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Business 20 in Midland to undergo road rehabilitation

A six mile stretch of road on Business 20 will be undergoing road work for the next 15-18 months.

MIDLAND, Texas — With Memorial Day ending, road work can once again continue. 

Business 20 or Highway 80 in Midland will be seeing some road work between West Loop 250 and the Fairgrounds Road area.

This work will be split up into three segments: West Loop 250 to Midkiff, Midkiff to Wall, and Wall to Fairgrounds. West Loop 250 to Midkiff will see the road rehabilitation first.

Gene Powell, the public information officer of the Odessa District of TxDOT, said that this stretch of road was simply overdue for some cleaning up.

"It’s just time to rehab the road. It’s been several years, more than a dozen years since it’s been resurfaced other than overlays with like steel coats. We’re starting to see some base failure so we decided it was time to go in and make some real improvements," Powell said.

The project is expected to last about 15 to 18 months, but the entire six mile stretch of road won't see all the work at once. TxDOT is working to try and make this project as convenient for motorists as possible.

"We break it down into manageable sections. We do a couple miles at a time, and that way all six miles won’t be closed down for all 15 months of the project. It’s only closed down for a third of it. It’s just more convenient for motorists, and it’s also more reasonable for contractors to be able to do it in pieces," Powell said.

This project will also be a little more in-depth than simply laying down new asphalt.

"This one actually goes into the sub-surface of the road, and the base of the road will be repaired as well. That’s why the cost seems a little bit more than just the resurfacing. This will actually rebuild the understructure of the road," Powell said.

Powell is also asking motorists to take the time to slow down and drive cautiously in the work zones while the road is being worked on.

"We really need the traveling public to help us out. Collisions are big problem in work zones so give yourself plenty of space and give yourself room to react," Powell said.

Lanes will be closed in both directions once work begins, but only one lane will be closed each way. Also, the lanes will only be closed on the stretch of road that is currently undergoing work, not the entire six miles.

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