New Highway 59 Project in Polk County Set to Begin in September
The Texas Department of Transportation is advising motorists who travel Highway 59 in Polk County to be alert for new road work that will be starting soon. A virtual pre-construction meeting was held Tuesday from the Livingston Area Office signaling the beginning of this new construction project.
The $6.2 million project will consist of highway improvements from 0.9 miles north of Piney Creek to just north of Old Highway 35. Work will include super-elevation through the project area, which is the banking of a roadway along a horizontal curve, enhancing the safety of the roadway so motorists can more easily maneuver the curve at the posted speed limit.
Vulcan Construction, San Antonio, will serve as contractor for the project that is scheduled to be completed in April 2022, weather permitting. Work is scheduled to begin by September 1. Signage alerting motorists to the work will be set next week.
A 60-mile-per-hour work zone speed limit is set for the duration of the project and will be enforced by local law enforcement. Motorists should expect additional construction speed reductions within the work zone. Traffic fines will double when workers are present.
As this work begins, motorists are urged to stay alert, obey all signage and traffic control in the area. This work will include daily lane closures and changing traffic patterns. Prepare for delays as work progresses and be aware of moving equipment and workers near the lanes of traffic. Keep in mind that it is a Texas state law to move over one lane when TxDOT crews are located on the shoulder of a road. If that is not possible, then you are required to slow down to 25 miles per hour below the posted speed limit.
For more information on statewide road conditions and closures, visit drivetexas.org.