Texarkana I-30 Eastbound ‘Big Shift – Phase One’ Begins Wednesday

What is the "Big Shift - Phase One?" It's a major part of the I-30 widening project in Texarkana, Texas that began in August of 2020.

The Big Shift begins Wednesday, June 18, around 8 PM. Traffic will be shifted off of the Eastbound I-30 highway lanes and onto the service road for less than a mile between Summerhill Rd and N State Line Ave. It's a short jog off and then back onto I-30, but one that will significantly affect traffic flow for about a year for both I-30 travelers and frontage road drivers as well.

All I-30 Eastbound "Big Shift" onto the feeder road will remain in place while the bridge over the railroad tracks is demolished and re-constructed with the additional lane to accommodate the widening project.

North Park Road under the I-30 bridge is scheduled to close on June 26 to vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrian traffic.

The traffic flow will remain this way for the projected 12-month period that it should take to construct the new bridge.

Traffic wishing to enter the Eastbound lanes of I-30 heading into Arkansas will not be able to enter at the usual onramp just before N. State Line but instead will have to enter the ramp on the East side of Stateline, just before Jefferson Ave.

One last little tidbit to think about, once this side (I'm calling it Phase One) is finished, the Westbound lanes (let's say, Phase 2?) will have to undergo a similar procedure.

Thoughts:

• Slow down
• Stay calm
• Buckle Your Safety Belt
• If you can avoid the area, you probably should.

More details about the project can be found at the website, TxDOT.Gov. You can also find current traffic conditions at DriveTexas.org.

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