A $10 million project to extend David Memorial Drive to Texas 242 got a boost when Montgomery County commissioners agreed Tuesday to sign an interlocal agreement with Shenandoah for funding.
“This is an older project,” said Precinct 4 Commissioner Matt Gray. “That is the fun part of this job, breathing life into these older projects that we have had hanging out there especially in my precinct.”
The project has been in limbo since May after the Conroe City Council withheld its share of the funding for the project due to concerns over the design of the road and its proximity to the Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital.
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In June, Shenandoah City Council members voiced frustration with Conroe and urged the city to hold up their verbal commitment to provide partial funding.
The project has been a verbal agreement among Shenandoah, Conroe, Montgomery County and the hospital for years.
Under the most recent financial breakdown for the project, the county would allocate $5 million, which includes $2 million previously set for the design and specifications, while Conroe would provide $2 million and Shenandoah also would fund $2 million.
Houston Methodist The Woodlands has agreed to donate the right of way for the project.
Shenandoah City Council took no action June 8 after construction bids were opened due to the pending funding. John Bleyl with Bleyl Engineering said the low bid on the project was from Brice Civil Construction for more than $7 million.
Shenandoah has until Sept. 6 to award the bid to Brice Civil Construction, Bleyl said.
“We have been working very diligently to get this back rolling again,” Gray said. “This is very exciting.”
