Road builders have finished the foundation layers of frontage road between Shaenfield and Culebra roads, with work on the northbound side extending nearly to New Guilbeau already. On the southbound side, crews are now working to construct or lay out the new frontage road between New Guilbeau and Shaenfield. Where roadway didn't previously exist - Leslie Road had run parallel in the same footprint we're building the southbound frontage road - road builders are excavating and building the foundation layers of the road.
Pavers have already placed the base layers of asphalt on the northbound side up to the Culebra Creek bridge. Paving crews are scheduled to begin laying asphalt on the southbound side between Shaenfield and Culebra in two weeks, which will allow crews to switch traffic over to the new road surface and reconstruct the outside, or driveway side, lane of the frontage road. That should happen aroud the end of the month, beginning work on the driveway side. Crews will work to keep open all driveways and other access points during this phase.
Construction of the frontage roads is key to the progress of the project. Once frontage roads and the new exit and entrance ramps are ready to hold traffic, Williams Brothers will be able to move traffic over and begin work on the actual overpasses at Shaenfield, New Guilbeau and Braun roads. That move is scheduled to take place aroud the end of the school year.
When traffic is shifted to the frontage roads, drivers will see no major change in how they drive through the area in terms of configuration ... however, folks should be aware the speed limit will drop to 45 miles per hour, as they'll be driving on the frontage road. Again, that is set to take place around the end of the school year.
As for the direct connectors and overpass at Hwy 151, bridge crews will begin constructing foundations for support structures in February, with major work underway by the beginning of March. Williams Brothers anticipates the new intersection to be built and in use by mid-2017.