On January 26, 2016 Montgomery County Commissioners Court Discussed Line item 11 Section A which included the Woodlands Parkway Expansion.

According to County Judge Craig Doyal and Commissioner Charlie Riley of Precinct 2 that project is still an option on the table for construction in The Woodlands.

The project in question has been a hotly debated issue, which would be extending Woodlands PKWY to intersect with Highway 249.

The one opposing voice on the commission came from Commissioner James Noack of Precinct 3.

Thomas Gray – Chief Transportation planner at HGAC gave the thoroughfare presentation. Afterwards there was an open discussion.

Commissioner  James Noack asks, “where were the public meetings held discussing the plan with the local communities?” Mr. Gray responded with Conroe (Conroe Tower), Magnolia High School, City of Shenandoah Municipal Complex, and RB Tullis Library in New Caney.

The conversation continued like this:

Commissioner Noack: “I just wanted to add you have under reoccurring comments; the forth one reads support for the Woodlands PKWY extension. I would just caution you that perhaps you are getting that feedback based on where these meetings were held. If that meeting would have been held in The Woodlands I can assure you, you would not be seeing support for the Woodlands PRWY extension, and our governing body at some point needs to kind of address the future of that PKWY extension and decide whether to move or remove that from the plan.”

Commissioner Riley: I think it needs to stay right where it’s at, because you had the meeting over at Magnolia and Magnolia wants the road.

Commissioner Noack: I can assure you the people in The Woodlands don’t and it’ll never happen as long as I’m sitting here.

Commissioner Riley: We’ll see about that!

Judge Doyal: I can tell you that’s been there on the thoroughfare plan for 30 years. I’ve got a proclamation from the south county mobility committee back in 2006 requesting that I acquire the right of way for that project, which I did as commissioner of precinct 2, so I fully support that project.

Commissioner Noack: And the voters overwhelmingly rejected it in November or May rather.

Judge Doyal: By a very very small turn out.

Watch the entire discussion here: https://montgomerycountytx.swagit.com/play/01262016-628/10/

The Woodlands PKWY continues to be a big issue and major subject in Commissioners Court. Gordy Bunch sits on The Woodlands Township Board of Directors and has started a Change.org petition found here. In the hopes of a possible grass roots effort to create a proposition to be considered for a vote, which would permanently remove the extension of Woodlands PKWY.