Officials and community leaders from the cities of Shenandoah and Conroe as well as Montgomery County broke ground to mark the beginning of the extension of David Memorial Drive on Dec. 6.

The project, which is estimated to cost $9.1 million, is set to begin in April. Montgomery County is contributing $5 million to the expansion; Conroe is contributing $2.1 million; and Shenandoah is contributing $2 million.

The project will extend David Memorial north to Hwy. 242.

“This project has been in the works for a number of years, and thankfully we have managed to acquire the funding to complete this project,” Shenandoah Mayor John Escoto said. “I want to thank everyone who is standing here who’s responsible for this.”

State Rep. Steve Toth, R-The Woodlands, said former Shenandoah Mayor Ritch Wheeler did a lot of work during his tenure to get the project started.

“Really I was just bringing a lot of people together,” Wheeler said. “It was a teamwork effort by everybody, and we finally got it across the finish line.”

County Judge Mark Keough thanked the Montgomery County Commissioners Court, saying the project would not have been possible without their support. Keough also recognized the city councils of Shenandoah and Conroe as well as the regional senior vice president of Houston Methodist’s north region, Debbie Sukin.

Wes Hamilton, senior marketing and communications specialist for Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital, said the expansion will ease access to the hospital for patients and help ambulances access the hospital quicker.

Toth said the road will also ease congestion from Hwy. 242 and I-45.

Tree and shrub clearing will begin by the end of 2022 and will be completed no later than Feb. 1, Community Impact previously reported.