***UPDATE*** Voters turned down the $350 million road bond issue. At stake was the controversial six mile extension of Woodlands Parkway. The additional projects rejected by the voters included Hwy. 242, the Rayford Road corridor and FM 1488 in Magnolia. So, for the time being I suppose these guys are safe:
“The Roads of Montgomery County” doesn’t quite have the ring to it like “the Bridges of Madison County” does. Nor do we have the famous actors and theme music.
What we do have is an election on May 9th to vote on the Montgomery County Road Bond. Sounds boring? Not around Montgomery County.
The $350 million bond would go towards several projects in Montgomery County. What is being disputed is the value of a proposed extension of Woodlands Parkway six miles west to Hwy 249. There was a study published that gave the opponents some ammo to argue with. “a study performed by Brown & Gay Engineers and conducted over 24 hours in February that analyzed traffic patterns at Woodlands Parkway and FM 2978. According to the study, traffic along Woodlands Parkway east of FM 2978 would increase by more than 7,000 vehicles per day by 2018 if Woodlands Parkway is extended, and by more than 12,000 vehicles per day by 2025.” (source)
What the study did not address was what the expected traffic would be if nothing is done. Could it be an increase of 25,000 vehicles a day by 2018 and 50,000 by 2025? Even if the net result of the project is more traffic on Woodlands Parkway, it still would be lessening that amount.
Plus, this road extending Woodlands Parkway would give another alternate egress out of The Woodlands which, at times, has seemed like a dead end. Kingwood sound familiar when it comes to limited means of getting in and out? Remember, same developer.
Four years ago a $200 million bond failed to pass when 53% voted it down. This time our population growth is “in our face” and needs to have traffic issues addressed. This bond proposal has 75 projects in it, not just the extension on Woodlands Parkway.
The county needs these improvements and need them soon. We can’t wait another four years to vote again. By then the traffic will be coming to a halt.
For all your Montgomery County Real Estate Needs contact the Michelle Wheeler Team
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