After a cooperative effort by the Texas Dept. of Transportation and the city of Gainesville, the Texas Transportation Commission granted $11.3 million of the $14.3 million to build a new interchange in Gainesville. The extra $3 million will come from TxDOT’s Wichita Falls District.

The funds come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. TxDOT has experienced under bids on dozens of jobs around the state, leaving enough funds on the table to proceed with the IH 35/U.S. Hwy. 82 interchange.

The city is also pledging $56,000 in funding as well as Governor’s Community Achievement Award (Keep Gainesville Beautiful) money for beautification. The project includes rebuilding four ramps of the IH-35/U.S. 82 as a diamond interchange, widening the U.S. 82 overpass of IH-35, adding turnarounds on 82, building a turnaround at FM 51 and converting the frontage roads along IH-35 to one way.

The project is expected to let this fall. Construction could begin as early as this winter. The project should take two years to complete.