Monday, March 18, 2024
HomeLocal / Area NewsDoyal, Riley Applaud $5.1 Million Land Donation

Doyal, Riley Applaud $5.1 Million Land Donation

Judge Craig Doyal testifies before the Transportation Commission on State Highway 249

 

After a year and a half of difficult negotiations, County Judge Doyal and Commissioner Charlie Riley are pleased to announce that Varde Partners, owners of the Woodard tract outside of Magnolia, have donated 255 acres of Right-of-Way for the construction of SH249.
That represents the entire amount of Right-of-Way through their property.

“This major donation was made possible in part because of the county’s commitment to complete a project that has been on the county’s major thoroughfare plan for decades,” said County Judge Craig Doyal.

“That long-term planning encourages proper coordination with owners of large tracts of land, and helps facilitate right-of-way donations that help reduce the cost of these projects. If we had not planned this roadway for decades, development would have occurred in these roadway corridors, ultimately driving up the cost of the project when roadways are built.”

The generous land donation that is valued at some $5.1 million dollars was completed this week and presented to Montgomery County for acceptance. It will help the Texas Department of Transportation afford the ultimate construction size of SH249. The significant donation will allow TxDOT to begin immediately on the important roadway and decrease the overall cost. The county is pursuing other donations in conjunction with TxDOT as well.

The right of way will be donated to the county and the county will then donate the land to TxDOT to facilitate the important buildout of SH249. This Woodard Tract piece of right of way is in the TxDOT portion of SH249 (from east of FM 1486 to the Grimes County line).

The local Houston Contractor, Williams Brothers has been awarded the contract for construction and it is expected that work will begin over the next 45 days.

The entire proposed State Highway 249 Extension Project will be a 24-mile new tolled facility consisting of up to four new toll lanes from FM 1774 in Pinehurst, Texas (Montgomery County) to SH 105 near Navasota, Texas in Grimes County. Some of the goals for the project are to provide efficient system linkage and to sustain and enhance economic opportunities in the region by improving mobility and connectivity

The SH249 new construction will ease traffic congestion in southwest Montgomery County, and by opening-up access, will generate high-value commercial development that will expand our tax base and help provide relief to residential property taxpayers.

“The 249 extension will ease traffic congestion in southwest Montgomery County, and by opening up access, will generate high-value commercial development that will expand our tax base and help provide relief to residential property taxpayers,” Judge Doyal said.

Numerous southwest Montgomery County and regional leaders and organizations have supported the project with resolutions and letters of support from Montgomery County Commissioners Court, the Magnolia Parkway Chamber of Commerce, the city of Magnolia, the city of Todd Mission, the city of Navasota, and the Texas Renaissance Festival.

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