Wednesday, June 11

I-35 SAMMC progress

Lane Construction is busy setting whatever bridge support beams that can be set at the interchange of I-35 and I-410 near SAMMC. The beams forming the new connector from southbound I-35 to southbound I-410 are already in place. 

The remaining nights this week crews will be setting beams to make up the bridge that will carry northbound I-410 over a new exit on northbound I-35 to Rittiman Road. Nightly closures will be used to allow this work to happen.

Other schedule highlights:

Crews are working on curbs and lighting for the widening at Fratt Road. Concrete pavement blocks are nebeing built on the southbound main lanes near George Beach, with concrete pouring this week. Storm drain improvements in the center median south of Rittiman Road are being built. The bridge support column caps are completed for the planned bridge near Thousand Oaks. 

The biggest two items to note for next week and beyond:

Major main lane closures will be used by the contractor to remove overhead highway signs Wednesday night or Thursday night (exact dates will be nailed down and published later this week). This work will be done at night, so we will avoid impacting daytime traffic.

Also, alternating lanes - as many as two lanes at a time - will close nightly for the next several weeks while bridge crews work on the new connecting ramps overhead. Again, this is overnight work only, but may well still impact traffic somewhat significantly.

As a reminder, the speed limit through the area is 55 MPH. We are still having a tough time helping people understand this, as speeds through the area routinely top 75 MPH.