Residents in the vicinity of FM 1488 and Hwy. 242 have voiced concerns on several topics in light of the proposed changes to Hwy. 242 as it passes through the Village of Alden Bridge. VOICING RESIDENT CONCERNS
are installed along the highway. “The traffic is coming from outside of The Woodlands. … The Woodlands should not be a relief valve for traffic congestion on FM 1488,” Sekula-Gibbs said. “Widening Hwy. 242 will encour- age more traffic to divert from FM 1488. … More cut-through traffic will only worsen the bottleneck on Hwy. 242 and I-45.” In addition to the proposal from TxDOT to widen Hwy. 242, Montgom- ery County Precinct 2 presented its mobility study Aug. 4 that includes a recommendation to widen FM 1488 from FM 2978 to I-45. The project would be part of an estimated total $3.6 billion in projects needed over the next 11 or more years, according to county officials. However, Sekula-Gibbs said she believes the projects did not address what she felt was a key need. “I do not think there is a lot to recommend this particular project that either H-GAC and Montgomery County Precinct 2 and TxDOT are offering,” Sekula-Gibbs said. “Neither one of them is going to address the problem. The problem is the intersec- tion of Hwy. 242 and I-45.” Sekula-Gibbs added the communi- ties that will be the most affected by the changes to Hwy. 242 will be the vil- lages of Alden Bridge and College Park. Braid said she attended TxDOT pre- sentations where residents could sub- mit questions, and the topic has been discussed at village association meet- ings in the past several months. “My big question is: How is TxDOT looking at the questions from resi- dents?” Braid said. Alden Bridge resident Vivian Frid- ley-Hereford said she is concerned for area families who use nearby amenities.
Drainage
Safety
Quality of life
“THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT CROSS THOSE ROADS DAILY. … IF
“[RESIDENTS] ARE WORRIED ABOUT DRAINAGE IF THEY
“TRAFFIC CAN HAVE SUCH A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN A COMMUNITY.” SHELLEY SEKULA-GIBBS, THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS, POSITION 5
THEY WIDEN THAT ROAD, IT IS DANGEROUS ENOUGH.” TOM CHUMBLEY, WINDVALE RESIDENT
residents when challenging the proj- ect,” Fridley-Hereford said in an email. As of Sept. 1, TxDOT stated it had no additional comments in response to resident concerns. Environmental concerns Area residents have additionally spo- ken out regarding the proposed sound walls amid concerns for wildlife in the nearby W.G. Jones State Forest. “The wall will not be popular with anyone; they do not have them here,” Chumbley said. “It would be an eye- sore, and it would be harmful to the ani- mals that would cross through here.” Connor Murnane, district forester for W.G. Jones State Forest, said his under- standing of the proposal is the changes will remain within the existing right of way, and the Texas A&M Forest Service had no concerns regarding the effect of the project on the forest as of Sept. 6. Braid said her concerns with the sound walls are regarding the damage they could cause to the local foliage. “There are a lot of people in The REMOVE THE PLANTS AND VEGETATION THAT IS CURRENTLY IN THE MEDIAN.” MARYANN BRAID, ALDEN BRIDGE VILLAGE ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT
Woodlands that do not think sound walls are appropriate here,” she said. “There are questions about how the sound walls could damage the trees or vegetation around the area.” Sekula-Gibbs said as of late August, she was cautiously optimistic about TxDOT hearing area residents’ con- cerns on the project. “It would be totally out of char- acter for The Woodlands,” she said. “The hope is they will listen to us in that regard.” Sekula-Gibbs said she is encour- aging The Woodlands residents to remain engaged throughout the pro- cess as it continues. “We want TxDOT to improve the roads and reduce collisions, … but widening the roads that approach [the intersections on I-45] will not help. I think that has to be clarified and emphasized,” she said.
“A six-lane highway is danger- ous. The current grassy median with trees is a stopover in the middle of [Hwy.] 242 so that when crossing, we can stop to assess traffic before making our way to the other side,” Fridley-Hereford said. “Six lanes encourage drivers to pass each other to get ahead of the pack, endangering pedestrians and bikers.” She said she has compiled a list of concerns and has been in con- tact with multiple entities, includ- ing The Woodlands Township, Montgomery County Precinct 2 and the H-GAC as well as state legislators Rep. Steve Toth, R-The Woodlands, and Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-The Woodlands. She said the township has worked with residents to ensure their voices are heard. “The Woodlands Township board and the Alden Bridge Village Asso- ciation have listened closely to the community, questioned the project, communicated with legislators and TxDOT officials, and stood beside
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THE WOODLANDS EDITION • SEPTEMBER 2022
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