TxDOT public hearing for Hwy 80 widening
On June 25, 2019 TxDOT held a public hearing for the widening of Hwy 80 from FM460 to Interstate 30.Watch Video
In attendance from Kaufman County were: County Commissioner Skeet Phillips, and State Rep. Keith Bell.
Existing roadway is insufficient, doesn't meet current standards. Existing roads are 4 lanes 12ft wide, continuous frontage road with 11-ft wide lanes in Dallas County, but not Kaufman. Proposed would have 6 12-ft wide lanes, frontage roads 2 to 3 lanes wide from Lawson Rd. to IH-30 (w/ 14 ft wide outside shared access lanes) and continuous 2-lane frontage roads from FM 460 to Lawson Rd. Some bridges will be replaced. There will be a 6-ft wide sidewalk.
Project should be ready to let in summer 2021, construction will take 3 - 5 years, depending on funding, at a cost of $740 million.
Will need 25 acres of new ROW (right-of-way) and 0.2 acres for drainage. Two restaurants (Jack-in-the-Box and Williams Chicken) and a U-Haul storage facility will be "displaced."
Environmental: 0.55 acres of streams and ponds, and 0.24 acres of wetland will be impacted. The historic Big Town Blvd Bridge must be removed.
Noise studies were done, abatement measures of 4 noise barriers were found to be reasonable.
Results indicate no significant environmental impact.
Recess was held. During this time, TxDOT staff indicated the traffic control during construction will consist of diverting traffic to the frontage roads, no temporary highway lanes would be built. They also indicated the project is in 3 sections, funding was secure for the portions at FM 460 and IH-30, but not the center section.
Public Input:
- Mr. Colton Wright representing property owners of N.E. corner at Galloway & Hwy 80 stated an official objection to the design, due to displacing the Jack-in-the-Box and the reduction of parking area for the shopping center, to less than city code.
- Mr. Matthew Holzapfel, Director of City of Mesquite Public Works, spoke at length in favor of the project, citing current congestion and having improved bridges across the Trinity River.
You may view the sizeable PDF schematic here.