{{short description|State highway in Texas}} {{Use American English|date=May 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox road |state=TX |type=SH |route=242 |map={{maplink-road|from=Texas State Highway 242.map}} |map_custom=yes |map_notes=SH 242, highlighted in red |length_mi=21.633 |length_ref=<ref name="State Highway 242">{{TxDOT|SH|242|accessdate=2008-04-04}}</ref> |length_round=3 |established= 1985 |direction_a=West |direction_b=East |terminus_a={{jct|state=TX|FM|1488}} in The Woodlands |junction={{jct|state=TX|I|45}} in Conroe |terminus_b={{jct|state=TX|I|69|US|59}} in Patton Village |counties=Montgomery |previous_type=SH |previous_route=241 |next_type=SH |next_route=243 }}
'''State Highway 242''' ('''SH 242''') is a Texas state highway connecting The Woodlands and Patton Village in southeast Texas.
==Route description== SH 242 begins at FM 1488 in The Woodlands.<ref name="Mapbook 560">{{Texas Mapbook|560|accessdate=2011-11-25}}</ref> The highway, also known locally as College Park Drive, curves to the southeast and passes to the south of W. G. Jones State Forest. It then turns to the east and crosses I-45 in the southern outskirts of Conroe. East of I-45, the highway is also known locally as Needham Road until its intersection with Lexington Drive, where Needham Road turns north towards the San Jacinto River. The route continues to the east, crossing FM 1314 and FM 1485, before reaching its eastern terminus at I-69 / US 59 in Patton Village.<ref name="Mapbook 580">{{Texas Mapbook|580|accessdate=2011-11-25}}</ref>
==History== '''SH 242''' was originally designated on December 22, 1936 as a route from SH 6 at or near Hempstead to SH 38 (now SH 6) at or near Sugar Land.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://publicdocs.txdot.gov/minord/MinuteOrderDocLib/003673889.pdf|title=Minutes of the December 21, 1936 State Highway Commission meeting}}</ref> This route was deleted on September 26, 1939, as it became part of SH 6. SH 242 was designated between I-45 and US 59 (now dual-signed as I-69/US 59) on May 22, 1985. The westward extension to FM 1488 was designated on May 29, 1986.<ref name="State Highway 242"/>
A pair of flyover ramps connecting SH 242 westbound to southbound I-45 and northbound I-45 to westbound SH 242 were constructed in 2015 by the Montgomery County Transportation Program (MCTP). The flyovers were both tolled, utilizing solely electronic toll collection and were opened to the public on May 11, 2015, initially toll-free. Between July 6, 2015, and May 28, 2019, the flyovers were tolled, with the Montgomery County Toll Road Authority (MCTRA) owning and maintaining the ramps while the Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA) collected the toll fees. After a unanimous vote by the Montgomery County Commissioners Court, the tolls on the flyovers were lifted, with ownership and maintenance being transferred to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).<ref>{{Citation|date=May 28, 2019|accessdate=May 30, 2019|newspaper=Community Impact Newspaper|author=Jules Rogers|title=Montgomery County Commissioners unanimously remove tolls along Hwy. 242 flyovers|url=https://communityimpact.com/houston/conroe-montgomery/city-county/2019/05/28/montgomery-county-commissioners-initiate-toll-removal-along-hwy-242-flyovers/}}</ref> Another flyover ramp from northbound I-45 to eastbound SH 242 is scheduled for bidding beginning in August 2024, with construction commencing by the end of the year.<ref>{{Cite news |last = Shorten |first = Jessica |date = June 20, 2024 |title = Montgomery County approves $19.1 million for Hwy. 242 flyover construction |url = https://communityimpact.com/houston/conroe-montgomery/government/2024/06/20/montgomery-county-approves-191-million-for-hwy-242-flyover-construction/ }}</ref> This project will have an estimated cost of $19.1 Million.<ref>{{cite news |last = Thompson |first = Ben |date = April 6, 2021 |title = Eastbound, Nontolled Flyover Road from I-45 to Eastbound Hwy. 242 Enters Preconstruction Phase |url = https://communityimpact.com/houston/the-woodlands/transportation/2021/04/06/eastbound-nontolled-flyover-road-from-i-45-to-eastbound-hwy-242-enters-preconstruction-phase/ |access-date = June 5, 2023 |work = CommunityImpact.com |location = The Woodlands |publisher = Community Impact Newspaper | language = en-US }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last = Dominguez |first = Catherine |date = June 18, 2024 |title = Montgomery County Funds $19 Million Direct Connector For Texas 242 |url = https://www.houstonchronicle.com/neighborhood/conroe/article/montgomery-county-texas-direct-connector-19518135.php}}</ref> Long term plans also include a three-level diamond interchange with an overpass for SH 242 through movements over I-45.<ref>{{cite news |title = Montgomery County Precinct 2 Mobility Study - Recommendations |url = https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/14a4ac0bd1d34ca39e3a686dabf37f78/page/Intersection-%26-Roadway/?data_id=dataSource_add_from_url_entry-1827f669597-layer-10%3A83 |access-date = June 5, 2023 |work = Experience.ArcGIS.com |location = The Woodlands |publisher = Houston-Galveston Area Council | language = en-US }}</ref>
==Major intersections== {{jcttop|state=TX|county=Montgomery|length_ref=<ref name="googlemaps">{{google maps|url=https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=TX-242+E&daddr=TX-242+E+to:TX-242+E+to:TX-242+E+to:TX-242+E&hl=en&ll=30.190541,-95.306396&spn=0.276574,0.528374&sll=30.193916,-95.189452&sspn=0.017285,0.033023&geocode=FbZDzQEdnptO-g%3BFe7szAEdEnJP-g%3BFVEDzQEdQfRQ-g%3BFU0LzQEdmiNS-g%3BFRq2zAEdS35T-g&vpsrc=6&mra=dme&mrsp=4&sz=16&t=m&z=12|title=State Highway 242|accessdate=2011-11-25}}</ref>}} {{TXint|location=The Woodlands|mile=0.0|road={{jct|state=TX|FM|1488|city1=Magnolia|city2=Conroe}}|notes=Western terminus}} {{TXint|location=Conroe|lspan=2|mile=4.4|road={{jct|state=TX|I|45|city1=Houston|city2=Dallas}}|notes=I-45 exit 79 southbound; 79A & 79B northbound.}} {{TXint|mile=4.7|road=South Trade Center Parkway|notes=Interchange<ref>Google (2020-08-03) [https://www.google.com/maps/@30.207344,-95.4555082,3a,75y,76.07h,89.42t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sYAcxputr7xWd3PQqw8IKmg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en TX-242 Conroe, Texas] (Street View) ''Google Maps'' Retrieved 2020-08-03.</ref>}} {{TXint|location=none|mile=10.5|road={{jct|state=TX|FM|1314|city1=Conroe|city2=Porter}}|notes=Interchange<ref>[http://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot/get-involved/hou/sh242/042519-schematic-sanjacinto-river-fm1314.pdf SH 242 Schematic from East of San Jacinto River to FM 1314] Texas Department of Transportation 2016-12-26 (Retrieved 2020-08-03)</ref><ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/@30.2134488,-95.3583086,18z SH 242 at FM 1314] ''Google Maps''. Retrieved 8 January 2021</ref>}} {{TXint|location=none|mile=15.2|road={{jct|state=TX|FM|1485|city1=New Caney}}}} {{TXint|location=Patton Village|mile=21.6|road={{jct|state=TX|I|69|US|59|city1=Houston|city2=Cleveland}}|notes=I-69/US 59 exit 161; eastern terminus.}} {{jctbtm}}
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Transportation in Montgomery County, Texas 242 Category:Conroe, Texas