I-10 work to drop speed limit
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The widening of Interstate 10 from the I-10/12 split to Siegen Lane will soon force speed limits to be trimmed to 50 miles per hour through the construction zone, officials said Monday.
Motorists can travel 60 miles per hour through the area now, at least when traffic is moving normally.
However, once major work begins on the widening project lawful speeds will be trimmed, said Brendan Rush, spokesman for the state Department of Transportation and Development.
Preliminary work on the $86 million project began Monday.
Work that will result in reduced speed limits may begin in mid-January.
The 4.9-mile project includes the addition of one new lane in each direction.
The new lanes will be added to the inside. However, some of the initial work will be focused on outside lanes, ramps and shoulders, which will temporarily handle extra traffic during the project.
About 90,000 cars and trucks go past the I-10/12 split per day in both directions. That drops to about 72,000 vehicles daily just east of Siegen Lane.
Two lanes in each direction are supposed to remain open most of the time. Rush said any lane closures will be done at night.
In addition, lanes may be closed at night or at other off-peak hours on Essen, Bluebonnet and Siegen during work on nearby overpasses.
The project has been on the state’s drawing board for years.
However, the timetable was moved up in 2007 after state lawmakers allocated $30 million for the work as part of a $600 million, one-time road- and bridge-building package.
The federal government is paying for about $50 million of the $86 million highway renovation.
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