Road work scuttles morning commute

• Motorists this week spent from one to two hours in traffic on their morning commutes on April 24, as road crews worked in the area of railroad tracks on RR 1431 just west of Marble Falls. Contributed/Tina Sardo

Motorists this week spent from one to two hours in traffic on their morning commutes on April 24, as road crews worked in the area of railroad tracks on RM 1431 just west of Marble Falls.

Spokesperson Kellen Mohrmann of the Texas Department of Transportation offered insight into projects going on in the area of concern.

Q:What is the scope and time-frame for the RM 1431 West project(s)?
A: “This project will repair and repave RM 1431 from Marble Falls to south of SH 29. The project will complete in late 2024. In addition, there was a railroad project underway this week (April 22-26) for a railroad crossing on RM 1431 … This is not a TxDOT project. The railroad project finished on Wednesday, April 24, 2024.”

Q: What does the work entail? How much does it cost?
A: “The first phase of the project will be repairs to RM 1431. Once repairs are complete, we will begin repaving the roadway. The cost of the project is $7.6 million.”

Q: How is the state addressing concerns from motorists about temporary closures?
A: “TxDOT’s goal is to keep drivers informed about road work and potential impacts. Message boards are used near the work zones to warn of upcoming closures. To minimize impacts, the contractor’s working hours were adjusted to begin after the start of school each day. In areas where flaggers are used, adjustments have been made to clear traffic more quickly. We continue to monitor the roadway during paving operations and will continue to adjust where possible.”

Q: How can motorists receive advance notification about temporary road closures?
“Drivers can visit drivetexas.org for the latest information on road closures.”