By Samantha Garza | Staff Writer
As of August, the portion of Interstate 35 that has been under construction since 2019 is completely open now. The north and southbound sides of I-35 now have four main lanes.
The four-year construction project on the six-mile stretch of I-35 is steadily progressing and continues to be on track to finish by early 2023.
According to MyInterstate35, the project involves widening the highway’s main lanes into four lanes going both directions and improving frontage roads and interchanges.
Jake Smith, public information officer for the Texas Department of Transportation in the Waco District, said although work will still need to be done around the area, by the time school starts, 4th Street and 5th Street will be open and on their final stages of construction.
“We’re going to see a lot of congestion relief there,” Smith said.
The opening of these lanes will improve drive times within and through Waco and Bellmead.
Smith said there is still work left to be done on the frontage roads, side streets and sidewalks, but as work progresses, students and Waco residents will be continuously updated.
When it comes to pedestrian access, Smith said students should visit the Waco4bmap website, which lays out the traffic conditions of the project and tells users which portions of the roads and sidewalks are open or closed.
Harker Heights junior Daniela Collado said one of the biggest issues she had with the construction was having to constantly change her route because of the roads changing almost every day.
“I never knew how long it would take me to get to my destination,” Collado said.
Collado said these route changes caused her trips home to lengthen.
“The roads change quite frequently, and many lights and intersections get closed off very suddenly,” Collado said. “I was forced to drive quite a long way just to cross under the bridge.”
Although the roads may change frequently, the project is steadily advancing to meet its 2023 deadline.
Correction: Aug. 23, 2022
This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: An earlier version of this story said the north and southbound main lanes of I-35 will be opening soon, however, the I-35 main lanes have been opened since early August.
