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SH 11 at White Oak Creek -
SH 11 at White Oak Creek/ -
SH 11 at White Oak Creek in December 2019
Construction ongoing since November 2019
Sulphur Springs residents and those that travel into town eastbound on State Highway 11 have now seen the re-routing of the road to a gentler curve. The project has been ongoing since November 2019. Here’s a look at the construction’s timeline.
November 2019- TxDOT begins the “scheduled upgrade” of SH 11 between State Highway 11 and White Oak Creek. According to TxDOT, the reason for this repair is that SH 11 was carrying more traffic than before, and TxDOT determined the curvature of the road unsafe.
“To a certain extent, all TxDOT projects have a safety component, [for example] when we upgrade or repair any roadway, it is done with the idea of making the roadways safer for the traveling public,” TxDOT public information officer Tim McAlavy stated. The project cost was estimated at $6 million, according to McAlavy.
December 2019- SH 11 from SH 19 to White Oak Creek was narrowed down to one lane while crews performed dirt work. Flaggers directed traffic, and motorists saw continued lane closures and short traffic delays.
January 2020- Crews began overlay work on approximately 1.5 miles of SH 11, which necessitated daytime lane closures at White Oak Creek.
February 2020- Crews replaced drainage structures and guardrails at White Oak Creek, and installed barricades to direct traffic. February saw the erection of a temporary stoplight at the intersection. Lane closures and short traffic delays followed. Schedules were subject to change due to weather and equipment issues, TxDOT stated.
March 2020-April 2020- Drainage work and barricades at White Oak Creek continued.
May 2020- TxDOT stated that SH 11 at White Oak Creek was seeing “rehabilitation operations” but did not specify further what these would be.
June 2020- SH 11 from SH 19 to White Oak Creek saw traffic shift to the new, smoothed-curve roadway, while the existing section was being repaired. From 1.5 miles east of FM 3134 to 0.82 miles east of FM 2653 on SH 11, crews continued to perform resurfacing operations.
July 2020- Grading and additional dirt work is ongoing at the White Oak Creek intersection. The new, more gradually curved portion of the road is open, while the more sharply curved portion of the road is closed. Flaggers are directing traffic, and motorists will see continued lane closures and short traffic delays.