McKnight Road project would help relieve traffic congestion

Texas Department of Transportation District Bridge Engineer Glenn Yowell, left, discusses the details of the upcoming McKnight Road expansion project with local resident Delton Gwinn, right, during a public meeting with TxDOT Monday at Pleasant Grove High School.
Texas Department of Transportation District Bridge Engineer Glenn Yowell, left, discusses the details of the upcoming McKnight Road expansion project with local resident Delton Gwinn, right, during a public meeting with TxDOT Monday at Pleasant Grove High School.

The Texas Department of Transportation revealed plans to expand the width of the length of McKnight Road (FM 1297 ) starting a third of a mile east of Pleasant Grove Road (FM 2878) to Richmond Road (FM 559), for a total distance of just under one mile.
The project was unveiled to interested citizens Monday afternoon at Pleasant Grove High School's cafeteria
"The road will be widened from 24 to 44 feet," said Marcus Sandifer, public information officer of TxDOT's Atlanta district. "The reason we are doing this is to provide a continuous left-turn lane on the existing roadway."
The area north of I-30 has continued to build up in both residential and commercial activity, resulting in considerably more traffic passing through, especially during morning and evening rush hours. This modification is a move to relieve some of the traffic congestion that can result.
"We have a lot of school traffic from both Pleasant Grove as well as school traffic in Texarkana in this area," Sandifer said. "It goes especially around the schools and into the residential areas. This road widening and continuous turn will help ease the area traffic flow."
The project, which has been two years in putting together, is finally set to kick off in May and should take about six months to complete, depending on weather and other factors.
Travellers through the area during the construction period are advised to watch out for flaggers, message signs, cones and barricades. Also, brief delays are to be expected. In addition, access to area businesses may be temporarily affected as machinery passes driveways, access will be restored as soon as possible.
The project will cost about $2.7 million dollars and will be funded out of state Prop 1 money, which is is a fund the state puts revenue in once it's "rainy day funds" are met.
For more information on the project and when road closures will take place, contact Kenny Icenhower at the TxDOT Texarkana Area Office at 903-838-8574. Email [email protected]

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