News

Actions

Interstate 35 construction in Troy, Temple continues

Posted at 2:59 PM, Mar 16, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-16 22:11:51-04

While there has been a lot of progress with construction on I-35, Troy and Temple are still dealing with it.

TxDOT plans to have the Temple portion done by 2019. Ken Roberts, Public Information Officer for TxDOT, said Troy would be done mid to late 2018.

For the past three years or so, many people feel like construction will never end. TxDOT says once it's complete it will be much nicer, but it's going to take time.

"It's not a quick fix. This is a long term fix. We're looking twenty, thirty, forty years for this roadway to stand before any of this work has to be done," Roberts said.

Roberts understands the frustration. He drives along I-35 from Bell County into Waco everyday. He said the construction takes so long because they are re-constructing everything.

"There's still considerable work that has to be done," Roberts said. "All of the bridges, all of the overpasses have to come out and be rebuilt. All of the entrance and exit ramps have to be readjusted so everything is changing."

When things are finally complete, you will see six lanes in total - three on each side of the interstate.

"I-35 is main street Texas so we've got to have best transportation structure that we can for our traveling public. Safety first," Roberts said.

Businesses in Troy expressed their concerns a few months ago after construction shut down the frontage road near their buildings.

Copyright 2017 KXXV. All rights reserved.