The Texas Department of Transportation's efforts on Interstate 35 have hit a bump, not just in the asphalt but also in public reception, as a roadway project designed to ease traffic flow is causing distress among motorists—according to complaints pouring in about vehicle damage incurred along the nine-mile construction zone stretching from Loop 410 to FM 3009. Despite being a plan for future relief, the Interstate 35 Northeast Expansion (NEX) project, set for completion in 2027, has turned into a source of immediate discomfort, with drivers reporting shattered windshields and pothole woes.
One driver, Patricia Richardson, painted a grim picture in an interview with KSAT12 News, stating, "Every morning, there are pebbles hitting my car, I feel like gunshots are hitting me," citing gravel from the construction site as the perpetrator yet noting an absence of clean-up crews. KSAT12's drive through the area early in February confirmed the bumpy state of affairs, with large ruts disrupting the roadway, and despite their efforts to reach Texas DOT for a commentary, they received no immediate response. In a situation where drivers' concerns seem to be piling up high like the much-maligned highway debris, the Texas Department of Transportation has been noticeably reticent in the conversation, preferring to issue written statements over engaging in interviews with the press.
Nevertheless, a statement from Laura Lopez, a spokeswoman for TXDOT, was provided last Friday afternoon, acknowledging the spike in potholes due to recent inclement weather and assuring that the department was addressing these issues within the I-35 NEX Central project "as quickly as possible." The multi-phase operation in question, she detailed, began with a mill and overlay operation for parts of I-35 and I-410 and will continue with subsequent repair priorities being set for further action across the impacted corridors. Reaffirming that safety is their top concern, TXDOT communicated a commitment to prompt repairs. Subsequently, a report from eZeroad cited the same TXDOT statement, stresses the extent of the ongoing work, which will span a 40-mile corridor and include a layered approach to road repairs.
In the wake of these events, and with a fresh round of surface work becoming evident upon KSAT 12's second pass through, the department is pointing afflicted drivers toward the claims submission process—for damage reimbursement matters—to be forwarded to the private contractor responsible for the roadway work. Richardson, facing over $1,000 in expenses for both windshields, welcomed this news, yet she remains cautious, advocating for more regular sweeps of the construction area to mitigate future hazards, Lopez stated the contractor has a monthly debris removal schedule, but this may not suffice for residents like Richardson who encounter the messy stretch daily on her commute between Selma and San Antonio.
As the roadwork forges ahead, with the promise of enhanced transportation infrastructure on the horizon, those who have suffered damages on I-35 are urged by TXDOT to reach out and file the necessary claims, in hopes that the rocky road to progress can at least be financially smoothed over.
