MAGNOLIA, Texas – What was meant to make FM 1488 safer is now creating safety concerns for some drivers in Montgomery County.
Back in 2019, TxDOT found FM 1488 carried 20,000 vehicles per day and needed changes to handle the volume, and improve safety.
One of the changes implemented was raised medians along the roadways.
Aaron Martin lives in Montgomery County and takes FM 1488 every day.
He said the raised median near Windcrest Village forces westbound drivers into two options: make a risky U-turn across 50 mile-an-hour traffic, or cut through a daycare parking lot filled with children and parents.
“In the morning the traffic and later in the afternoon the traffic is really bad here," said Martin. “Because the cars are going quite fast and, you know like anybody else, you get a little impatient waiting for three, five, ten minutes to get a spot to make the U-turn."
Martin says he usually opts for the protected left turn farther down the road. But that route takes him directly through the daycare lot, where he’s seen backups and impatient drivers speeding around others as children are being dropped off.
“My concern is somebody’s going to get hurt down there,” Martin said.
We reached out to Montgomery County Commissioner Charlie Riley’s office but did not hear back.
Martin shared a message he got from Commissioner Riley’s office stating:
“I truly believe that implementing a turn lane would be a great improvement for traffic flow and safety in that area.
However, it’s important to understand that any changes or improvements on state-maintained roadways must first go through the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) for review and approval. A formal traffic study conducted by TxDOT is a critical first step in this process, as it will determine the feasibility and necessity of the proposed turn lane."
TxDOT spokesperson Leo Flores sent the following statement:
“TxDOT has reviewed the request to add a turn lane to the raised median at 9300 FM 1488. At this time, adding a turn lane is not feasible due to safety, traffic, and design considerations. We remain committed to keeping the roadway safe and moving traffic efficiently, and we will continue to look at this location as conditions change in the future.”
KPRC 2 made a public records request to see how many times Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office responded to this area.
Data shows from January 2024 until now, deputies responded 120 times. 16 of the calls were traffic related.
“My message to TxDOT is simple: put in a turn lane. Hundreds, if not thousands of cars, use these businesses every day,” said Martin.