
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Just four months after opening the rebuilt northbound U.S. 183 flyover at northbound Interstate 35, drivers have noticed a dip in the road.
Drivers Jose Reyes and Pedro Ortiz travel on the flyover daily, along with thousands of others, and said they worry about the dip causing their vehicle’s issues in the long run and Ortiz worries it could lead to an accident.
“Pretty much suspension, it could mess it up over time,” Reyes said.
Texas Department of Transportation officials said drivers should not worry. The slight drop in the road is not dangerous.
“The existing flyover is what we call segmental. These are pieces that are cast and hoisted up and put together,” said Brad Wheelis, a TxDOT spokesperson. “The new flyover, in order to build it faster, we did a beam and column construction. So now you have two different types of construction coming together and while we do have science on our side it is nearly impossible to get that just exactly even.”
The flyover is part of a Texas Clear Lanes project estimated to cost more than $120 million consisting of three flyovers in the area all with the goal to connect U.S. 183 to I-35. Wheelis said they worked to get the northbound 183 flyover at northbound I-35 reopened as quickly as possible; as many drivers were being inconvenienced having to travel north to Rundberg Lane and U-Turn to get to U.S. 183.
However, the overall flyover project is not complete. Wheelis said TxDOT crews will continue to work on the flyover and other elements of the project.
Nonetheless, drivers just said they want to see the issue resolved soon.
“Go back and repair it,” Reyes said.
Early next year, TxDOT plans to look into the problem to figure out the best solution. They will shut down the flyover overnight for a night to assess the situation. Officials said the repairs could consist of anything from adding asphalt to even out the road’s surface to lifting that section of the flyover. How long repairs will take will depend on what TxDOT engineers decide on.