45, the township has been looking at ways to fund the construction of pathways in the area.
“That’s where we saw the opportunity to finally try to connect the Harper’s Preserve community because there would be something at the other end,” Chief Operating Officer Chris Nunes said. “In terms of managing costs, there was an opportunity over the last year or so working on the Harper’s Preserve connector and the Hwy. 242 connector as well.”
Nunes has previously worked on getting approval from TxDOT to apply for the grant, and said he felt very confident in the township’s eligibility due to TxDOT’s push of the grant process to fund pathways that were initially part of a much larger Hwy. 242 expansion concept.
“TxDOT actually reached out to us after the element was removed from the overall project and identified the 2023 transportation grant,” Nunes said.
According to information presented at the meeting, the pathways between Harper’s Preserve and Windvale are in the biking and pedestrian master plan, and the preliminary cost is now set at $8.3 million. Under the grant requirements, the township would need to provide a 20% match on project funds.
Quiddity, formerly Jones & Carter, was approved to put the grant application together on behalf of the township. The deadline to turn in applications in June 5, and Nunes told board members the township could expect to hear back on the grant application this fall.
