Work on new road under way

TxDOT PHOTO Bridge work on the new FM 1715 is progressing on schedule, according to Texas Department of Transportation officials. The road is expected to be open by the end of the year.

Contractors for the Texas Department of Transportation are approaching the halfway mark for work on the new farm to market road being built in Lampasas County.

On July 17, 2007, barricades were set, and work began on the new roadway that will replace County Road 3050.

The road is closed to all traffic at the Sulphur Creek crossing as a new 505-foot bridge is being constructed. The bridge replaces a lowwater crossing that frequently had to be closed because of high water.

When complete, the 6.3-mile stretch of road connecting FM 580 East with U.S. Highway 190 East will have no less than two 12-foot travel lanes with four-foot shoulders, with wider shoulders and protracted turn lanes in some sections,

The project includes improved drainage, new driveways, an illuminated intersection at U.S. Highway 190 East and a much safer railroad crossing with new planking, gates, lights and signals.

Although the project is progressing quickly, there is still much work to be done, said TxDOT Area Engineer Tom Dahl. "The safety of the traveling public is always our first concern. Both population and traffic volumes in Lampasas and surrounding counties have dramatically increased in the last few years," he said.

The new FM 1715 will provide a safe, convenient north/south route for motorists, Dahl continued. "This roadway will be a great asset to the traveling public. We are still in a very coarse phase of the project. The base material being used is heavy, and the rock has a tendency to be more jagged.

"Our best suggestion to motorists is to slow down for safety and to prevent unnecessary vehicle maintenance."

James Construction Group, LLC of Belton was awarded the $6.3 million project, expected to be completed by the end of this year.