Third Flyover Slated To Be “Toll-Free”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 5, 2020

Relief is finally in sight for Montgomery County residents, as well as anyone who travels through the county on I-45. A new flyover will connect the northbound main lanes of I-45 to the eastbound lanes of SH 242.

Thanks to the efforts of Montgomery County Pct. 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley and Pct. 4 Commissioner James Metts, working in conjunction with the Montgomery County Engineer’s Office and the Texas Department of Transportation, construction of the flyover will be expedited, and drivers will not pay a toll!
Funds will be transferred to TXDOT to offset the cost of design and construction of the third direct connector. Commissioners Riley and Metts, will have $5 million allocated from each of their budgets along with additional funds remaining in a pre-existing road bond.

The original pair of flyovers connecting northbound I-45 to westbound SH 242, and SH 242 westbound to southbound I-45 were constructed in 2015, which improved traffic considerably. The volume of vehicles in the SH 242 area has increased and the need for construction of the third flyover will provide relief for the congestion that the east side of Montgomery County is experiencing.

Commissioner Riley expressed empathy for those who must travel through the intersection regularly.

“We’ve got to keep the traffic flowing in a positive way,” Riley said. “The restricted traffic movement, due to a congested environment, interferes with people’s daily lives, and deprives the community of time they could be spending in a more valuable manner. The north to west bound SH 242 flyover relieved quite a bit of the tie ups that were common before. The need to move forward is evident for the continued mobility of Montgomery County.”

Commissioner Metts noted that the traffic congestion on the I-45 service roads was more than an inconvenience for some.

“We have numerous hospitals and urgent care facilities that require the use of the feeder roads,” Metts said. “I hate to think of someone stuck in traffic when they may be trying to reach a dying loved one, or their injured child.”

“We had to find a solution, and I’m confident we’ve done that,” Metts said.

The new flyover will divert a great deal of traffic from what’s widely considered one of the busiest, and most accident plagued intersections in southeast Texas. In addition to the major highway and interstate, the intersection provides access to multiple hospitals, medical offices, restaurants, churches, public and private schools, as well as many neighborhoods and multi-family complexes. The area has experienced explosive growth, as confirmed by a traffic study that identified over 53,000 vehicles traveled on the east side of SH 242 and I-45 daily.

Commissioner Riley and Commissioner Metts are working together to meet the mobility needs and find solutions for the continuing growth of Montgomery County.

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From the Offices of Pct. 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley & Pct. 4 Commissioner James Metts