The design portion of the planned overpass along FM 1488 in Magnolia—which would extend over FM 149 and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad—is roughly 85 percent complete, according to Danny Perez, public information officer for the Texas Department of Transportation.
The next step is negotiating with BNSF Railroad Company to reach an agreement and obtain right-of-way acquisitions, which will be purchased by Montgomery County. The environmental portion of the project has also been approved, Perez said.
"The reasoning behind the project is to cross the BNSF railroad through the proposed overhead bridge, thereby maintaining traffic flow during train crossings and increasing traffic safety," Perez said.
The proposed roads would consist of two 12-foot lanes in each direction, with 10-foot shoulders and a 16-foot two-way left-turn lane in the median.
