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TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Loop funding: Truck rerouting finally to become reality

32 East Loop Project is officially part of the $85 billion, 10-year statewide Transportation Program announced by the Texas Department of Transportation on Wednesday. The UTP is a planning document used to authorize highway projects for development and construction. The East Loop will connect the Port of Brownsville with Veterans Bridge at Los Tomates via the recently opened South Port Connector at S.H. The total cost of the project is about $113.4 million, according to County Administrator Peter Sepulveda Jr. For Cameron County’s part, “we fared very well and we’re continuing developing the projects, making progress, so that next year we can start closing the funding gaps on different projects,” Sepulveda said.

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As deadly crashes climb in the Valley, state transportation officials push safety

State transportation officials said Thursday that in 2021 there have been nearly 200 traffic crashes involving pedestrians that left dozens dead and even more injured in the Pharr district. The billboards will run Thursday, Sep. 8 from 3 to 7 p.m. on 10th Street, Nolana, and Trenton Road in McAllen. According to TxDOT, the Pharr district had a total of 198 traffic crashes involving pedestrians that resulted in 32 deaths and 50 serious injuries as well as 92 crashes involving bicyclists. Here are Texas laws to follow while on the road:If you’re driving:>> Stop and yield for pedestrians, bicyclists and other vulnerable road users in crosswalks. If you’re riding a bike:>> Always stop at red lights and stop signs.

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McAllen awards $81.8 million contract for Anzalduas bridge expansion

The city of McAllen awarded a $81.8 million contract to D. Wilson Construction Company in McAllen for the project that will add multiple lanes for trucks and new cargo bays for inspections. At the time, the lowest bid came from Posillico Civil Inc., a New York-based construction company, with a cost of $81.2 million. The higher bid, at a cost of $87.6 million, came from Foremost Paving Inc., a company based in Weslaco. With those bids coming in at a whopping $30 million higher than the $50 million the project was initially estimated to cost, the city decided to re-bid the project. The two bids submitted were from Posillico, which came back with a higher price tag of $83.5 million, and D. Wilson with a bid of $81.8 million.

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TxDOT reminds Texans to enjoy summer with “Be Safe. Drive Smart.” campaign

The Texas Department of Transportation is urging drivers and pedestrians to look out for each other with their “Be Safe. Drive Smart.” outreach campaign this summer. In 2021, 5,366 traffic crashes involving pedestrians occurred in Texas resulting in 1,470 serious injuries and 841 people being killed, which is a 15% increase in pedestrian fatalities over the previous year. “Only 1% of traffic crashes in Texas involve pedestrians, yet pedestrians account for 19% of all roadway deaths,” said TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams in a press release. To keep our most vulnerable road users safe, we urge motorists to always be on the lookout for people walking.

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TxDOT seeking public input on 10-year Transportation Plan

The Texas Department of Transportation or TxDOT is seeking the public’s input on a 10-year transportation plan. The Unified Transportation Program guides development projects across the state to improve safety, address congestion and connectivity, and preserve roadways for Texas drivers. In addition, UTP addresses public transportation, maritime, aviation, rail, freight and international trade, and bicycle and pedestrian connectivity, the state agency said. Its funding categories include preventive maintenance and rehabilitation, metropolitan and urban area corridor projects, non-traditionally funded transportation projects, statewide connectivity corridor projects, congestion mitigation and air quality improvement, structure replacement and rehabilitation, metropolitan mobility and rehabilitation, safety, transportation alternative programs, supplemental transportation projects, district discretionary and strategic priority. The UTP and its public comment form can be found at: https://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/division/transportation-planning/utp.htmlThe UTP contains information for all 25 TxDOT districts.

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New connector opens Saturday on Pharr interchange

Beginning Saturday evening, the I-2 and 1-69C Pharr interchange will be closed and drivers will be directed onto a new connector, DC4, Texas Department of Transportation officials said Friday. “Along both routes, there will be continuous movement; no traffic lights will be in place to stop the flow of traffic,” TxDOT said in the news release. Residents can get updates at DPJVTX.com, or call a project hotline at (956) 803-3560. The work is part of a $303 million interchange project that’s expected to be completed by late 2023. “Once completed, the interchange connectors will each accommodate two lanes of traffic and Interstate 2 will widen to 8 lanes, between Second Street in McAllen and Stewart Road in San Juan,” the release read.

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Westward expansion: Valley’s second-largest roadway project is well underway

Once completed,drivers on U.S. 83 will have the option to go around La Joya’s business district on the newly constructed expressway bypass. The Relief Route is the second largest construction project for the TxDOT Pharr District, with the I-2/I-69C Interchange Project being the largest. The roadway will run through La Joya Lake, a 342-acre body of water just west of La Joya High School on Jara Chinas Road. Garcia also added crews installed pipes under the roads in order to keep the natural flow of the water. In total the corridor is nearly 85% complete and TxDOT estimates the project will be completed in the Spring 2 next year.

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Houston’s biggest road projects: The West Loop/Southwest Freeway Interchange rebuild

In 2019, the West Loop between the Katy Freeway and the Southwest Freeway was named the most congested highway segment in the state of Texas, and now in the country, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. The ongoing intricate, mega-sized project to rebuild the West Loop/Southwest Freeway interchange is aimed to help alleviate some of that congestion while also improving safety along this stretch of road.

South Texas sees increase in distracted driving crashes, deaths

Traffic crashes due to distracted driving increased by 16% from 2020 to 2021 in TxDOT’s Pharr district. 2021 saw 2,450 crashes involving distracted driving, 20 deaths and 68 serious injuries. In the state of Texas alone there were a total of 93,497 crashes related to distracted driving which resulted in a total of 431 deaths and 2,932 serious injuries. The data shows a 16% increase in statewide crashes involving distracted driving and a 17% increase in fatalities. Eyes off the road, hands off the wheel and mind off driving are some of the top contributors to distracted driving.

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Two more Valley international bridges shut down amid Abbott’s new mandate, insider says

Greg Abbott’s mandate that calls for troopers with the Texas Department of Transportation to inspect all commercial trucks crossing the Texas-Mexico border. The Anzalduas International Bridge was shut down Tuesday evening, and additional shutdowns were expected in Brownsville as well, according to Fred Brouwen, director of operations at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge. The lengthy process soon created a backlog of traffic on the Pharr bridge because DPS — at the height of the inspections — could only complete approximately 100 inspections per day. Mexican truckers soon launched a protest against what they called the “inhumane” conditions that Abbott’s inspection process, and the resultant delays, caused. It remains unclear what is causing the closures at surrounding international bridges — whether the truckers are expanding their blockade, or if bridge officials have ordered the closures.

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