Crowd Gathers for Fish Creek Thoroughfare and Lake Creek Bridge Ribbon-Cutting(Montgomery, TX – May 14, 2009)
Citing improved regional mobility and successful public-private partnerships, Precinct 2 Commissioner Craig Doyal addressed a crowd of well-wishers at the May 14 ribbon-cutting ceremony to formally mark the opening of Fish Creek Thoroughfare and the Lake Creek Bridge. A major roadway through the new Woodforest master-planned community, Fish Creek Thoroughfare also is an important regional artery, providing a much-needed north-south alternative to Interstate 45. The thoroughfare now runs north through Woodforest to FM 2854 in Conroe. Construction is scheduled to begin later this year on a $6.3 million overpass that will be built above railroad tracks and FM 2854, connecting with the existing McCaleb Road and providing access to State Highway 105. The ribbon-cutting was held at the Woodforest Welcome Lodge, 101 Elk Trace Parkway. In addition to Doyal, The Johnson Development Corp.’s Larry Johnson and Chad Johnson, members of South Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, Magnolia Chamber of Commerce, Magnolia Parkway Chamber of Commerce , Greater Conroe-Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce and many other supporters attended the event. “Fish Creek Thoroughfare is a tremendous asset to Montgomery County as well as the entire region,” said Doyal, who has spearheaded mobility projects in the region. The Johnson Development Corp., the developer of Woodforest, contributed significantly to the design of the $4.3 million Lake Creek Bridge, which is part of Fish Creek Thoroughfare. The developer also funded two additional lanes on a one-mile segment of the four-lane roadway running through the heart of Woodforest, between the intersections of Elk Trace Parkway and Woodforest Parkway. In all, the extension of Fish Creek Thoroughfare cost $12 million and provides access from FM 2978 in Tomball to Conroe. “The extraordinary efforts of the entities and individuals who successfully forged public-private development partnerships has led to more than $125 million in improvements, including development of this north-south alternative to Interstate 45,” Doyal said. Lake Creek Bridge and the Fish Creek Thoroughfare extension have been part of the county’s mobility plan since 1985, with funding secured through a 2004 bond election. Necessary construction permits for the bridge, which crosses a flood plain, took nearly two years to obtain. “With the opening of Lake Creek Bridge and Fish Creek Thoroughfare, along with the recent expansion of FM 1488, the mobility of Montgomery County has been greatly enhanced,” said Virgil Yoakum, general manager of Woodforest. “We are excited for the region and for the great potential it brings to Woodforest.”
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