State Highway 249, SH 249, the MCTRA 249 Tollway, the Tomball Parkway, Tomball Tollway or West Mount Houston Road is a generally north–south highway in Southeast Texas. The current northern terminus of the highway is in Pinehurst at the intersection of FM 1774 and Woodtrace Boulevard. The southern terminus is in North Houston at Interstate 45.
Route description
The section of SH 249 north of its junction with Beltway 8 is referred to by area residents as the Tomball Parkway because it leads to and is the main road through Tomball. Along the east-west section between I-45 and West Montgomery, it is called West Mount Houston Road. West Mount Houston Road, however, actually extends east past the intersection of SH 249 at I-45.
Tomball Tollway section
Phase I
Phase one runs for from just north of Spring Cypress Road, the current terminus of the existing free lanes to just north of the existing Tomball bypass. The Tomball Tollway is three lanes in each direction that are used to bypass seven stoplights and will only accept electronic toll-tags as no cash payments will be allowed; the total cost of the toll for HCTRA's segment is $1.50 for two-axle vehicles, while the SH 249 frontage roads will remain free to all drivers. Construction of phase one began in fall 2013 and was completed on 12 April 2015.
Phase II
Phase two extends the tollway into Montgomery County from Business SH 249-B to Sentinel Oaks in Montgomery County north of Spring Creek. This $335 million project was overseen by the Harris and Montgomery County toll road authorities. Construction on Phase 2 commenced in fall 2016 and was opened to traffic on December 19, 2019.
MCTRA 249 Tollway section
From Spring Creek to FM 1774 in Pinehurst, the tolled mainlanes of SH 249 will be maintained by the Montgomery County Toll Road Authority. Signed as MCTRA 249 Tollway, the first section to open was between Spring Creek and Sentinel Oaks on December 19, 2019. Construction on the next segment of MCTRA 249 Tollway from Sentinel Oaks to FM 1774 commenced in spring 2018. The next section of MCTRA 249 Tollway opened from Sentinel Oaks to Woodtrace Boulevard on March 26, 2020, with the remaining MCTRA segment projected to open in summer of 2020. The total cost of the toll for MCTRA's segment is $1.25 for two-axle vehicles and, like HCTRA's Tomball Tollway, will only accept electronic toll-tags.
History
Originally a part of FM 149, the highway was given the designation of SH 249 in 1988. The highway's importance grew after Compaq Computer Corporation moved its headquarters close to the intersection of SH 249 and Louetta Rd. In 2003, a portion of SH 249 in Tomball was renamed Business SH 249B from Hicks Road to Holderreith Road. This is because of bypass that bypasses Tomball on the west side of the city. In 2015, SH 249 was extended northwest 24.4 miles from FM 149 and FM 1774 to SH 105 near Stoneham. A section of SH 249 from Woodtrace Boulevard to FM 149 was renumbered as a southern extension of FM 1774 in December 2019. Previously, SH 249 was designated on June 22, 1937 from then-SH 73 near San Felipe north to the Brazos River. The route was redesignated on May 9, 1940 as Texas Spur 99. The route became part of Farm to Market Road 1458 on January 20, 1966.
Future
Current plans call for the highway to extend to the Bryan–College Station area. Continued growth in the Bryan/College Station, Conroe and NW Houston regions have congested existing roadways, including SH 105 and FM 1774. Texas A&M University and businesses in the Bryan/College Station area would benefit from faster connections to Bush-Intercontinental Airport, the Port of Houston and the Texas Medical Center. A bypass of Magnolia, Texas is desirable because of the large traffic load every October due to the annual Renaissance fair. Decreased funding for road projects in recent years had stalled the extension of SH 249. However the rapid growth in the area has led to a renewed push in 2012 to build further segments. Plans for the middle segments and north segment have been revived by the Texas Department of Transportation in early 2013. TxDOT has formed a working group with local officials and stakeholders to discuss alternatives for the SH 249 corridor. The segment from Sentinel Oaks to FM 1774 in Pinehurst is slated to open in spring 2020. From FM 1774 in Pinehurst, north up to SH 105 in Grimes County, SH 249 will be under the jurisdiction of TxDOT. The next segment from FM 1774 to FM 1488 east of Magnolia is projected to be completed in the summer of 2020. The remaining portion of SH 249 in Montgomery County from FM 1488 to FM 1774 in Todd Mission is projected to be completed in spring 2021. In Grimes County, the north segment will be constructed as a non-tolled two-lane highway. Construction in Grimes County began in late 2018 and is projected to be completed in spring 2023.
Popular culture
The country music group Eli Young Band references "Highway 249" in their 2008 single "Always the Love Songs." Several of the band members grew up in Tomball.
