The Texas Department of Transportation is working on numerous road improvements throughout Liberty County with many more projects in the works over the next four years.
Roberto Rodriguez, Jr., P.E., an engineer with TxDOT’s office in Liberty, shared details of the projects on Wednesday, July 17, at the monthly membership luncheon for the Liberty-Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce.
One of the most extensive of the active projects is the widening to six lanes of US 59 from the Montgomery County line south of Cleveland to SH 105. This project has an estimated cost of $102 million. Over the last few weeks, TxDOT has been positioning barricades and materials in anticipation of this project.
Other active projects include improvements to FM 787 from FM 2518 to FM 223. TxDOT plans to modernize the bridge rails and improve the approach guard rails. This project is estimated to cost $539,803.
FM 1010, from SH 105 to FM 2090, will receive paved shoulders with rumble strips added to each side, at a cost of $1.71 million.
Over in the Kenefick area, FM 1008 has two road improvement projects – from SH 321 to CR 2285 and CR 2285 to 2.86 miles south. The total costs for these two projects is $3.89 million.
U.S. 59 from Loop 573 (SH 105) northward to the San Jacinto County line will undergo mill and inlay work at a cost of $1.514 million.
TxDOT is also planning signal work on US 90 at SH 321 and Main St. in Dayton.
In May 2020, TxDOT is set to let two sidewalk projects in the Dayton area. The first is along US 90 from SH 146 to S. Colbert St., and the second is SH 321 from Dayton High School to US 90. TxDOT estimates its costs at $2.54 million.
In 2021, TxDOT plans to let two more Liberty County projects. In May 2021, a grade separation and safety lighting project will take place on US 90 to FM 1413 in Dayton. The estimated cost is $12.2 million. TxDOT also plans to install a continuous left turn lane on SH 146 0.6 miles north of FM 1011 to 0.3 miles north of FM 1011.
One of the most anticipated projects for Liberty County is the railroad crossing on US 90 west of Dayton. That project is set to let in 2023.
“This proposed project would build four grade separations. U.S. 90 is a divided highway and there would need to be four separate grade separations (two eastbound and two westbound). This project is dependent on another rail project that would relocate the single track crossing roughly one mile to the west and split it into two crossings,” according to a statement from TxDOT. “Currently we have only $46,250,000 in funding. We will continue to work with the railroad and H-GAC to secure the amount needed for the entire project.”
Rodriguez briefly mentioned the Grand Parkway (SH 99) project, a 184-mile highway that encompasses the Greater Houston Area. Two sections – H and I-1 – travel through Liberty County west of Dayton and Plum Grove. The two sections, which make up 37.5 miles, have an estimated cost of $894 million, and will join Liberty County to other completed segments.