Public Meeting To Discuss Proposed Hwy 181 Improvements

Northern-most portion of proposed Hwy 181 widening.

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will discuss proposed improvements to nearly 16 miles of U.S. 181 between Sinton and Skidmore at two public meetings scheduled for late April. The first meeting will be held at the Smith Junior High School Cafetorium located at 900 S. San Patricio on Tuesday, April 27. The second meeting, which will cover the same information, will be held at the Skidmore-Tynan School Cafetorium located at 224 West Main (U.S. Highway 181, South) on Thursday, April 29. Both meetings will begin with an open house at 5:30 p.m. followed by a presentation on the proposed project at 6 p.m. This is an opportunity for the public to learn about the proposed project and to provide input to TxDOT.

Since 1994, TxDOT has been working with local and area officials to upgrade U.S. 181 to a facility that can adequately serve coastal communities as a hurricane evacuation route. Following a delegation of counties between Corpus Christi and San Antonio appearing before the Texas Transportation Commission, abandoned Southern Pacific Railroad right-of-way adjacent to existing U.S. 181 from San Antonio to Sinton was purchased so that it could be utilized to expand the highway along the route from San Antonio to Corpus Christi. Sections of U.S. 181 between Corpus Christi and San Antonio have been improved to a four-lane divided highway while other sections remain a two-lane roadway. Improvements to the route are proposed to be constructed in phases as funds become available.

The proposed project would improve a segment of U.S. 181 from approximately two miles west of the U.S. 77 Sinton Relief Route to near Sullivan Street in Skidmore. The existing roadway varies from two 12-foot travel lanes to a short four-lane roadway section through the community of St. Paul. The proposed project would upgrade the existing two-lane rural roadway to a four-lane divided highway. The roadway would consist of four 12-foot travel lanes, two lanes in each direction, with two 10-foot outside shoulders and two 4-foot inside shoulders with a 40-foot grassy median separating north and southbound travel lanes. Improvements to the S.H. 359/U.S. 181 intersection and realignment of a curve south of Skidmore are included in proposed improvements.

Since the public meeting will be conducted in English, persons requesting language interpreters or other special communication or accommodation needs are asked to contact Olivarri & Associates (1-800-945-2156 or 361-884-5000, ext. 27) by April 20, 2004. TxDOT will make every reasonable effort to accommodate these needs.

Information on the proposed project can be obtained by contacting TxDOT Advance Project Development Engineer Victor Vourcos, P.E. at 361-808-2378.