The Texas Department of Transportation held a public hearing Sept. 7 regarding a proposed route to relieve traffic through the city of Magnolia.

The $51 million project will decrease traffic congestion, increase mobility and improve safety along FM 1488 in Magnolia, according to TxDOT. The project creates a new four-lane highway north of the city limits, between the proposed Hwy. 249 route east of Magnolia and existing FM 1488 west of Magnolia.

Montgomery County Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley said the project was first discussed several years ago.

“This project has been considered for years and years, and it was kind of put back on a shelf,” Riley said. “Many times I wish it had been done back in the 1990s and early 2000s when it was first considered.”

According to a draft environmental assessment completed in July for the project, 165 vehicle crashes—or one every seven days—occurred at FM 1488 near FM 1774 in Magnolia between 2012 and 2014. The relief route, spanning 5.4 miles, is expected to improve mobility and increase safety at the intersection of FM 1488 and FM 1774.

“We’ve got the worst intersection in the state of Texas, if not the country, right here in Magnolia,” Riley said. “This is not going to solve all of our problems in Magnolia or this part of the county, but it’s going to be a tremendous help, and Montgomery County supports this project 100 percent.”

Construction of the project depends on available funding, public comments and the final environmental analysis, TxDOT officials said. Residents can submit comments until Sept. 22 via mail or email.

According to the environmental assessment, the current proposed route is expected to displace 15 properties, 11 of which are residential.

“I know it’s difficult for folks if it’s impacting your homesteads, but [the roads have] got to go somewhere,” Magnolia City Administrator Paul Mendes said. “The longer we wait, the more we’re going to need the roads.”

Mendes said Magnolia’s population could increase by 90,000 residents in 10 years, as developments totaling 12,000 acres are expected to add 30,000 homes.

“That would put us in 10 years larger than Conroe is today,” he said. “Nobody would have ever thought of Magnolia being anywhere near the size of that city.”

Although local officials expressed support for the project during the public hearing, Magnolia residents said the relief route will neither improve mobility nor benefit the city’s economy. Existing construction projects—including the widening of FM 1488, construction of an overpass at FM 1774 and construction of Hwy. 249 east of Magnolia—are already expected to improve mobility nearby, residents said. Additionally, residents said the relief route will allow drivers to bypass the city, likely causing businesses to suffer.

“In the future, it’s always about mobility. I would encourage those that live here and love Magnolia to embrace this,” said Tana Ross, economic development coordinator and planning technician for the city. “Let’s continue to have a community we can use and love.”