Portable barriers placed along highway as work continues on new turbine exchange
Published 12:28 am Tuesday, February 7, 2023
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Motorists will see more lane closures on Tuesday as the Texas Department of Transportation continues work on the new turbine exchange.
Sarah Dupre, TxDOT public information officer, said the northbound and southbound inside lanes on Texas 73 would be closed on Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. as crews place portable traffic barriers in place.
This will be the same type of work that was done on a portion of Memorial Boulevard. A stretch of northbound Memorial Boulevard was closed beginning at 39th Street while the inside lane of the southbound portion was closed.
Over the weekend traffic was diverted as heavy equipment and work crews demolished portions of the concrete barrier and the portable barrier was put in place.
The cloverleaf exchange at U.S. 69 and Texas 73 is being reconfigured to a turbine exchange to improve safety and enhance mobility.
According to information from TxDOT, the project improvements include:
- Reconfiguring the interchange from the cloverleaf configuration to a turbine (spiral) configuration:
- Adding direct connectors
- Adding main lane improvements
- Improving frontage road and ramps
- Adding retaining walls and culverts
- Widening and replacing bridges
- The construction project would occur entirely within the existing right of way and will not result in any displacements.
Construction of the turbine exchange is expected to be completed in 2026.
Preparation on the project began last January as crews cleared trees that surrounded the intersection.