by ANDY SEVILLA
Confounding drivers even further, a late-breaking change in scheduling by a Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) contractor has delayed the implementation of one-way interstate frontage roads in Kyle, after first saying the change would take effect Tuesday, April 9.
Only the northbound service road changed to one-way on Tuesday, while the southbound frontage road will be converted to one way on Thursday.
Kyle drivers were first told both Interstate 35 (I-35) frontage roads, between FM 1626 (Kyle Parkway) and FM 150 (Center Street), would be converted from two-way to one-way on April 9; and in the course of preparing for the change, drivers later found out on April 8 that the southbound road’s conversion had been rescheduled to April 11, via electronic signage on the side of the affected roads.
Adding more fuel to the confusion, TxDOT put out a statement at about 4:30 p.m. Monday, April 8, saying work would begin to convert the northbound frontage road to one-way at 8 a.m. on April 9, despite electronic signage on the same road saying otherwise.
A city news release said the northbound frontage road will begin its transition to one-way on April 9 and continue through Wednesday, April 10. During the northbound frontage roads’ conversion, the southbound frontage road will remain two-way as that road’s transition is scheduled for days later.
The work necessary for the one-way changes include repaving, striping and placing additional signs along the roadway to alert and direct motorists to the new, one-way condition. TxDOT expects each road way will take a day to convert.
On Thursday, April 11, TxDOT crews will begin the conversion work on the southbound interstate frontage road, according to the statement. The southbound frontage road should be completely one-way by Friday, April 12, the city’s news release said.
“This is a very important safety project,” said area engineer for TxDOT, Ben Engelhardt in a statement. “I-35 is the transportation backbone for the region and by switching the high-volume frontage roads to one-way, we hope to improve traffic movements in the area and ensure our system is as safe as possible.”
The frontage road conversions are part of a larger, $6.5 million I-35 frontage road reconstruction and ramp revision project. Once complete, the project will include the construction of an I-35 southbound frontage road connection to FM 150.
