Lane closures expected next week on U.S. Highway 175 to begin SH 34 bypass construction

Lane closures expected next week on U.S. Highway 175 to begin SH 34 bypass construction

KAUFMAN, Texas — Weather permitting, the Texas Department of Transportation will begin setting concrete barriers along U.S. Highway 175 which will result in alternating lane closures in both directions.

KAUFMAN, Texas — Weather permitting, the Texas Department of Transportation will begin setting concrete barriers along U.S. Highway 175 which will result in alternating lane closures in both directions.

The alternating lane closures are expected on U.S. Highway 175, in both east and westbound lanes, east of State Highway (SH) 34, also known as Washington Street. The closures are expected between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. daily from Tuesday, January 27, 2015, through Thursday, January 29, 2015.

The barriers are needed for the construction of the new 1.8-mile SH 34 bypass project.

The bypass will allow SH 34 travelers, and more importantly, 18-wheelers to bypass the downtown Kaufman corridor and will also open additional land to economic development on the south and east of Kaufman.

If traveling south on SH 34 from Terrell, Texas, the proposed route will continue south —instead of requiring drivers to turn into downtown Kaufman— will cross U.S. Highway 175 to the east of town, and will turn back west towards SH 34 south of Kaufman High School, crossing Farm-to-Market (FM) 1388.

The $23 million construction contract was awarded to Austin Bridge and Road, LP and is being funded with state and federal funds with local partnership participation in the project from Kaufman County and the City of Kaufman, according to Texas Department of Transportation representative Michelle Releford.

The project is scheduled for substantial completion by the fall of 2016.