Posted: Friday, 6th March 2009 3:35PM

AUSTIN -- The Texas Transportation Commission, TxDOT's governing body, approved nearly $38 million in economic stimulus funding for Segment 3A of Loop 49 at a special meeting yesterday in Austin. Segment 3A will connect to the existing segments of Loop 49 at State Highway 155, and proceed northwest to State Highway 31. "I appreciate the Texas Transportation Commission's selection of Loop 49 as one of the projects. The community has worked for many years to secure funding and we will continue to do all we can to see it to completion," said Senator Kevin Eltife. Senator Robert Nichols added, “This is a great win for the people of Tyler. Loop 49 is a project with strong community support that will benefit the area. Thanks to the transportation commission for selecting this project and to all the people in Tyler who worked to make it happen.”

Randy Hopmann, TxDOT Tyler District Engineer explained, “Loop 49 has been a regional priority mobility project for the Tyler community. TxDOT in partnership with the North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority, Smith County, the City of Tyler, and the Tyler Metropolitan Planning Organization is happy to see this long term project become reality. Each of those entities has contributed funding or engineering support to the project.”

The Tyler MPO voted on Monday to use its entire $4.7 million allotment from the stimulus package to help pay for Segment 3A. Construction on Segment 3A is scheduled to let to contract in July, with construction to begin as early as September. Segment 1 of Loop 49, between U.S. Highway 69 and State Highway 155, was opened to traffic in August 2006, followed by Segment 2, from US 69 to Farm Road 756 (Paluxy Drive) in December of 2007. Segment 5 of Loop 49, between Farm Road 756 and State Highway 110 in Whitehouse, is scheduled to let to construction in June of this year. The transportation commission last week awarded $21 million from the stimulus package for rehabilitation and system preservation funds to the Tyler District.