Overview of ongoing TxDOT projects presented by area engineer

By Emily Banks Wooten
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Clint Jones, Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) area engineer for Polk and San Jacinto counties, recently presented a program to the Rotary Club of Livingston. Polk and San Jacinto are two of the nine counties that comprise TxDOT’s Lufkin district.

Jones talked about the off-system bridge replacement program, through which 54 bridges in Polk County have been replaced in the last six years alone, saving the county money.

“I’ve had an ally with Judge (Sydney) Murphy. TxDOT has had a unique relationship with Polk County,” Jones said.

He said there are four upcoming construction projects in which bridges and their approaches will be replaced. Two are in the north end of the county with estimated costs of $1,193,046.50 and $591,402. The other two are in the eastern part of the county with estimated costs of $915,171 and $895,790.50.

Regarding US 59, the future I-69, Jones said there are currently 10 projects that the Lufkin District is actively developing to meet interstate standards and that the projects are in varying stages of development, from schematic to construction.

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Three of these projects are in Polk County. One is the US 59 Corrigan Relief Route. The project involves the construction of a new location controlled-access roadway, west of Corrigan. Construction began in fall of 2022 and is anticipated to be completed in the summer of 2026, weather permitting.

Another is the US 59 Upgrade North Livingston which is a project that involves upgrading US 59 to a controlled-access roadway by reconstructing the US 59/US 190 interchange, reconstructing US 59 main lanes and frontage roads from just south of US 190 to SL 116. TxDOT is currently working with a consultant on the development of the schematic. A public meeting is tentatively scheduled in early 2024 with construction currently scheduled to begin in 2032.

The other is the US 59 Upgrade South Livingston which is a project that involves upgrading US 59 to a controlled-access roadway by reconstructing the US 59/FM 1988 interchange, reconstructing the US 59 main lanes and adding frontage roads from just south of US 190 to 0.39 miles south of FM 1988. TxDOT is currently working with a consultant on the development of the schematic. Although a public meeting is tentatively scheduled in early 2024, the project currently does not have construction funding identified.

“There’s a lot of opportunity right now if you’re in the contracting business or construction. It’s profitable and it’s helping our society,” Jones said.

As for future projects, Jones said a congressional committee has been created to study east west traffic and strategic corridor connectivity from Killeen to Fort Polk.