In what will be the most extensive road reconstruction project ever undertaken in the Waco District, the 6-mile, I-35 expansion project in the city limits of Waco begins next week, affecting the largest number of motorists of any one project in the entire I-35 Waco District corridor. However, once completed, the 4.5 – 5-year project will also have major results.
"Project 4B on the north side of Waco is designed to increase the number of lanes in both directions from three to four lanes, rebuild all of the overpasses, and make the frontage roads wider, stronger and safer throughout the 6-mile section from 12th street to North Loop 340," explains I-35 Information Officer Jodi Wheatley. "This one section in Waco has the most users of any section of I-35 in the entire Waco District corridor, with 140,000+ vehicles traveling this area every day.
The $341 million project promises to improve safety and relieve congestion, while providing motorists with updated access roads and access points from local streets, and improved traffic control.
"There's no question that this new area will be much different upon completion. However, getting there will be tough at times, with plenty of disruptions for motorists over the next several years, through most of 2024. And for the most part, the current three-lanes will be compressed to two lanes while construction is underway," Wheatley emphasizes. "That's why TxDOT has been doing so much to prepare for this effort."
Because of the anticipated back-ups and delays from the Waco North project, Wheatley strongly urges those drivers who have not yet done so to sign up for I-35 travel notifications. Motorists who subscribe will learn about lane closures, incidents and travel times, and will be able to adjust their commutes. The I-35 traveler information system — which includes emails, tweets and text messages — has been helping motorists for the last 8 years.
"Two-thirds of the travelers in Waco are passing through, headed up to Dallas to the north, or Austin or San Antonio to the south," Wheatley points out. "Knowing about lane closures or incidents that delay travel will help tremendously. The main alternate route is Loop 340/SH 6, which goes east around town, rejoining I-35 in Bellmead.
"Many of the other travelers through this area are Central Texas residents that commute for work locally between Waco and other cities in the district."
Wheatley says TxDOT has made an intense effort to make sure residents and business owners know what to expect during the various construction phases. "Our TxDOT teams have and will work closely with area businesses. Our commitment to them is that this project will not cut off access to their businesses. It may mean that we will build temporary driveways in order to give their customers vehicle access or build only half a driveway at a time."
Motorists can expect plenty of notice before they reach the project work zone. There will be electronic message signs warning about the work zone ahead. Reduced speed limits will be in place where needed, and in most cases, drivers will travel two lanes of traffic that will be bordered by concrete barrier walls.
"In the Waco District, we developed what's called an 'end–of-queue warning system' designed to help prevent rear-end collisions, which has been used very effectively in other parts of the Interstate that were under construction," Wheatley says. "A couple of miles from the work zone's lane closure, rumble strips will help give each vehicle a bit of a shake and a little noise to get the driver's attention, and then they will see signage that reports on the conditions ahead, before you reach the closure in the work zone.
"With any of our projects, crashes are the enemy. They create all kinds of delays for motorists and can't easily be cleared in restricted lanes. The best way to avoid a crash is to make sure to obey the posted speed limit, even when it's lower than you like it. That gives you time to react to dangerous situations before they become deadly."
Jake Smith
I-35 Public Information Officer
254-867-2705
Contact My35
