More than six miles of major roadwork was completed in February, while another 18.5 miles of road construction projects are beginning.
Smith County Engineer Frank Davis gave his monthly report to the Commissioners Court on Tuesday. He said only 2.96 miles of roads were paved last month because of rain. More than 5 miles of roads are scheduled for paving in March and April. “Hopefully with good weather, we will meet or exceed that,” he said.
Major road bond projects currently underway in Smith County include road improvements to Jim Hogg Road (County Road 431), from Interstate 20 north to the Lindale city limit, ending at the Woodlands Drive intersection. The contractor, Longview Bridge & Road, Inc., has already begun with the replacement and extension of several cross drain structures.
The project provides for the widening of 3.24 miles of roadway, from 22 feet to 26 feet. The existing roadway base material will be mixed with cement stabilization and overlaid with hot mix asphalt.
Also included in the project is the replacement and/or extension of existing drainage structures and the construction of left turn lanes at the intersection of CR 431 and CR 41 (Jim Hogg Road and Sand Flat Road). The project, in precinct 3, is expected to be completed in May. The southern portion of Jim Hogg Road, in precinct 4, is scheduled to be worked on later this year.
Another major road project underway consists of mixing, reshaping and compacting 5.6 miles of road, with a 2-inch overlay of hot mix asphalt. The project consists of portions of CR 4108, 4109, 4110 and 4125.
Work on CR 4108, or Iron Mountain Road, will begin at the intersection of Farm-to-Market Road 2710, just outside of the Lindale city limits, in precinct 3. Davis said the road will also be widened where it can be and the old oil dirt road will be overlaid with asphalt.
The work on CR 4125 will begin at the intersection of FM 2710 and will stop at the intersection with CR 452 (the old Dallas-Shreveport Highway), which will be worked on at a later time.
The contractor, Longview Bridge & Road, began work on the project this week and is expected to complete it in April, weather permitting, Davis said.
Major improvements to Texas College Road, or CR 485, are scheduled to begin in April.
CR 485 will have full-depth pavement repairs made from Loop 323 to CR 492, then overlaid with hot mix asphalt pavement, Davis said. Portions of CR 486, 4159, 4160 and 4203 will be mixed, reshaped and overlaid with asphalt.
Reynolds & Kay is the contractor for the more than 4-mile road project in precinct 4, which is expected to begin next month and be completed in June.