TxDOT Project Updates

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the Week of April 5. Schedules are subject to change due to weather or equipment related issues.

SMITH COUNTY – The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) maintenance crews in Tyler continue to perform base repairs on State Highway 135 between Troup and Arp with the roadway reduced to one travel lane and flaggers conducting traffic. The same work is being conducted on Farm Road 2015 from Farm Road 16 to Farm Road 14 Expect lane closures.

Smith County construction projects include the following:
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 planning night-time operations next week. Starting at 7:00pm, Sunday, April 4, the contractor will be removing the existing Union Pacific Railroad Overpass on Loop 323. Motorists are advised to use alternate routes to avoid delays as the work will require closing multiple lanes. The week-long removal process will be conducted at night. The project includes widening Loop 323 from SH 31 to Shaw Street. The speed limit on Loop 323 in the work zone has been reduced to 45 mph from SH 64 to Shaw Street. Slow down and use caution.

State Highway 31East Widening Project
•Limits: From FM 757 to FM 1639
•Contractor: Reynolds & Kay, LTD
•Cost: $7.8 million
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 18-month job.

State Highway 31East Widening Project
•Limits: From FM 850 to FM 757
•Contractor: East Texas Bridge, Inc.
•Cost: $3.4 million
This portion of FM 850 east of Tyler to FM 757 is also being widened with a scheduled completion date set for next spring.
Off-System Bridge Replacement Project
•Limits: County Road (CR) 46 at Prairie Creek Tributary
•Contractor: East Texas Bridge, Inc.
•Cost: $490,000
CR 46 remains closed while the outdated bridge is replaced. Motorists must take alternate routes to reach their destinations. The work is expected to be completed in about three months. The new bridge at Village Creek on CR 448 opened to traffic in February.

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 60 mph. The daily speed zone reduction is posted when workers are present. Expect lane closures.

GREGG COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) maintenance crews in Longview continue to patch potholes around the county, and if weather permits will again work with Special Crews to fog seal Loop 281 from Tryon Road to the Harrison County line. Crews are also preparing to start mill and inlay work on U.S. Highway 259 from Farm Road 1844 to the Upshur County line. Expect lane closures with flaggers conducting traffic.

Fog sealing is spraying a very light application of a diluted emulsion of asphalt onto a road to seal existing asphalt surfaces to reduce raveling and to enrich dry and weathered surfaces.

Construction projects in Gregg County include:
State Highway 31 Landscape Project
*Limits: 0.3 miles north of FM 2205 (Grace Creek) to 0.2 miles south of U.S. Highway 80 (Cotton) in Longview
*Contractor: South Texas Illuminations, LLC
*Cost: $281,249.70
Work is under way but should not impact traffic. The project comes as a result of the city winning one of 10 Governor’s Community Achievement Awards presented by Keep Texas Beautiful through its partnership with TxDOT, which allocates $2,000,000 a year as landscape incentives to competing communities based on population. Landscape incentives are given for outstanding work in areas of litter prevention and cleanup, public awareness, beautification and property improvement, solid waste management, illegal dumping and enforcement and education.

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, storm drain and other work is ongoing between McCann Road and Judson Road. This is new location construction work and is not expected to impact traffic.

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. The contractor is placing drill shafts for the bridge, constructing a temporary retaining wall, the bridge headers and storm drain. 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.
Construction has been postponed as the contractor works on plans to build a turn lane at Hillcrest Road. When it resumes, the contractor will be conducting curb and gutter and guardrail work. Drivers can expect minimal impacts at this time. Nighttime operations could be implemented on this job at some point.

I-20 Dynamic Message Signs (DMS)
Locations
·East of FM 1255 westbound – Van Zandt County
·West of FM 849 eastbound – Smith County
·Derrick Park westbound – Smith County
Contractor: Highway Intelligent Traffic Solutions Corp.
The contractor has installed these signs and expects to wrap up the project soon.

ANDERSON COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) maintenance crews in Palestine are conducting mill and inlay operations on State Highway 19North between the U.S. Highway 287/State Highway 19 split all the way to Montalba. The operation requires lane closures with flaggers providing traffic control at both locations. Look for warning signs to help you through the work zone.

Here is a look at the newest construction project in Anderson County:
Off-System Bridge Replacement Project
•Limits: County Road (CR) 453 at Beaver Creek
•Contractor: Highway 19 Construction of Sulphur Springs, Texas
•Cost: $256,312.87
CR 453 is closed at Beaver Creek and work is under way to build the new bridge. Motorists must use alternate routes to reach their destinations. The work is expected to be completed in May.

CHEROKEE COUNTY – The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) maintenance crew in Jacksonville is performing base repairs on Farm Road 13. That work is expected to take about two weeks. The Rusk crew is removing fallen trees on Farm Road 851, Farm Road 343 and U.S. Highway 69. Traffic control provided through signage and by flaggers so slow down and pay attention.

HENDERSON COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance in Athens is repairing base failures on State Highway 198 between State Highway 31 and State Highway 3062. Level up work is being conducted on Farm Road 1667 at various locations. Big Creek Construction continues slope work on the Farm Road 317 widening project from Farm Road 314 to Farm Road 607. Expect lane closures.

RUSK COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews in Henderson are overlaying Farm Road 839 from U.S. Highway 79 to Farm Road 1798 using heavy equipment. Use caution and expect lane closures with a pilot car providing traffic control.

Work on the SH 64 construction project continues in Rusk County:
State Highway 64
•Limits: 0.173 miles west of BU 64E (N. Marshall St.) east to 0.2 miles west of U.S. 79 (Traffic Star)
•Contractor: Lonestar Equipment Company, Inc.
The impact to traffic is minimal on this $2.1 million construction project on SH 64 in Henderson. The contractor is currently building the retaining wall. The project started in August 2013 and has an expected completion date of summer 2015. It
consists of widening the existing two-lane roadway and constructing a four-lane facility along with a continuous Left Turn Lane. The contractor will perform the majority of the work outside the existing travel lanes.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews in Canton are working on Farm Road 16 to prepare it for seal coat operations, and performing maintenance on Farm Road 1256. Expect daytime lane closures with possible delays.

Here is a look at construction projects in Van Zandt County:
Off-System Bridge Replacement Projects
Locations:
·County Road (CR) 2702 at Lacy Fork Tributary
·County Road (CR) 2129 at Flat Creek
Contractor: Longview Bridge and Road, Ltd.
Cost: $1.02 million
Both of these roads remain closed at the bridges with the contractor conducting general clean up this week. Spring openings are anticipated.

State Highway 198 Widening Project
*Limits: from SH 243 in Canton southwest to 0.4 miles northeast of FM 316 near Phalba
*Contractor: Big Creek Construction, Ltd.
*Cost: $5 million
This is a widening project with the contractor currently conducting culvert work. Expect lane closures.

Farm Road 314 Widening Project
•Limits: from I-20 to the Van Zandt/Henderson County line
•Contractor: A.L. Helmcamp, Inc.
•Cost: $11.9 million
Culvert work is being conducted on this project from FM 279 to north of SH 64. Starting April 6, the contractor will begin rebuilding the roadway from Edom to the Henderson County line. Expect lane closures.

WOOD COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance in Mineola will continue laying hot mix on State Highway 11 from Winnsboro east toward the Camp County line as well as conduct base repairs on Farm Road 14 at the Sabine River. Expect lane closures with traffic controlled by flaggers.

There is no work currently being conducted on the U.S. Highway 69 widening project in Mineola from Loop 564 in Mineola to Farm Road 779 in Golden. However, preparations are underway for the start of a new construction project on State Highway 37 from Farm Road 2088 in Quitman to 0.4 miles south of Farm Road 515 in Winnsboro. The contractor, Longview Bridge and Road, Ltd., plans to start making base repairs this week.

What to Watch: In-State Tuition; Religious Freedom Flap?
AUSTIN (AP) — Could the uproar over religious freedom laws that engulfed Indiana and Arkansas be coming to Texas? The next couple weeks in the Legislature should provide the answer. Lawmakers in Indiana scrambled to clarify that state’s law amid complaints it could be used to promote discrimination against gay people. The Arkansas Legislature approved a similar measure, but backlash from top employers prompted Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson to hold off signing it. In Texas, a proposed state constitutional amendment by tea party-backed state Senator Donna Campbell of New Braunfels would have essentially the same effect. But Campbell and many Republicans in the Legislature argue it’s necessary to keep government from infringing on religion.

Campbell’s bill is awaiting a hearing before the Senate State Affairs Committee. If that doesn’t happen soon, it will be difficult for the proposal to clear committee and the full Senate in time to pass the Legislature before session ends June 1.

A similar measure in the House by Fort Worth Rep. Matt Krause faces even longer odds. That’s because its original sponsor, Dallas Republican Rep. Jason Villalba, pulled his bill amid objections from Texas’ business lobby.
Krause, another tea party favorite, resurrected Villalba’s proposal. But it has yet to have a hearing before the House State Affairs Committee and will run out of time if there’s not movement soon.