Road work is expected to begin next month to prepare for the construction of flyovers at Texas 242 and Interstate 45, the last project to be funded through a state financing program.

New ramps for Texas 242 will be built on the north and southbound feeders of Interstate 45.

The current ramps will be shifted further south to make way for two new flyovers that will be built at the interchange. The impact on traffic should be minimal as the new entrance ramps will be constructed on existing right-of-way before the old ramps are closed.

“The project is moving forward,” said Precinct 3 Commissioner Ed Chance. “That is the most heavily congested intersection in the county.”

The new ramps should be in place within six months to provide new ingress and egress to the interstate.

Before the flyovers can be built, a public hearing is required by the Federal Highway Administration and that has not been scheduled, Chance said.

If the public hearing is scheduled soon, construction can begin on the flyovers by summer.

The project includes two flyovers to ease congestion at Texas 242 and Interstate 45, with future plans to add a third, Chance said.

The flyovers, which will collect tolls during peak hours, will provide an alternative to motorists at the intersection. The intersection will continue to offer ground level turning options to motorists at no cost.

One flyover will go from the northbound lanes on Interstate 45 to Texas 242 westbound. It is expected to begin about 1,500 feet from the intersection and exit before Lone Star College. It will bypass two lights on Texas 242, Chance said.

The second flyover will go from 242 westbound to I-45 southbound. The flyover will begin near St. Luke’s Way and exit onto the interstate about 1,500 feet south of the intersection.

A third ramp is in the planning stages, but is not included in the current project. It would begin on Interstate 45 northbound and exit to Texas 242 eastbound, Chance said.

The flyovers are the fifth and final road projects funded through the state's "pass-through toll" program, where the county pays for the cost of the roads upfront and is then reimbursed by the state based on the number of vehicles using the road.

Unlike the other projects, where funding will come from the state, the county plans to recoup its cost for building the flyovers from tolls collected.

Motorists will be charged a premium fee to use the flyovers during peak hours, while minimal or free use expected during off-peak hours.

To prepare for the project, electricity poles had to be relocated across the highway and Commissioner Court approved the payment of about $2.1 million to Entergy Gulf States for that process. In addition, the county hired LJA Engineering and Construction for $30,000 to be project manager for the relocations of the Texas 242 entrance and exit ramps, according to county purchasing agent Carolyn HooperOnce construction begins on the flyovers, it is expected to take 12 to 16 months to complete, Chance said.

Texas 242 Flyovers

Montgomery County will begin work on the Texas 242 flyovers, which will provide two, tolled ramps to avoid congestion at the intersection with Interstate 45. Following are the elements of the project:

Current ramps from Texas 242 to Interstate 45 will be moved further south
One flyover  will be constructed from northbound I-45 to westbound Texas 242
A second  flyover will be build from westbound Texas 242 to southbound I-45
A third flyover, not part of the current project, will be constructed from northbound I-45 to eastbound Texas 242 in the future.

Source: Montgomery County Precinct 3