From TxDOT
LUFKIN, TX - The
three-level diamond interchange construction project, labeled the North Near
Term, at U.S. 59 and Loop 287 in Lufkin gets under way Monday, September 10,
with a traffic shift on The Loop. The project is designed to allow traffic on
U.S. 59, U.S. 69 and Loop 287 to flow freely through the U.S. 59/Loop 287
intersection and will improve vertical clearances at the bridges. It covers an
area of U.S. 59 from the Moffett Overpass to just north of FM 3439/Spence
Street.
The Texas
Department of Transportation (TxDOT) says the contractor will move eastbound
and westbound Loop traffic over a few feet to accommodate the construction of
the new lanes. No re-routes or detours are planned at this time.
According to
TxDOT, the contractor will move all four lanes of Loop 287 traffic to the east
side of the roadway starting just north of SH 103 east/Atkinson Drive on
Monday. Work is slated to begin on the north side of the Moffett Overpass.
Barricades are in place and signs will help motorists navigate through the work
zone as construction advances.
The Big Picture of Phase I:
* The project
includes building a northbound direct connector from Loop 287 to U.S. 59,
exiting right off the U.S. 59 NB mainlanes near FM 3521.
* A southbound
direct connector will be built from U.S. 59 to Loop 287 merging with the
eastbound mainlanes. This bridge will eliminate the need for the existing
cloverleaf (circular exit).
* The mainlanes
of Loop 287 will be lowered at Business 59 (BU59) and the Union Pacific
Railroad (UPRR) overpass.
* A new overpass
will be constructed to the west of the existing U.S. 59 / UPRR underpass, and
will ultimately replace the underpass.
* The proposed
paving materials include asphalt frontage roadways along Loop 287 and concrete
mainlanes for The Loop and U.S. 59.
* There will be
two interconnected traffic signals at BU59 and The Loop.
* Two new
one-way U-turn bridges will allow U-turn movements at the intersections.
* Eight large
retaining walls will be built to accommodate new ramps and U-turns around the
bridges.
A
look at the work planned over the next few months by roadway:
U.S. 59/U.S. 69/Loop 287 Mainlanes:
*
Construction
begins Monday, September 10, on a portion of the new Loop 287 westbound
mainlanes (east side of existing roadway).
* Traffic will be shifted onto the eastbound outside
shoulder of Loop 287.
* The center barrier will be removed and replaced
with temporary concrete barrier for this lane shift.
* Crews will also be preparing the right-of-row
along the north side of Loop 287 within the project limits.
* Night-time work placing drainage structures on
U.S. 59 will begin in October.
Direct Connectors:
*
Foundation
work for the north- and south-bound fly-overs is slated to begin in October.
Frontage Roads:
*
Construction
will also start Monday, September 10 on a portion of the eastbound and westbound
frontage roads from the Moffett Overpass west to BU59.
* The old truck stop parking lot will be removed,
crushed and recycled into the base for the frontage roads in the coming weeks.
Business 59:
*
Temporary
detour pavement will be placed adjacent to the BU59 southbound mainlanes
beginning in November to start work on the direct connector bridge abutments.
FM 2021/Davisville Road:
*
Construction
equipment traffic will be in full swing this month. Use caution when traveling
in the work zone.
* Night-time work will begin in October placing and
removing drainage structures on FM 2021. Temporary pavement will be placed to
accommodate the new tie-in to the frontage road and mainline.
FM 3439/Spence Street:
*
Beginning
in October, the following are expected to occur.
* Right turns onto southbound U.S. 59 will be
discontinued for approximately one year.
* Left turns onto FM 3439/Spence Street will not be
allowed for northbound U.S. 59 traffic for two years.
* Northbound left turns from FM 3439 onto U.S. 59
will be permanently closed. FM 3439 traffic is advised to access U.S. 59 from
Loop 287 until further notice.
FM 3521:
*
The
U.S. 59 crossover at this intersection will be permanently closed in early
November. All traffic wanting to head into Lufkin from FM 3521 is advised to
travel south on Davisville Road to Loop 287.
The
contractor for this $52 million-plus project is Webber, LLC of Houston.
According to TxDOT, the work is expected to take 36 months to complete. As
construction progresses, TxDOT encourages motorists to plan ahead allowing
extra time or using alternate routes to reach their destinations. Caution is
advised when traveling through this and all work zones. Motorists are also
reminded to obey all traffic control devices and to remember that traffic fines
double when workers are present. ;
Source: TxDOT
