Rayford Road Project Plans

Relief in sight For Rayford Road Corridor

Almost three months after Montgomery County voters passed a $280 million road bond, the wheels are beginning to turn on widening Rayford Road. This project has been given the highest priority and allotted the most amount of funds.

The $60 million project will widen the road from four to six lanes on a three-mile stretch, from Richard Road to Riley Fuzzel Road, which will soon be the Grand Parkway. The project also consists of constructing a six-lane bridge over the Union Pacific train tracks.

As one of the only arteries channeling thousands of residents from the Imperial Oaks subdivision in southeastern Montgomery County to Interstate 45, Rayford Road has become infamous for its paralyzing congestion and safety hazards.

A study on mobility in south Montgomery County conducted by the Houston-Galveston Area Council found that Rayford Road was the most congested road in the study area. Texas Department of Transportation traffic counts found that the four-lane road carried an average of more than 37,000 cars a day in 2012, classifying it as “severely over capacity.” From 2007 to 2013, nearly 900 accidents were reported on Rayford Road, according to Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack’s office.

In addition to widening the road to help with congestion, the project will include installation of new, synchronized traffic lights and additional traffic lights at neighborhood entrances, new street signage, improved drainage and a raised median to make left turns safer for motorists.

Noack plans to conduct two public meetings to keep residents informed as the project moves forward: one in March or April and another before construction begins in 2017. “Working closely with property owners, residents, local business owners and the community throughout the project is a priority for Montgomery County and Commissioner Noack,” Noack’s office wrote on the Precinct 3 website. “Both the county and project engineer will work with the community to collect input, identify opportunities to reduce impacts, and provide updates on the project as they become available.” Source: Chron.com