Published: June 19, 2009 10:00 am      

Slow down for progress

Chelsea L. McGowan

cmcgowan@weatherforddemocrat.com

The bright orange 55 mph signs along Interstate 20 in Weatherford aren’t just there for looks. Department of Transportation Director Terry Hughes said they should serve as a reminder motorists should drive cautiously during this period of construction.

“We’d like to ask people to slow down through those areas,” Hughes said. “With all the construction, it’s going to be painful for a little while, and we know there will be some inconveniences in travel. But we ask that everyone be thoughtful and considerate of the workers.”

The frontage roads being constructed east of South Main Street on I-20 are a City of Weatherford project, and Hughes said work is progressing on schedule.

“The rain didn’t really delay us too much from our progression chart,” he said. “You’ll notice that some of the new columns for the bridge structure have started up.”

An announcement is expected to be made in the coming days about nighttime closure of I-20 for continued construction purposes.

Although the work being done on South Main Street isn’t a city project, Hughes said the work those crews are doing is absolutely for the benefit of Weatherford residents.

“The South Main construction is a TxDOT project that’s being paid for with some stimulus money,” he said. “The bad areas will be milled out and replaced with asphalt. After that, they’ll completely resurface South Main with a pristine asphalt overlay, and it will be re-striped at that time, also. That will be from approximately FM 1884 to the courthouse. We’re definitely getting a better street.”

Hughes went on to say upcoming TxDOT projects include the resurfacing of both Palo Pinto Street and Fort Worth Highway. Both of those projects are slated to begin later this summer.