5 road projects underway or planned in The Woodlands area in January

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- Several road projects in The Woodlands area are underway or planned for early 2025. Here are the most recent project updates from the Texas Department of Transportation and several other entities. This list is not comprehensive.

Upcoming projects

I-45 improvements

Project: A 1.6-mile portion of I-45 from Shenandoah Park Drive to Hwy. 242 will be reconstructed, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. The funding will be 80% federal and 20% state, according to TxDOT.

Update: The project is slated to begin in early 2025, with 683 working days, according to TxDOT.

• Timeline: first quarter 2025-third quarter 2028

• Cost: $42.63 million

• Funding sources: TxDOT, federal funds

Eastbound flyover construction on Hwy. 242

Project: Montgomery County commissioners and TxDOT are funding the construction of a flyover from northbound I-45 to eastbound Hwy. 242.

Update: According to the TxDOT project tracker, the project was given notice to proceed on Oct. 2 and an estimated completion date was given for Sept. 15, 2026. A date to begin work was not specified as of Dec. 27.

• Timeline: late 2024-September 2026

• Cost: $19.1 million

• Funding source: Montgomery County, federal funds

Ongoing projects

Robinson Road realignment

Project: The project will align Robinson Road across Hanna Road. The project will include realigning a portion of the Union Pacific Railroad, which is crossed by Robinson Road.

Update: A new railroad crossing at Union Pacific Railroad crossing will be built as part of the realignment effort, but the existing crossing will still be passable until the new crossing is complete, officials said. Officials said in an email an April completion date is projected, and concrete pouring on the westbound side of Robinson Road began Dec. 18.

• Timeline: February 2024-April 2025

• Cost: $7.42 million

• Funding source: City of Oak Ridge North

David Memorial Drive extension

Project: A project to extend David Memorial Drive to Hwy. 242 began in September 2023 under the terms of an interlocal agreement between the city of Shenandoah and Montgomery County.

Update: The first phase of work is completed to the Conroe city limits, engineer John Bleyl said. The remaining portion in the city of Conroe is unscheduled, but it will be needed to complete the project, he said. Funding options for the final section are being explored, and the estimate to complete construction is $2.5 million, Bleyl said.

• Timeline: September 2023-March (Phase 1), TBD (Phase 2)

• Cost: $7.8 million

• Funding sources: City of Shenandoah, Montgomery County

Grogans Mill Road and Research Forest Drive turn lane extension

Project: The project is extending the deceleration lane from westbound Research Forest Drive onto northbound Grogans Mill Road.

Update: Work on installing storm sewer utilities began in October, and the turn lane extension was delayed because of a buried electrical line conflict with the new storm sewer, Bleyl said. Bleyl said that Entergy would design a relocation, and a contractor would be hired to do that work.

• Timeline: September-late November

• Cost: $240,000

• Funding sources: Montgomery County Precinct 2, TxDOT

Hwy. 242 widening

Project: TxDOT is using the existing right of way on Hwy. 242 between FM 1488 and I-45 to widen lanes and restripe the intersections.

Update: As of the most recent information available in December, the project was 39% complete.

• Timeline: Oct. 23, 2023-first quarter 2026

• Cost: $29.11 million

• Funding sources: federal, state funds

This article comes from our ABC13 partners at Community Impact Newspapers.