Freeway underpass coming in ahead of schedule

HARLINGEN — The landscaping overhaul to the city’s west entrance is rapidly coming to an early finish.

The $293,349 gateway project is designed to provide a better first impression to people coming into Harlingen, and is adding native plants and trees, walkways and lighting.

The project contractor, Southern Landscapes, has installed an irrigation system, walkways and has planted hundreds of plants and trees in the area beneath the I-2 and I-69E overpasses.

The project began in April and it was anticipated the work would take five months. But three months later, the project is nearly complete.

“TxDOT is currently putting together a ‘punch list,’” said TxDOT spokesman Octavio Saenz. “It is essentially a walk-through of the area and a list of items — mostly minor that do not impede traffic.

“Although the landscape is completed, there is still pending electrical work,” Saenz said.

When completed, the walkways through the landscaped site will be lighted.

Although there is no parking at the site itself, Viola Vasquez, supervisor of the Texas Travel Information Center-Rio Grande Valley across the street, said anybody wishing to visit the new landscaped area is welcome to park in the center’s lot.

The project was funded using revenues of $250,000 the city received for a first-place landscaping award from Keep Texas Beautiful through the Governor’s Community Achievement Awards program.

Southern Landscapes, the McAllen company which won the TxDOT bid on the project, is known for its landscaping work at the McAllen Convention Center, Palms Crossing shopping center and the Antigua Subdivision.