TxDOT has locked in plans for a 20-mile extension of the I-45 managed lanes system through The Woodlands. The Hardy Toll Road managed lanes, which currently end south of the community, will be pushed north to the FM 1488 interchange.
The $1.2 billion project adds two managed lanes each way with variable tolling set to keep speeds at 50 mph or better during rush hour. There will be direct connector ramps at Woodlands Parkway and Research Forest Drive so drivers won't have to merge back into the I-45 main lanes to exit.
Construction starts fourth quarter 2026. It won't be done until 2030. TxDOT says all existing main lanes will stay open during construction, but four years of road work through The Woodlands corridor will be rough on commuters no matter how they manage it.
The township negotiated a few concessions: better sound walls near neighborhoods, landscaping restoration after construction, and money for local road repairs to handle the traffic that spills off the highway during the work.
