Montgomery Co. Traffic Study Clears Legal Hurdle

**MCTRA Steps In to Advance South Montgomery County Mobility Study After Legal Snag**

**CONROE, TX** – The Montgomery County Commissioners Court, on Tuesday, June 11, formally approved a revised contract that will allow a critical $975,000 mobility study for South Montgomery County to move forward, effectively bypassing a state legal hurdle. This decision routes the administrative oversight of the study through the Montgomery County Toll Road Authority (MCTRA), ensuring compliance with state law without delaying crucial traffic planning.

The Commissioners Court had initially given the green light for the comprehensive study on April 23, awarding the contract to Halff Associates, Inc. However, the project encountered an unexpected snag due to Senate Bill 1445, a state law enacted to ensure accountability. SB 1445 mandates that all county-level traffic and bond projects must be overseen by a dedicated county engineer or a consultant working directly under one. Montgomery County currently does not have a county engineer on its staff, creating a legal impediment to the original contract structure.

To navigate this regulatory requirement, county officials devised a workaround: the Montgomery County Toll Road Authority has now been designated as the “administrative arm” for the study. MCTRA has a county engineer, Jeffery V. Johnson, P.E., who can legally provide the necessary oversight. Under the revised agreement, MCTRA will manage the contract with Halff Associates, and Montgomery County will reimburse MCTRA for the study’s cost, up to the original $975,000. This structural change ensures the study proceeds with the same scope and cost, merely through a different administrative channel.

The mobility study, a priority for Commissioner James Noack of Precinct 3, is designed to address the escalating traffic congestion in rapidly growing areas such as The Woodlands, Spring, Oak Ridge North, and Shenandoah, with particular focus on the critical Rayford Road corridor. The study’s objectives include identifying locations for desperately needed new roads, pinpointing existing roads that require widening, and proposing improvements to signalization and intersections. It will also provide detailed cost estimates for all recommended infrastructure enhancements.

Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough voiced his support for the revised approach, acknowledging the urgency of the situation. Commissioner Noack has consistently emphasized that compiling a comprehensive plan is essential for South Montgomery County, given its rapid population and development growth.

Once the study is complete, its findings will serve as the foundational blueprint for how these projects might be funded. Potential funding avenues include a bond referendum, which could be placed before voters as early as May 2025, or other alternative financing mechanisms. The study’s completion is seen as the critical first step in implementing long-term solutions for the region’s transportation challenges.