Magnolia area residents have expressed the need for traffic relief along FM 1774, and they will soon see construction begin on the section from FM 1488 to Friendship Lane.
In 2011, the City of Magnolia paid $2 million to relocate certain utilities, including water lines, on FM 1774 near the heart of the city. Now, CenterPoint Energy plans to begin working on moving wires in mid-February.
Once complete, construction will be set on a 20-month schedule to be finished in 2015. Crews will start expanding on the north end of the project near Walgreens and work south, stopping at Pinehurst.
"During construction they will create a second lane so when they tear up the other lane, traffic will not be disrupted," City Administrator Paul Mendes said. "Not only will this improve mobility, but it will be a tremendous help to Magnolia when we eventually put a flyover at the railroad. It will enhance and smooth the flow of traffic from the north and south."
