Now that the 249 Tomball Tollway is open, local officials are working on plans to extend the road into Montgomery County.
From there, TxDOT wants to take the project into Grimes County in hopes of eventually extending the road to College Station.
Grimes County Commissioners earlier opposed the toll road but changed their stance after TxDOT offered $4 million for new frontage roads and intersection improvements. Grimes County Judge Ben Leman expressed his support for the project before the Texas Transportation Commission.
“We do feel it addresses the main two needs of economic development and higher income opportunities for our citizens,” Leman says.
But Grimes County resident Judith Bennett says she thinks rural communities are being targeted by developers.
“Maybe just because they think we’re just a bunch of old cowboys and old good old boys down there and we’ll just kind of roll over and die. Well the people of Grimes County are not just going to roll over and die,” Bennett says.
Transportation commissioners voted Thursday to move ahead with the project, but they say they’ll keep listening to Grimes County residents before selecting the final route.
