At the Montgomery County Commissioners Court meeting held Dec. 6, land parcels were approved for purchase that will make up the route for Woodlands Parkway from FM 2978 to FM 249.

Pct. 2 Commissioner Craig Doyal said that Montgomery County is in the process of purchasing the route with only a few parcels remaining.

Parcels 3, 21, 27 and 64 were the lastest pieces of property to be purchased in order to obtain right-of-way.

According to Doyal, funding for this project has been underway since 2005. The funding enabled the county to purchase the right-of-way for future development and construction.

“In 1985, this was identified as a major thoroughfare route,” Doyal said. “It was critically important to preserve the corridor.”

Doyal said this route is much like Fish Creek Road in that the land purchase came several years ahead of time. Land parcels for Fish Creek Road were purchased more than 10 years ago. Fish Creek Road was, at the time, undeveloped and purchasing right-of-way prevented homes and businesses from being built in the projected path of the roadway.

“With right-of-way in hand, Fish Creek (Road) was infinitely simpler than the (FM) 1488 project,” Doyal said.  “We didn’t have to worry about people’s property already in place.”

Only three residents live along the proposed route of Woodlands Parkway and agreed to sell their land to the county. Other owners along the route have only needed to sell pieces of their property.

According the Doyal, the land purchased provides enough room for a four-lane road. The county tried to minimize the number of houses affected by the route.

“This area will never be cheaper or more available than now,” he said. “We’re just trying to get ahead of the growth curves.”

Although there is no funding for construction of the Woodlands Parkway extension at this time, the new route will allow more traffic into and out of Magnolia as the area develops.

Magnolia or The Woodlands Township could begin development around the area once construction begins, depending on what each city purchases.

Residents may begin to see development and construction on the roadway extension in about 15 years, Doyal said.

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