According to Texas Department of Transportation officials, with a little patience, Temple residents won’t have all that long to wait before traffic is flowing over wider, faster roads.
Ken Roberts, public information officer for TxDOT, said the Interstate 35/Loop 363 interchange - one of the most visible and anticipated projects happening in the city - could have traffic flowing on it during the summer of 2009.
The interchange will consist of Interstate 35 traffic passing on the lower level, Loop 363 and I-35 access road traffic on the second level controlled by stoplights and a fly-over lane on a third level for loop traffic crossing the interstate.
“Folks have been watching that project very closely,” Roberts said. “We are looking to having traffic moving across that by mid-summer of ’09. We’ll be happy when we are able to start moving traffic onto it.”
Roberts said the Loop 363 project between 57th and Fifth Street will soon be ready to handle about the same amount of traffic as it was before construction began. Ultimately, the project will include two main lanes each direction and three lanes of access roads, plus a new bridge at 31st Street and the Loop.
“As far as traffic patterns, once we move loop traffic into the new lanes, it will be flowing as it has in the past,” he said of the project in its partially completed phase.
TxDOT has routed some traffic onto a new section of bridge at 31st Street. After all traffic is off the old bridge, it will be demolished and additional lanes on the new bridge will be constructed.
Temple Mayor Bill Jones III said he is noticing improvement in traffic movements as work progresses at the interchange.
“I think things are already smoothing out,” he said. “With my plant located on I-35 and Loop 363 I already see movement of traffic as we get closer to completion stages on 1-35.”
He is also happy with progress on the 31st Street bridge.
“I’m watching with anticipation as it moves through the year,” he said.
City Manager David Blackburn is also looking forward to improved traffic flow in the new year.
“While I am very appreciative of the work and investment that TxDOT has made and is making on the Loop and I-35 projects, I am also looking forward to 2009 and the completion of these projects,” Blackburn said. “I suspect there might be a few other motorists in the area that feel the same way.”
Other projects that will haunt Temple drivers in the next year include widening of FM 2305 to four lanes and a two-way left turn center lane from FM 2271 to Texas 317. A bridge and interchange will also be constructed at the intersection of FM 2305 and Texas 317.
South of Temple I-35 is being widened from four to six lanes from the Bell/Williamson county line north to just south of Salado. Additionally, one-way frontage roads are being constructed, as well as new ramps and bridges within the project area.
