My35 Central Texas Newsletter: March 2022

As Winter Shifts to Spring, Traffic Shifts to New Northbound Pavement

A little less than three years ago, May 2019, TxDOT began the more-than-6-mile-long I-35 Waco Project. The contractor began by narrowing three lanes of traffic — both northbound and southbound — down to two. Southbound traffic shifted to existing northbound mainlanes. The contractor installed new drainage systems, built new southbound frontage roads, demolished old southbound bridges, placed new southbound pavement and erected new southbound bridges. | Read More

Construction Updates

Section 4B: Waco (12th Street to North Loop 340)

Access this section's project map (schematic).

Milestones

• Switched northbound mainlane traffic onto new pavement north of US 84 to the end of the project.
• Continued to shift traffic onto portions of the new northbound frontage road.
• Completed tying individual inlets to the southbound stormwater trunk line.
• Completed new bridge deck placement at University Parks Drive, Brazos River, and the Union Pacific Railroad.
• Completed paving the intersection and U-turns at Behrens Circle.
• Opened the permanent northbound US 84/Waco Drive entrance ramp.

Down the Road

• Continue placing the new bridge deck at Business 77.
• Continue sidewalk and driveway construction for the northbound and southbound frontage roads from Behrens Circle to 12th Street.
• Continue setting the northbound retaining wall.
• Continue the east-end headwall and riprap construction of Culvert 5 (Waco Creek).
• Continue construction of US 84/Waco Drive on the east side of I-35.
• Continue grading the northbound mainlanes in preparation for new pavement.
• Continue northbound mainlane paving.
• Continue paving intersections and U-turns at Business 77, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, University Parks Drive, and 4th/5th Streets.
• Continue cross-street paving.
• Continue utility upgrades (specifically at 2nd Street) at the southbound frontage road.
• Continue drilled shaft installation for new traffic signals.
• Continue Dutton Avenue construction.
• Continue US 84/Waco Drive paving.

I-35E Expansion (I-35 East/West split to Ellis County line)

Milestones

• Switched southbound I-35E traffic onto the new concrete pavement for Phase 4.
• Opened connector from southbound I-35E to northbound I-35W.
• Completed the I-35E southbound overpass at I-35W.

Down the Road

• Construct the Phase 4 portion of the northbound mainlanes, including earthwork and culverts.
• Complete concrete paving on FM 934, FM 2959, and related exit and entrance ramps.
• Temporarily close northbound exit and entrance ramps at FM 934.

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