It's been nearly a half century since the Texas Dept. of Transportation has taken on a project this ambitious. The $1.9-billion widening and upgrading of 96 miles of Interstate 35 in Central Texas from Salado to Hillsboro make up the most miles of new construction the agency has tackled simultaneously since it first built the state's highway system.
As a key north-south transportation and economic corridor in the center of state that stretches a total of 492 miles, I-35 is known as "Main Street Texas." Given the upgrade program's massive scope, the main challenge has been synchronizing 17 construction contracts in the 96-mile upgrade zone while minimizing disruptions for the 60,000 to 100,000 daily vehicles that travel there. Currently, eight projects covering 60 to 65 miles and totaling $938.4 million are under construction.