Montgomery County Opposes I-45 Frontage Road Plan

Conroe, TX – The Montgomery County Commissioners Court is poised to formally oppose the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TXDOT) proposed design for the Interstate 45 expansion, a project known as the North Houston Highway Improvement Project (NHHIP) that has sparked considerable debate across the region. During their meeting this past Tuesday, May 28th, county officials voiced strong concerns, particularly regarding the segment of I-45 north of Loop 336.

At the heart of the county’s objections is TXDOT’s plan to eliminate crucial frontage roads along I-45 from downtown Houston up to FM 830, just north of Conroe. These frontage roads would be replaced with two new “managed” lanes, which are widely expected to operate as toll lanes, drastically altering local access to the interstate.

Commissioner James Noack of Precinct 2 issued a stark warning about the potential consequences for Montgomery County. Drawing parallels to the NHHIP’s significant impact on downtown Houston, Noack stated, “Without those frontage roads, we’re creating the ghost of Houston’s central business district.” He argued that this design would lead to stalled local access and crippling gridlock for commuters.

Noack highlighted a critical procedural concern, noting that while TXDOT received environmental approval for the overarching project in March 2022 – a process documented in their Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) available on the TXDOT NHHIP website (https://www.txdot.gov/projects/projects-studies/houston/i45-north-houston-highway-improvement-project.html) – many detailed design changes, particularly the removal of frontage roads, were not publicly discussed until recently. This, he contended, deprived the public of a fair opportunity to weigh in on what he termed a “fundamental change” to the functionality of I-45 for Montgomery County residents.

The Woodlands Township Chairman Gordy Bunch echoed these sentiments, explaining how The Woodlands has invested years in connecting its 146 intersections directly to I-45. Under TXDOT’s current proposal, many residents would be forced onto local roads, significantly increasing the distance and time required to access the interstate. Montgomery County Engineer Donnie Van Nieuwenhuise further elaborated on the practical implications, stating that drivers might have to navigate three to four miles on local streets just to find an on-ramp. This extended travel time, he warned, could severely impede response times for critical emergency services such as ambulances and fire trucks.

The NHHIP is a massive undertaking, designed to improve safety and mobility along a 24-mile stretch of I-45 through Harris, Walker, and Montgomery counties. However, critics in Montgomery County argue that the current design, particularly the removal of frontage roads, undermines those very goals for local communities.

The project has faced widespread opposition in other areas, notably in Houston, where community groups like “Stop TXDOT I-45” (https://stoptxdot.org/) have raised concerns about displacement, environmental justice, and neighborhood severance. The Montgomery County Commissioners Court’s stance adds another significant voice to the growing chorus of opposition.

While TXDOT aims to award the design-build contract in late 2025 and commence construction in early 2026, Montgomery County officials are clearly not prepared to accept the current plan without a challenge. Following the Tuesday meeting, the Commissioners Court decided to defer an immediate vote. Instead, they will dedicate time to crafting a comprehensive and robust resolution to formally oppose the current design, intending to send a clear and unified message to state transportation officials before the project progresses further. The move signals a concerted effort by local leaders to ensure that the I-45 expansion genuinely serves the needs of Montgomery County commuters and emergency services.