TRANSPORTATION UPDATES
COMPILED BY VANESSA HOLT ANDMARIE LEONARD
4
1488
S
242
1314
2978
2
45
HOW ITWORKS When are conductors required to sound train horns at a crossing? Federal law sets various requirements in regard to train and railroad operations in Texas, including how often and when trains have to blow their horns. For example, train operators are required to sound horns at least 20 seconds before they approach a public road crossing, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. Residents may also wonder why conductors are required to blow horns when there are already au- tomatic warning signals at the intersec- tion. Law requires engineers to blow the horn as it approaches and goes through the intersection, according to TxDOT. However, there are potential restrictions or loopholes. Certain communities may apply for quiet zones if Federal Railroad Administration requirements aremet, and therefore trains will not be able to sound their horns when passing through the zone, according to TxDOT. Some cities may also use wayside horns, which aremounted on the signal at an intersection and would be directed at traffic in the street and potentially less disruptive, according to TxDOT.
ELAN BLVD.
R O B I N S O N R
FULLER BLUFF DR.
3
MANY PINES RD.
E
1
99 TOLL
LAZY LN.
CONROE- HUFSMITH RD.
N
RAYFORD BEND
RECENT UPDATES
N Map not to scale 3 Gosling Road widening The project to widen Gosling Road to four lanes from south of Flintridge Drive to the village of Creekside Park is in the design phase. The project includes widening the southbound bridge over Spring Creek. An agreement was reached between Harris and Montgomery counties, and Harris County Precinct 4 will oversee the joint project, with Montgomery County Precinct 3 contributing $4 million. Timeline: TBD Cost: $4 million (Montgomery County), $5.8 million (Harris County) Funding sources: Montgomery County Precinct 3, Harris County Precinct 4 4 Hwy. 242 overpass The project will construct an overpass and widen Hwy. 242 fromwest of FM 1314 to east of FM 1314. The project was 54% complete as of mid-October. This is the first of four projects to construct an overpass at Hwy. 242 and FM 1314. Timeline: July 2018-third quarter 2020 Cost: $23.5 million Funding source: TxDOT
October. The contractor also planned to lay the final 2 inches of asphalt from east of Rayford Bend to the bridge, officials said. Timeline: April 2017-late 2019 Cost: $53 million Funding source: Montgomery County Precinct 3 2 FM2978 widening The project will widen FM2978 from two to four lanes with a center turn lane fromFM 1488 to south of Dry Creek in Phase 1 and from south of Dry Creek to Conroe-Hufsmith Road in Phase 2. The existing bridge over Spring Creek will also be widened. As of mid-October, Phase 1 was 36% complete, and Phase 2 was 55% complete, according to Emily Black, a public information officer for the Texas Department of Transportation. The timeline for Phase 2 has been extended to 2020. The bridge widening was 50% complete inmid-October. Timeline: September 2018-second quarter 2021 (Phase 1), January 2018-third quarter 2020 (Phase 2), October 2018-third quarter 2020 (bridge) Cost: $21.3 million (Phase 1), $12.9 million (Phase 2), $7.6 million (bridge) Funding sources: TxDOT, federal funds
1 Rayford Road expansion Rayford Road is being expanded from four to six lanes between Lazy Lane and the Grand Parkway. The project also includes constructing a six-lane bridge over the Union Pacific Corp. railroad tracks, installing new traffic signals and adding a raised median. In mid-October, crews were working on completing the final drainage pipe installation, curb and gutter between Fox Run Boulevard and the Grand Parkway. Crews were also making progress on the Union Pacific railroad bridge, according to Montgomery County Precinct 3 officials. The contractor started pouring concrete for the eastbound lanes on the bridge in
All information on this page was updated as of 10/17/19. News or questions about these or other local transportation projects? Email us at wdlnews@communityimpact.com.
CUSTOM JEWELRY DESIGN | WATCH REPAIR | APPRAISALS | INSURANCE REPLACEMENT | CONSIGNMENT & GOLD BUYING
Our jewelry repair shop is a state of the art facility.
Now open COME MEET THE NEW OWNERS!
1440 LAKE WOODLANDS DR SUITE I THE WOODLANDS, TX 77380 281.364.7172 | www.shannonfj.com THE WOODLANDS
17
The Woodlands edition • November 2019
Powered by FlippingBook