TxDOT Project Updates

TYLER — Here’s a quick look at work planned in the Tyler District during the Week of December 8, 2014:

SMITH COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) maintenance crews in Tyler plan to perform pavement repairs on Loop 323 between the loop extension and Commerce Street on Monday and Tuesday, weather permitting. The job moves to Ranch Road 2767 between Loop 323 and Farm Road 2908 Wednesday through Friday. Expect lane closures at both locations with flaggers directing traffic through the work zones.

Use caution when traveling through the following construction projects in Smith County:
State Highway 31E Widening Project
*Limits: From FM 757 to FM 1639
*Contractor: Reynolds & Kay, LTD
*Cost: $7.8 million
Approved by the Texas Transportation Commission in August, this project consists of widening SH 31 to add passing lanes for multiple sections of roadway in both the eastbound and westbound directions. Once the widening is complete, a seal coat and final surface will be applied. Motorists should expect delays as wells as a daily construction speed limit of 60 mph when work is being performed on this job which is expected to about 18 months to complete.

State Highway 31East Widening Project
*Limits: From Farm Road 850 to Farm Road 757
*Contractor: East Texas Bridge, Inc.
*Cost: $3.4 million
This widening project runs from Farm Road 850, east of Tyler, to Farm Road 757. It is scheduled for completion next spring.

Off-System Bridge Replacement Projects
*Locations:
*County Road (CR) 448
*County Road (CR) 46
*Contractor: $490,000
Barricades are set for the CR 448 project which carries traffic to the popular Sky Ranch. Motorists should look for message boards put in place with closure and detour information. The work is expected to take a couple of months to complete. CR 46 will then be shut down for its bridge replacement, which is also expected to take about two months to complete.

Loop 323
*Limits: Tyler’s West Loop and SH 31
*Contractor: Longview Bridge and Road, Ltd.
This widening and railroad bridge replacement project continues with the contractor constructing the shoofly bridge. Motorists should expect intermittent delays during this work. Look for new speed limit signs in this area as it has been reduced to 45 mph from State Highway 64 to Shaw Street on Loop 323.

State Highway 64
*Limits: from Chapel Hill to Arp
*Contractor: Drewery Construction
*Cost: $3.9 million
TxDOT is asking motorists to use extra caution and watch for flaggers providing traffic control when traveling through this work zone. This Super 2 widening project continues and consists of clearing and grading. The dirt work is currently being performed from County Road 299 to just west of Arp where the work zone speed limit is set at 60 mph. This is a daily speed zone reduction and will only be posted when workers are present. Expect lane closures.

GREGG COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) maintenance crews in Longview are planning to start perform work on ditches, edges and driveways this week on Farm Road 2906/Eastman Road from State Highway 149 to the End of Maintenance in Easton. This job, which includes cutting high edges and debris removal, will take about two weeks to complete, weather permitting. Traffic will be reduced to one lane with flaggers providing traffic control.

Work continues on the following construction projects in Gregg County:

Farm Road 2275 George Richey Extension (Segments II & III)
*Limits: McCann Road to U.S. 259
*Contractor: East Texas Bridge, Inc.
The clearing between Judson Road and Airline Road continues. Excavation, embankment, bridge construction and storm drain work are ongoing between McCann Road and Judson Road. This is new location construction and is not expected to impact traffic.

Farm Road 2208 (Alpine Road) at Smelley Road
*Limits: From North Loop 281 to FM 2879
*Contractor: Longview Bridge and Road, Ltd.
The newly installed traffic signal at this intersection is now operational. Remember, this job included installing a turn lane and upgrading the flashing yellow lights to a full traffic signal so slow down and pay attention when traveling through this work zone as the project progresses. Caution is advised as motorists get acclimated to the upgrades.

Loop 281 at Farm Road 2087 Overpass
*Limits: SH 31 to approximately one mile south of SH 31
*Contractor: Longview Bridge and Road, Ltd.
This project is in Phase III of construction with traffic moved off the existing Loop onto the detours. Work to build a temporary retaining wall, bridge headers and a storm drain continues. Traffic can expect some delays during the peak evening hours. Caution advised during travel through this work zone.

State Highway 42
*Limits: From SH 31 north to I-20
*Contractor: Reynolds & Kay, Ltd.
Current work includes constructing curb and gutter and forming and pouring concrete driveways. Drivers can expect minimal impacts at this time. The project includes constructing a turn lane at Hillcrest Road, and guardrail work. As the project continues motorists can expect to see nighttime operations being implemented. Expect construction to move a little slower during the winter months. Slow down and pay attention when traveling through work zones.

Spinks-Chapman County Road
*Limits: At the Rabbit Creek Bridge just east of Meadows Lane
*Contractor: Massana Construction, Inc.
Construction of the bridge continues on Spinks Chapman Road southwest of the Interstate Highway 20 and State Highway 31 interchange near Kilgore. Spinks-Chapman Road is closed to through traffic between Meadows Lane and Norris Road while the bridge is under construction. This project is expected to wrap up soon but until them motorists must use alternative routes to reach their destinations.

I-20 Dynamic Message Signs (DMS)
*Locations:
*East of Farm Road 1255 westbound – Van Zandt County
*West of Farm Road 849 eastbound – Smith County
*Derrick Park westbound – Smith County
*Contractor: Highway Intelligent Traffic Solutions Corp.
The contractor is installing these DMS’s at the aforementioned locations. The work will have minimal impact on the traveling public.

ANDERSON COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) maintenance crews in Palestine are winding down the fog seal operation on State Highway 155 between Farm Road 2267 and U.S. Highway 175 this week. Northbound traffic is being shifted onto one lane. This work is expected to take about two days to complete, weather permitting. The job will then move to U.S. Highway 79 around Wednesday for shoulder work. There will be daytime lane closures so remember to slow down and be safe when traveling through these work zones.

CHEROKEE COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) maintenance crews in Jacksonville and Rusk are doing base and edge repairs on Monday and Tuesday at various locations around the county. Starting Wednesday, the Jacksonville crew along with a Special Jobs crew will be profiling on U.S. Highway 79West from the west end of the curb and gutter to two miles west. Profiling is a preventive maintenance technique that helps improve traction. The operation will also be conducted on Farm Road 747South from U.S. 79 to 1.5 miles south. Special Jobs will then join a crew in Rusk to conduct the same work on U.S. Highway 84 at the intersection of Farm Road 343 on the west side of Rusk. Look for additional signage to be in place, and flaggers providing traffic control.

HENDERSON COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews in Athens this week are scheduled to conduct embankment work on TxDOT right of way along the intersection of U.S. Highway 175 and State Highway 334, and level up bridge ends on Farm Road 315 south of Chandler. Watch out for the flaggers providing traffic control in on Farm Road 315.

*The Farm Road 317 widening project continues from Farm Road 314 to Farm Road 607 with the contractor currently installing environmental controls.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY, Texas – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews in Canton will be working on State Highway 64 at the intersection of Farm Road 314 with a mill and inlay operation (grinding up the existing surface and replacing it with a new hot mix surface.) Motorists can expect lane closures and delays, which can be avoided by using alternate routes.

Construction in Van Zandt County includes:
*The contractor is pouring bridge rail and preparing to place hot mix on the County Road 2702 Bridge Replacement Project at Lacy Fork Tributary next week. The roadway is closed to traffic.
*Culvert work continues on the State Highway 198 project from State Highway 243 southwest to 0.4 miles northeast of FM 316 near Phalba.
*On Farm Road 314 from Interstate Highway 20 to the Van Zandt/Henderson County Line, the contractor is conducting culvert work from Edom to the Henderson County Line. Use caution and expect lane closures.

WOOD COUNTY, Texas – The contractor continues with final cleanup on the U.S. Highway 69 widening project in Mineola. The roadway is being widened from Loop 564 in Mineola to Farm Road 779 in Golden. Expect lane closures.

Elsewhere, the State Highway 154 Project from Lake Fork to Quitman is complete and traffic flow back to normal.