The Woodlands Township Objects To Proposals In Thoroughfare Plan

THE WOODLANDS, TX — The Woodlands Township Board of Directors passed a resolution opposing several roadway extensions included in the proposed 2021 Montgomery County Thoroughfare Plan at a special meeting Wednesday.

Five of the directors participated in the video meeting, which was called last week to craft a public response by the Montgomery County Commissioner's Court's June 11 deadline. Directors Ann Snyder and Bruce Rieser were not present for the hour-long meeting.

The resolution first supported the removal of several projects in the updated 2021 plan that were included in the 2016 Montgomery County Thoroughfare Plan. These changes include the removal of the Woodlands Parkway extension to Highway 249, the removal of the Branch Crossing extension north of Research Forest Drive to FM 1488 and the removal of the Gosling Road extension north of Highway 242 toward Conroe.

But the Board of Directors objected to several new and existing proposals in the updated plan, including a replacement for the the Woodlands Parkway extension, which would connect Highway 249 to FM 2978 at Mansions Way, roughly a quarter mile south of the intersection of Woodlands Parkway and FM 2978 where the previously proposed extension would have connected. The new proposed connection is outside the boundaries of The Woodlands Township.

"It's gets pretty narrow in some of those areas [on Woodlands Parkway]. I don't see how you would add another lane to try to address additional traffic counts," Board Chairman Gordy Bunch said. "If you look at Mansions Way, it terminates into an apartment complex. If you're going to have a thoroughfare terminate into an apartment complex, where are those folks going to go? They're going to have to go north or south, and if their targeted destination is to the east, they're still going to go up to Woodlands Parkway."

The Westwood Magnolia Parkway Improvement District announced in April that it was funding the $8 million extension, which it is calling the Woodtrace Boulevard extension.

The board also opposed the extension of Alden Bridge Drive to Egypt Lane, the connection of Lake Robbins Drive at Lake Woodlands Drive and the connection of the Grogan's Mill area by an extension of Atkinson Lane between Vision Park and Highway 242.

Bunch took a call from Shenandoah Mayor Ritch Wheeler during the meeting to discuss the city's stance on the extension of Atkinson Lane, which is located in Shenandoah. Wheeler said the city would be opposed to the extension on the grounds that a thoroughfare would bring more traffic and congestion through the city. Wheeler added that if the extension didn't go all the way to Highway 242 but provided more access to local businesses in the area, the city would consider supporting it.

The resolution will be sent to the county to be part of the public record. Montgomery County is taking public comments on the 2021 Montgomery County Thoroughfare Plan on an interactive website through June 11. Visitors to the virtual boardroom can view a map of the proposed plan, view a short video presentation, read a brief overview and leave comments for the public record on another interactive map.