State Highway 249
Traveling 26.76 miles northwest from IH 45 and Hidden Valley in Houston to FM 149 and FM 1774 at Pinehurst, SH 249 varies between a commercial arterial, freeway and toll road. The southernmost section of SH 249 follows Mount Houston Road west from the North Freeway to Tomball Parkway. Tomball Parkway leads the route northwest to Beltway 8 and the Sam Houston Tollway, where SH 249 upgrades to a freeway. The freeway section of Tomball Parkway passes through the Willbrook neighborhood of Houston en route to Spring Cypress Road.
The SH 249 freeway along Tomball Parkway transitions to Tomball Tollway beyond Northpointe. Operated by the Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA), the tollway bypasses the city of Tomball to the west, concluding at the northern merge of SH 249 and SH 249 Business after FM 2920 (Main Street). Phase I of Tomball Parkway opened to traffic following a ribbon cutting ceremony and news conference on April 12, 2015. With six overall lanes, the six mile roadway was constructed within the SH 249 corridor at a cost of $155 million. Work started on the all electronic toll (AET) road in October 2013.1
SH 249 (Tomball Tollway) Phase II lengthens the toll road north from FM 2920 to the Harris County line at Spring Creek. Funded by Harris County, construction for the $130 million extension started in March 2017 and runs through December 2019.2
The Texas (TX) State Highway (SH) 249 Extension Project, under the direction of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), further lengthens SH 249 northwest into Montgomery and Grimes Counties. 14 miles of toll road with intermittent frontage roads (Segment 1A/1B) are being built from the end of SH 249 at FM 1774 at Pinehurst to FM 1774 at the city of Todd Mission. An additional ten miles of roadway (Segment 2) are being constructed from Todd Mission to SH 104 between Plantersville and Navasota. This two-lane, non-tolled corridor will be constructed within a 400-foot right of way.
Earthmoving work on Segment 1 started in March 2018, followed by construction of the roadway, bridges, drainage. Segment 1 is scheduled for completion in Spring 2021. Construction for Segment 2 commenced in November 2018 with land clearing. Work here runs until late 2022.3
SH 249 Business
SH 249 was formerly FM 149 from IH 45 to FM 1774. FM 149 was upgraded to a state highway in 1989. SH 249 Business (BS 249-B) was established by the Transportation Planning and Programming Division in 2003 along a 2.46 mile section of Tomball Parkway in the city of Tomball. Business 249-B was designated when SH 249 was relocated onto the bypass alignment to the west in 2003.
North
After the freeway begins at Beltway 8, the succeeding exit along SH 249 north is for Greens Road and Gessner Road.
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The ramp for Greens Road and Gessner Drive south departs SH 249 north ahead of a wide reaching retail area anchored by Willowbrook Mall. This section of Greens Road is not connected to Greens Road off IH 45 and IH 69/U.S. 59 further east.
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SH 249 advances northwest between Willowbrook Mall and adjacent big box stores to FM 1960. FM 1960 comprises a commercial arterial northeast across the Willowbrook section of Houston.
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Grant Road east and Schroeder Road south come together with SH 249 along the Houston city line beyond the ensuing exit northbound.
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SH 249 north reaches the ramp for Grant and Schroeder Roads ahead of Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital. Perry Road ties into Tomball Parkway north from Cypress Creek Parkway a half mile further northwest.
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Just past the Grant Road exit, SH 249 northbound is five lanes.
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The next exit serves Cypresswood Drive.
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Cypresswood is a long arterial that travels east to IH 45 and the Hardy Toll Road, before eventually curving south to end at FM 1960.
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One quarter mile ahead of the ramp for Chasewood Park Drive and Compaq Center Drive. SH 249 was upgraded to a freeway to serve the HP (Compaq) campus on the northwest side of Houston.
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SH 249 crosses Cypress Creek ahead of the off-ramp to Chasewood Park Drive and Compaq Center Drive. The HP campus lines the west side of Tomball Parkway ahead.
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The exit for Louetta Road and Jones Road departs SH 249 north just ahead of the Compaq Center Drive overpass. Louetta is another major arterial that travels east to IH 45 and the Hardy Toll Road.
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A diamond interchange joins SH 249 (Tomball Parkway) with Spring Cypress Road in one half mile.
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Spring Cypress Road heads east to FM 2920 near IH 45 and southwest to U.S. 290 and SH 6 at Cypress.
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Confirming marker for SH 249 posted at the Spring Cypress Road underpass.
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The SH 249 freeway along Tomball Parkway previously ended between Spring Cypress Road and North Pointe Boulevard. Tomball Tollway opened north from this point to SH 99 (Grand Parkway) on April 12, 2015.
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The concrete for the freeway lanes and the guide sign for the North Pointe Boulevard off-ramp were placed as part of the 2000 freeway construction for SH 249.
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South
SH 249 (Tomball Parkway) extends south from Tomball Tollway ahead of Jones Road south and Louetta Road.
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Advancing south SH 249 reaches the ramp for Compaq Center Drive to the HP corporate campus and Chasewood Park Drive in a half mile.
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The exit for Chasewood Park Drive joins the Tomball Parkway frontage road south across Cypress Creek to Cypresswood Drive and Perry Road south.
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Turning more to the southeast, Tomball Parkway continues over Perry Road to a diamond interchange with Grant Road west and Schroeder Road north.
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SH 249 enters the Willowbrook neighborhood of Houston where Grant Road east and Schroeder Road south converge.
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The ensuing exit along SH 249 southbound joins Tomball Parkway with FM 1960 and Gessner Drive at Willowbrook Mall.
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The SH 249 freeway meets Beltway 8 and Sam Houston Tollway just beyond the Houston city limits in 2.5 miles.
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FM 1960 constitutes a 46.81 mile long arterial and highway from U.S. 290 and SH 6 near Jersey Village east to IH 45 at Westfield, IH 69/U.S. 59 at Humble, and SH 321 at Dayton.
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The succeeding exit southbound along SH 249 is for Greens Road.
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Greens Road arcs east from Mills Road to the south of Willowbrook Mall, to industrial areas along Cutten Road.
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High flyover ramps link SH 249 (Tomball Parkway) with the Sam Houston Tollway main lanes south to Jersey Village and Carverdale in Houston and east to the Greater Greenspoint area and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).
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The exit for Beltway 8, the Sam Houston Tollway frontage road system, leaves SH 249 south between the flyovers for the main lanes. SH 249 downgrades to a commercial arterial beyond the multi level interchange with Beltway 8.
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References:
- "Tomball Tollway set for April 12 opening." Tomball Potpourri, The (TX), April 8, 2015.
- 249 (Tomball Tollway) Phase II. Harris County Toll Road Authority web site. Page accessed July 29, 2019.
- Project Status | TX SH 249 Extension Project. TxDOT web site. Page accessed July 29, 2019.
Photo Credits:
- Kevin Trinkle: 08/10/06
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Page Updated Monday July 29, 2019.