Crews have moved into the next piece of the US 75 widening in Grayson County, the stretch between FM 902 in Howe and FM 1417 in Sherman. KTEN reported Monday that new barriers are going up along the highway as the work zone takes shape.
The Texas Department of Transportation had scheduled the start for Oct. 5, weather permitting. KTEN put the cost of the segment at $155.5 million and said the job is expected to take about four years. A state accessibility registration for the project lists a completion date of Jan. 1, 2030.
Josh Marr, who represents Precinct One on the Grayson County Commissioners Court, told KXII in September that the work would last "at least two to three years."
What changes for drivers
TxDOT's Paris District road report for the week starting Oct. 5 lays out how traffic will be handled:
- Two mainlanes in each direction are to stay open during the day, with additional closures possible at night.
- Frontage road lanes may also close at times during construction.
- The speed limit on the mainlanes through the work zone is being lowered to 65 mph.
The agency's general advice for its work zones applies here as well: watch for signs and barricades, slow down and avoid distractions such as phones.
What is being built
The project turns the current four-lane highway into a six-lane divided road between the two farm-to-market roads. TxDOT's plans include U-turn bridges at FM 1417 and a braided ramp a short distance north of that intersection. Crews will also rebuild the mainlane bridges over Choctaw Creek and over the BNSF railroad crossing.
Marr told KXII the corridor carries heavy freight traffic and that the added lanes are meant to ease congestion.
