The Pharr interchange project reached a milestone Wednesday, Feb. 1, after completing the final column for the Edinburg to Harlingen direct connector, state transportation officials said on Facebook.
On Monday, the forms — a mold used to shape concrete — were removed from the column in question, which is said to be the tallest of the project standing at 64 feet.
“We’re one step closer to the opening of the new ‘southbound-to-eastbound’ connector at the interchange!” the Texas Department of Transportation said on Facebook.
Although progress has been made there are still more nightly road closures ahead.
The left lane on the I-69C northbound frontage road, between State Highway 495 and Sioux Road, will close from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. beginning this week and will run through Friday.
The right lanes of the I-2 westbound main lanes between McColl Road and Second Street, and on the I-2 eastbound main lanes between Veterans Boulevard and the Nebraska exit ramp are also closing. There will also be temporary closures of the Second and 10th Street exit ramp and the eastbound Nebraska Avenue exit ramp.
The closures are scheduled from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. through Thursday and 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. on Fridays. The closure will run until Saturday.
Left lane closures are also expected on the I-69C southbound main lanes between SH 495 and Sugar Road from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. through Saturday.
Lastly, there will also be a single lane closure on the I-2 westbound frontage road between Cesar Chavez Road and Raul Longoria Road, as well as a temporary closure of the westbound Raul Longoria exit ramp. These closures will run from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. through Sunday.
Although there are several closures beginning this week, Ray Pedraza, TxDOT spokesman, recently assured that the new McAllen to Edinburg connector and Edinburg to Harlingen connector are expected to open in the spring.
He also explained that the project is still on track to be completed by the end of this year.
