WACO, TX — A new 6.4-mile section of the Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT) SH 249 Project, Section 1A, recently opened to the public. Section 1A stretches from FM 1774 in Pinehurst to FM 1488 in Magnolia, and is a controlled-access tollway with intermittent frontage roads. Tolls will not be collected on Section 1A until fall of 2020.

Section 1A is part of the larger $798.6-million SH 249 Project. Once complete, the new highway will cross two counties, Montgomery and Grimes, and offer approximately 25.5 miles of new roadway from FM 1774 in Pinehurst to SH 105 near Navasota. The project has been funded through a combination of federal, state, and local government funds and bond proceeds.

When complete, the SH 249 Project is expected to provide a safe and reliable corridor for the public by linking suburban communities with major roadways and improving mobility and safety. The project is expected to have a lasting impact and enhance the community's ability to access regional destinations.

Construction on Section 1B, which extends from FM 1488 in Magnolia to FM 1774 in Todd Mission, began in March of 2018, and is scheduled to open to the public in spring of 2021.