Waco I-35 construction (Dallas, Austin, Temple: contractor, live, cost)

[Seguinite]

I had the misfortune of driving southbound through Waco late yesterday afternoon. Driven through there both directions probably a dozen times in the last couple years with no trouble, so sitting still gave me time to look around. The way they have the traffic rerouted for construction looks suspiciously like it could be for Express lanes??

Also curious as to why the speed limit drops to 65 MPH through Temple (maybe all of Bell County?) on 4 lanes of newish interstate in both directions?? People see this as only a 'suggestion' since traffic flow is still well over 70... but really?

[texasdiver]

Here is a summary of the project: My35: Project 4B - Waco North from 12th St. to N. Loop 340

According to TX-DOT:

Purpose
This project will improve I-35 in Waco from 12th Street to N. Loop 340 by:

Widening mainlanes to 4 lanes in each direction.
Improving frontage roads and ramps.
Reconstructing bridges and improve interchanges.
Adding U-turns.
Improving bicycle and pedestrian access.
The construction cost for this project is $341 million and the contractor is Webber, LLC.

I think the most expensive and complicated part of the project is the new wider mainline bridges across the Brazos. You can't expand those one lane at a time like on land. You have to tear the old bridge down and replace it with a new one.

[ScoPro]

When is the projected completion date?

[elnina]

I drive to Dallas every month. The construction delays is a nightmare. Waze usually redirects me to side roads, save my time.
The $341 million project to overhaul a 6.7-mile stretch of the highway through Waco started in April 2019 and is scheduled to conclude in 2023
https://wacotrib.com/news/local/govt...a82a2afe4.html

Use this map for live update on crashes and delays.
https://waco4bmap.org/#map
(Right now it's almost all green - hard to believe, but on the cams the traffic looks really good )

https://www.navbug.com/traffic_condi...ear_temple.htm

[Need4Camaro]

They’ve been working on that ever since I moved here 3 years ago. They’ve made some adjustments recently and it looks like some of it has made a bit of progress but it’s a pain driving through that work zone. I think they still have a good ways to go. It looks like they will need to shift NB traffic to the SB lanes then replace all of the NB overpasses.

It was much worse pre-Covid. I used to have to get off and completely bypass Waco but now it’s tolerable comparatively.

[jackalope48]

Originally Posted by Seguinite

I had the misfortune of driving southbound through Waco late yesterday afternoon. Driven through there both directions probably a dozen times in the last couple years with no trouble, so sitting still gave me time to look around. The way they have the traffic rerouted for construction looks suspiciously like it could be for Express lanes??

Also curious as to why the speed limit drops to 65 MPH through Temple (maybe all of Bell County?) on 4 lanes of newish interstate in both directions?? People see this as only a 'suggestion' since traffic flow is still well over 70... but really?

If you went through Waco on 35 a dozen times the last couple years with no problems you are the luckiest driver I have ever heard of. It's always awful when I go through it.

[whereiend]

Originally Posted by jackalope48

If you went through Waco on 35 a dozen times the last couple years with no problems you are the luckiest driver I have ever heard of. It's always awful when I go through it.

This. I-35 between Austin and Dallas has been a nightmare for at least 15-20 years. It helps a lot to use a GPS navigation, which will occasionally have you take the access road to skip an inevitable traffic jam..

[Need4Camaro]

Originally Posted by whereiend

This. I-35 between Austin and Dallas has been a nightmare for at least 15-20 years. It helps a lot to use a GPS navigation, which will occasionally have you take the access road to skip an inevitable traffic jam..

More recently it’s gotten better especially since all the road work in Temple is done but Waco is a snag. My next least favorite areas are the construction zones along 35E, especially the Waxahachie obstacle course. 35E between loop 12 and Trinity River is another obstacle course.

[ScoPro]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

They’ve been working on that ever since I moved here 3 years ago. They’ve made some adjustments recently and it looks like some of it has made a bit of progress but it’s a pain driving through that work zone. I think they still have a good ways to go. It looks like they will need to shift NB traffic to the SB lanes then replace all of the NB overpasses.

It was much worse pre-Covid. I used to have to get off and completely bypass Waco but now it’s tolerable comparatively.

As posted before, construction and reconstruction of I-35 has never stopped in the 62 years I’ve been here.

[Need4Camaro]

Originally Posted by ScoPro

As posted before, construction and reconstruction of I-35 has never stopped in the 62 years I’ve been here.

The section between Waco and Hillsboro where the split is needs to be 4 lanes each way now. That stretch gets packed, especially during weekends or holidays.