SAN BENITO — Los Indios Mayor Rick Cavazos figures praise is due for a job he calls well-done.
The rehabilitation and widening of U.S. 281 at Los Indios snarled traffic near his town since the 1.65-mile, $3.9 million project began in February 2017.
Now that it’s completed, Cavazos told the board of the Harlingen-San Benito Metropolitan Planning Organization he congratulated TxDOT and the contractor who performed the work, Foremost Paving Inc. of Elsa.
“We appreciate the efforts of TxDOT and the contractors who went above and beyond,” Cavazos told his fellow board members. “They met all our needs. Any questions the residents had about the project were promptly addressed.
“I want to express my gratitude to both TxDOT and the contractor and anybody involved,” he added, noting the project was brought to completion about a month ahead of schedule.
“It was really a great project. If you get a chance, drive that highway. It’s really impressive.”
The newly refurbished and widened highway extends from FM 509 west to .05 miles west of FM 1479. The border road, also referred to as Military Highway, connects Brownsville to I-69C in McAllen.
The Los Indios work on U.S. 281 was the latest in a series of sections which have been widened from two to four lanes. The east-west artery, although not an interstate, is a critical roadway which serves as an alternative to heavily traveled I-2/Expressway 83.
FM 106 roadway reconstruction
Location: From FM 1847 to FM 510
Cost: $15.6 million
Project Length: 11.4 miles
Contractor: Texas SAI Inc.
Work started: November 2015
Completion date: September 2018
Work finished: 82 percent
The project consists of a major overhaul of the roadway and includes several wildlife underpasses and adjacent fencing.
BSIF at Los Indios
Location: Los Indios Free Trade International Bridge
Cost: $6.9 million
Project Length: .001 miles
Contractor: Foremost Paving Inc.
Work started: February 2015
Completion date: March 2018
Work finished: 78 percent
The new border safety inspection facility will inspect trucks from Mexico entering the United States. Work on the facility has been suspended while TxDOT awaits a land donation from Cameron County.
Bridge rehabilitation Rio Hondo lift bridge
Location: Rio Hondo
Cost: $12.4 million
Project length: 0.117 miles
Contractor: PCL Civil Contractors Inc.
Work started: Summer 2016
Completion date: February 2018
Work finished: 97 percent
The project consists of a complete overhaul of the mechanical lift bridge over the Arroyo Colorado. Traffic should begin crossing again in July.
State Highway 107
Location: Combes
Cost: $3.7 million
Project length: 0.465 miles
Contractor: Foremost Paving Inc.
Work started: August 2017
Completion date: October 2018
Work finished: 36 percent
The project consists of construction of a non-freeway facility including widening, retaining walls, storm drain, curb and gutter, signals, signs and pavement painting.
