When the Texas Department of Transportation began tearing the cover off of Highway 87 north between I-10 and the Hartburg bridge, many questioned that the road wasn’t that bad to begin with. But if it results in a smoother surface, so be it. Now the question is when will it be better?
Residents and businesses in the area are getting a taste of what Bridge City residents and travelers have been dealing with with the overlay of Texas Ave. which is still not completed after more than a year.
After taking a layer off, making it much rougher than before, loose rock has occasionally been put on top of the rough road which is then picked up by tires, chipping paint and windshields. Then there’s little to no reflective striping done, leaving the road very tough to read at night, especially when it’s raining.
Johnny Trahan, County Commissioner Precinct One, recently spoke with TxDOT.
“They have finished the milling up to the Hartburg bridge. They will be inspecting some areas and finalizing some components in anticipation of beginning the overlay on October 8th. They will go N on 87 from IH-10 to just past the LCM High School and then come back south to the IH-10 overpass. This should take a month if the weather is good. They will then begin to overlay from the high school north to the Hartburg bridge and back south to the high school. Again this should also take approximately a month. They will then finish some of the details striping, reflectors and any additional work with a completion date by the middle of January.”
When asked, Trahan said he didn’t know why they take so much time off in between milling and overlaying. “It may have something to do with equipment availability. And if that’s true I wish they would break it up into two phases. Or maybe some sections need more attention once they take the top off. It’s hard to say.”
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