242 flyover worth the wait

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- Construction for the flyover from highway 242 to I-45 is finally underway. Two flyover ramps will be constructed: one north-to-westbound and one east-to-southbound. The ramps will operate exclusively as toll roads to assist in paying for the $34 million project, though the toll fee has not yet been determined.

The 242 flyover construction project received environmental clearance in November 2011 and was originally planned to be 100% complete by October of 2012. The new expected completion date is November of 2014. Deidrea Samuels, Texas Department of Transportation public relations and communications, explains, “The project length was [recently] extended by 3 months due to the lead time necessary for steel bridge girder fabrication.” It should now be well underway.

Residents living near the 242 and I-45 intersection are weary of the traffic the project will create during the construction period. Feeder roads will temporarily need to be rerouted which could disturb travelers’ usual pathways. Overall, many in the community agree, “It will be worth it in the long run.”

Some residents also worry that using the flyover daily could add up to be quite expensive. There are many students and faculty attending The Woodlands College Park High School and Lone Star College-Montgomery who use the roads daily. Fortunately, according to the Montgomery County Transportation Program, “there will always remain in place a free alternative for those not wanting to pay the toll.”

As for the actual toll way system, Deidrea Samuels explains, “Montgomery County Toll Road Authority will operate an electronic-only tolling system which can be utilized by any toll tags in Texas, including EZTAG and TxTAG.”

According to Montgomery County and Pate Transportation partners, it is estimated that nearly 80,000 vehicles pass through the 242 and I-45 intersection each day, making it one of the most congested intersections in the entire county. It is not unusual for the northbound main lanes to experience over two miles of backup because of traffic exiting at 242. The new flyover ramps should significantly lighten rush hour traffic and will allow travelers to surpass stoplights that normally would have delayed them anywhere from 2 to 10 minutes.

The Woodlands is one of the fastest growing cities in all of Texas and continues to do an outstanding job of adapting and catering to its non-stop growth. With roadwork now in full swing, the community should soon be able to enjoy a less congested intersection, allowing for smoother travel.

A complete list of lane closures can be found at the link below.