TxDOT Projects Completed and those Just Starting

TYLER — The Texas Department of Transportation has announced that it completed six projects in September and planned to break ground on another three in October, bringing the total number of projects under construction to 26 across the Tyler District.

Topping the list of upcoming projects is a $1.3 million project to repair and resurface westbound Interstate Highway 20 between State Highway 110 and the Van Zandt County line. The project let to contract in August and is scheduled to begin mid-month. APAC-Texas, Inc., of Dallas, is the contractor. “We’ve made some huge improvements in our pavement on the Interstate in the past few years,” said TxDOT spokesman Larry Krantz. “This is one of the areas that we’ve had
on hold while we’ve gotten the other projects done.”

Also in October, TxDOT contractors are scheduled to begin a Green Ribbon beautification project at the Henderson Star, and an inter-agency agreement with Texas Parks and Wildlife to repair and resurface campsites in Tyler State Park. Green Ribbon projects are landscaping projects that target counties either in or close to non-attainment of air-quality standards.

Among the projects completed or scheduled for completion by the end of September are two major projects on U.S. Highway 69, including a $43 million project expanding the highway to four lanes between Lindale and Mineola which began in 2006, and the $11.4 million US 69/FM 344 overpass project in Bullard. Both projects are scheduled for completion by the end of next week, which means normal speed limits will return to effect once the work zones have been removed.

TxDOT also announced the completion of projects to repair and resurface U.S. Highway 79 in
Palestine and U.S. Highway 287 south of Palestine, State Highway 31 or Front Street in Tyler between Broadway and East Loop 323, and on Farm Road 1798 in Rusk County between U.S. Highway 259 and Farm Road 840.

Also in October, TxDOT plans to let a series of small projects rolled into one larger one on State Highway 149 south of Longview. The work includes adding street lights and widening SH 149 to accommodate continuous left-turn lane through the Whiskey Bend area, repairing and resurfacing SH 149 between the SH 149/SH 322 split and 2 miles south of Farm Road 2906, and adding centerline rumble strips on SH 149 between Sabine River Bridge and Rusk County Line.
Work on the approximate combined $2.9 million project is scheduled to begin in January.

Projects marked for completion in September
● US 69 – Adding two lanes and depressed grass median to US 69 between Lindale and Mineola. The $43 million project broke ground in April 2006 and is scheduled to be completed by fall 2010. Longview Bridge and Road of Longview, Texas, is the contractor. TxDOT project tracker: n/a
● US 69 – Building overpass at US 69 and FM 344 in Bullard. The $11.4 million project broke ground in January 2008 and is scheduled to be completed this fall. Work zone speed limit is 45 mph. Knife River Corporation, South, of Waco, Texas, is the contractor. TxDOT project tracker: n/a
● US 79 – Repair and resurface US 79 inside Loop 256 in Palestine. The $1.6 million project started in June is scheduled to take approximately three months to complete. R.K. Hall Construction of Paris, Texas, is the contractor. TxDOT project tracker: http://bit.ly/11-09-BUS79a
● US 287 – Repair and resurface US 287 between FM 2419 south of Palestine and SH 294 in Elkhart. The approximate $1.8 million project started in June is scheduled to be completed by the end of September. Big Creek Constriction, Ltd. of Waco, Texas is the contractor. TxDOT project tracker: http://bit.ly/03-10-US287
● SH 31 – Repair and resurface SH 31 (Front Street) in Tyler between Broadway and East Loop 323. The $996,000 project let to contract in April and began June 30. Knife River Corporation, South, of Waco, Texas, is the contractor. TxDOT project tracker: http://bit.ly/04-10-SH31a
● FM 1798 – Repair and resurface, and add shoulders on FM 1798 between US 259 and FM 840 in southeastern Rusk County. The $2.3 million project is scheduled to be completed by the fall of 2010. A.K. Gillis & Sons of Sulphur Springs, Texas is the contractor. TxDOT project tracker: http://bit.ly/03-09-FM1798b

Projects set to begin in October
● Interstate 20 – Repairing and resurfacing Westbound Interstate 20 between SH 110 and the Van Zandt County Line. The $1.3 million project let to contract in August and is scheduled to begin this fall. APAC-Texas, Inc., of Dallas, is the contractor. TxDOT Project Tracker: N/A
● Tyler State Park – Repair and resurface Cedar Camp Loop Road and campsite pads in
Tyler State Park. The $165,000 project let to contract in July and is scheduled to begin in mid-October. Simon Traylor & Sons of Jacksonville, Texas, is the contractor. TxDOT Project Tracker: http://bit.ly/07-10-TSP
● US 79 – Green Ribbon landscaping project adding shrubbery to traffic islands around the Henderson Star. The $75,000 project let to contract in August and is scheduled to begin in mid-October. Encino Landscape, Inc., of Cleveland, Texas, is the contractor. TxDOT Project Tracker: http://bit.ly/08-10-US79

Projects scheduled to let to contract in October (with projected start date)
● SH 149, January 2011 – Adding street lights and widening to accommodate continuous left-turn lane through Whiskey Bend area; repair and resurface between SH 149/SH 322 split and 2 miles south of FM 2906; and adding centerline rumble strips between the Sabine River Bridge and Rusk County Line. The approximate $2.9 million project is scheduled to let in October and begin in January 2011. TxDOT Project Tracker: N/A