TxDOT Project Updates

TYLER — Here’s a quick look at other work planned in the Tyler District of the Texas Department of Transportation.

TYLER – Construction crews from TxDOT contractor Big Creek Construction, Ltd., of Hewitt, have begun several months of work to widen State Highway 64 to five lanes between Tyler Pounds Regional Airport and Farm Road 2661 just west of Toll 49. “This section of SH 64 is a bottleneck,” said TxDOT spokesman Larry Krantz. “Particularly now that Toll 49 is putting additional traffic on it. This project will be an immediate improvement to the safety and mobility through this area.” The $2.4 million project is scheduled for completion next summer.

Also this week in Smith County, work associated with TxDOT’s annual preventative maintenance program known as District Wide Seal Coat, is scheduled to be performed as early as Wednesday on FM 2661 between SH 64 near Toll 49, and Big Eddy Road, including the Pine Cove area. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic. Loose gravel may be present for several days following a seal coat application.

TYLER – Contract construction crews will close the Tyler intersection of Front Street (SH 31) and Broadway Avenue to all traffic at 8:00pm on Friday so work can begin to repair the damaged storm drain that caused a sink hole to form in the intersection on July 23. The intersection will remain closed to all traffic through 5:00am on Monday, or until the work is completed. Crews will be working 24 hours per day removing the old storm drain pipe and replacing it with a new pipe, then repairing the roadway. “There wasn’t much choice in terms of closing the intersection because of how the pipe runs,” said TxDOT spokesman Larry Krantz. “The question was how long would it take and how much trouble would it cause to try to make the repairs during the day and during the week. Obviously, working 24 hours a day from Friday night to early Monday was the best answer.” Motorists are encouraged to plan alternate routes now to avoid inconvenience while the work is in progress.

TYLER – Construction crews from TxDOT contractor Big Creek Construction, Ltd., of Hewitt, are scheduled Monday, August 12 to begin several months of work to resurface and add turn lanes to Spur 364. Crews will be adding turn lanes to the entire roadway between State Highway 31 west of Tyler and Loop 323 in Tyler, and adding additional shoulder width to Spur 364 between Greenbriar Road and Loop 323. “This project is long overdue with all the growth we’ve been experiencing in Tyler and across East Texas,” said TxDOT spokesman Larry Krantz. “We’re outgrowing a lot of our highways around here, and Spur 364 is another example of that. We’ve pleased we’re finally able to address this longtime need.” Meanwhile, Krantz added, motorists should plan to encounter daytime lane closures and traffic controlled by flaggers and pilot vehicles. The $2.9 million project is scheduled for completion next summer.

GREGG COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to resume shoulder work on the U.S. Highway 259-Kilgore Bypass between the south end and Farm Road 349. Once that work is complete, crews are scheduled to close the north end of the Bypass to work in the Synergy Park area. Marked detours will be posted for that work. Also this week in Gregg County, construction on the U.S. Highway 80 project between White Oak and Longview is nearing the completion of one phase and beginning another, which will call for the lane closure to be shifted from the eastbound side to the westbound side of US 80. That change should occur in the next 10 days. Motorists are encouraged to use caution in the area, and be on the lookout for heavy equipment entering and leaving the work area.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform resurfacing operations on State Highway 19, between Interstate Highway 20 north of Canton, and US 80. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

Looking ahead to the Week of August 12, work associated with TxDOT’s annual preventative maintenance program known as District Wide Seal Coat is expected to begin in Van Zandt County as early as Monday that week with work in the following locations in the following order:
*Farm Road 858 between Ben Wheeler and Farm Road 314;
*Farm Road 16 between Farm Road 773 and Farm Road 314;
*Farm Road 859 between State Highway 64 and Interstate Highway 20;
*and State Highway 64 between Interstate Highway 20 and U.S. Highway 80.
“These are the roads we’ve been working on over the past 18 months or so, getting them ready for this preventative-maintenance treatment,” said TxDOT spokesman Larry Krantz. “Sealing the repairs we’ve made to these roads will help them last for several years without any further work.”

QUITMAN – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue base and pavement repairs in Quitman on State Highway 37 between the Dairy Queen and the Courthouse, and on State Highway 154 between the eastern edge of the current construction project and the Ford dealership at the State Highway 154/SH 37 “Y.” Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic. Motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes if possible to avoid delays.

RUSK COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to begin base and pavement-repair operations on U.S. Highway 259 between North Loop 571 and Farm Road 850. Also this week, work associated with TxDOT’s annual preventative maintenance program known as District Wide Seal Coat is scheduled to continue in Rusk County. Crews on Monday are scheduled to complete their work on State Highway 135 between Overton and State Highway 42, then move to U.S. Highway 259 between Farm Road 850 and the Kilgore Bypass, followed by the same work on Farm Road 782 between Farm Road 1716 in Oak Hill and State Highway 149 near the Gregg County Line. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress. Motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zone. Loose gravel may be present for several days following a seal coat application.

CHEROKEE COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform ditch maintenance on FM 1089 south of Troup, between State Highway 110 and Farm Road 13. A second crew is scheduled to begin edge work on Farm Road 2137 between Farm Road 344 west of Bullard and Farm Road 855 north of Cuney. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

ANDERSON COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform edge work on Farm Road 321 between State Highway 155 and Farm Road 2276 in Neches. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.