Traffic lanes on Research Forest Drive between Shadowbend Place and Grogan's Mill Road will re-open soon after the San Jacinto River Authority completed installation of new water pipeline.

The 1.5-mile segment of roadway, which SJRA officials said was the most challenging of those throughout The Woodlands, was scheduled for completion on Jan. 1.

"We did not meet our Jan. 1 deadline because crews were down 13 days because of rain," Ronda Trow, SJRA public relations manager, said.

As a result, the SJRA has delayed the start of pipeline installation and road construction of the 1.5-mile segment of Grogan's Mill Road between Research Forest Drive and Woodlands Parkway.

"That time frame is roughly mid-January to mid-July," Trow said.

That segment will see both southbound lanes closed for pipeline installation and re-routed to the northbound lanes, but will not begin until work on Research Forest Drive is completed.

"[The contractor] cannot start doing any closures on Grogan's Mill by the mall until one day after Research Forest is open," Mark Smith, Groundwater Reduction Plan Administrator, said. "We will not have both of those areas closed at the same time."

Trow said the SJRA has met with officials with the CB&I Triathlon, IronMan Texas, representatives from Montgomery County Precinct 3 and The Woodlands Township to devise a plan to avoid conflicts with race and vehicle traffic.

The CB&I Triathlon is May 3 and the IronMan Texas is May 17 and the routes would intersect with areas where the SJRA is installing new pipeline.

"Because of the delay we're imposing on [Research Forest Drive], we may be delaying a little into May, but right now it looks like we may be out of there before IronMan starts," Smith said. "The CB&I is happening first weekend of May, so we do have some concern about that one."

Other sections, including lanes between Branch Crossing Drive and Crownridge Drive, have been completed.