AUSTIN, TX The Texas Department of Transportation is moving ahead with a series of projects after the Texas Transportation Commission recently awarded $25 million in contracts for 13 projects to improve and maintain roads across 11 counties.

The FM 969 project will add a center-turn lane and shoulders to the highway between FM 3177 (Decker Lane) and FM 973. Aaron Concrete Contractors will also rehabilitate the highway as part of the $6.6 million contract. The project is expected to take about 18 months.

Loop 360 (Capital of Texas Highway) is getting a new driving surface between the Colorado River and Wild Basin Road after the weather warms up. Lone Star Paving Company will complete the four-mile long project in about four months. The contract is worth $1.3 million.

Lone Star Paving also won a $1 million contract to repair and resurface FM 1626 in Hays County, between FM 2770 and I-35. This job is expected to take about two months.

In Gillespie and Burnet counties, drivers will see Lone Star Paving at work resurfacing five locations on three highways: SH 16 between Ridgewood Drive in northern Fredericksburg to the Llano County line, US 290 between Friendship Lane and Dusty Farm Lane east of Fredericksburg, and RM 1431 in Marble Falls east to Cimarron Ranch Road. The $2.8 million project should take about three months to complete.

Clark Construction of Texas won a $352,000 contract to repair and overlay US 290 in western Travis County. The approximate one-month job will stretch between Tara Lane and RM 1826.

In Williamson County, travelers on the interstate can expect resurfacing work between RM 620 and Westinghouse Road to take about three months. Austin Materials, LLC will repair and replace the pavement under the $4.1 million contract.

Drivers on SH 71 in Bastrop County will see longer left-turn lanes at Tucker Hill Lane and at FM 1209. Aaron Concrete Contractors should take about two months to fulfill the $286,000 contract.

Traffic signals don't last forever, so the Levy Company will be replacing signals on Spur 69/RM 2222 (Koenig Lane) at Airport Boulevard, and Loop 1 at Braker Lane. The contract is for $985,000 and work will also include adding warning signs along FM 969 near Lazy River Lane and near Terri Trail, as well as on FM 1174 north of Bertram in Burnet County. The work will take approximately six months to complete. 

The fall and winter rains are promoting lots of grass growth along the highways. Texas Tree & Landscape will mow in Travis, Williamson, and parts of Bastrop counties under a $982,000 contract. Vision Construction Company has won contracts to mow in Bastrop, Burnet, Llano and Gillespie counties for a total of $763,000. A separate contract will pay R&M Incorporated an additional $274,000 for mowing in Lee County.

Guardrail is an important safety feature along the highways. ISI Contracting will be working to replace, repair and upgrade guardrails along highways in Travis County. The two-year contract is worth $3.4 million.

In addition, TRP Construction Group won a two-year contract that will help enhance safety on the highways at various locations in the Austin District's 11 counties. The company will add and replace reflective pavement markers and markings in various locations. The contract is worth nearly $2.2 million.