TxDOT designates new route for 249 extension

After the FHA has approved the recommended route, TxDOT will begin negotiations to obtain right of way to construct the road. Right of way is a legal agreement that allows one entity to use another's property for public use.

"We have got the concurrence of most of the landowners across Montgomery County, so it should make it real easy to get right of way," said Paul Mendes, city administrator for Magnolia. "Getting the right of way is one of the most difficult projects."

The purpose of the proposed road, according to TxDOT, is to efficiently link the suburban communities and major roadways, respond to economic growth in Montgomery and Grimes counties, as well as enhance mobility and safety in the region.

"Magnolia is about 1,400 people in population, but within seven miles we've got 138,000 people," Mendes said. "You think about their ability to get around, the roads just do not support it. By putting 249 in, it will open up areas that had not been able to be developed before."

Other benefits of the Hwy. 249 extension to Magnolia are that it will clear local roads from traffic and move high-speed traffic around the city, Mendes said. The roads in Magnolia often get clogged with traffic from people passing through town and this road will provide them with another, quicker option, he said.

"It will be useful to Magnolia because people travelling to Bryan, College Station or Navasota will take the high-speed road to get around us," Mendes said. "It will leave our roads open for local business, for the people that live in the area to make use of it."