A series of planned lane and U-turn closures along Interstate 30 and nearby roads will take place from March 22 to March 28, according to a March 20 announcement. The closures are scheduled to accommodate bridge activities and other construction work in the area.
The temporary traffic changes are expected to affect both daytime and overnight hours. Overnight closures from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. will impact FM 3549 East to West and West to East U-turns, as well as full northbound and southbound closures at FM 3549 for bridge-related work. Daytime closures from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. will include John King East/West and West/East U-turns, additional FM 3549 U-turns, flagging operations at FM 548 for embankment and bridge activities at Pond Branch, as well as flagging on I-30 eastbound frontage roads for drainage box unloading and barrier installation.
Additional overnight work is planned for the I-30 westbound left lane at the FM 3549 Bridge on March 23 and March 24. Contractor crews have stated they will coordinate with emergency services such as EMS, fire, and police departments to ensure access through closed areas if emergencies occur.
These roadworks come at a time when Rockwall County schools have seen an increase in students considered at risk of academic failure; the number rose by 3.4% during the current school year, totaling 7,777 students according to the Texas Education Agency. The county’s schools ranked as having the forty-eighth highest total of at-risk student enrollment in Texas during this period according to state data.
Demographic information shows that white students make up the largest ethnic group in Rockwall County schools with over half of all students (12,123), while Hispanic students are the second largest group with more than one quarter (6,172) of total enrollment according to figures from the Texas Education Agency.
As construction continues throughout next week, drivers are advised to plan alternate routes or allow extra travel time due to these intermittent closures.
