TxDOT expects April completion of long-delayed U.S. Highway 183 North construction, depending on weather
By Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan
The Texas Department of Transportation expects to complete the long-delayed U.S. Highway 183 North construction project in April, depending on the weather, according to a recent email exchange between Stephens County Judge Michael Roach and Greg Cedillo, the Brownwood District Engineer for TxDOT.
On Jan. 29, Roach emailed Cedillo with an urgent request for assistance with the U.S. Highway 183 North project in Stephens County.
In his email, he expressed strong frustration with the prolonged construction of U.S. Highway 183 North in Breckenridge. The project, which began in 2020, has far exceeded its original completion deadline of 2022, and subsequent August and December deadlines have also been missed, according to the email.
Roach pointed out that the ongoing construction has created significant challenges for the local community, including severe disruptions to traffic flow that have negatively impacted local businesses and caused widespread frustration among residents. He also said the community has been particularly troubled by TxDOT’s lack of communication and repeated failure to meet project completion dates.
The judge urgently requested that TxDOT take immediate action by providing a clear and enforceable timeline for project completion, expediting the remaining work, and fully reopening the roadway as soon as possible. In his email, Roach acknowledged the historical partnership with the State of Texas but firmly emphasized that the current situation is unacceptable and is causing considerable hardship for the citizens of Stephens County.
In an email response on Sunday, Feb. 2, Cedillo thanked Roach for reaching out to him about the project and acknowledged that it has had its fair share of challenges. He said that the project is beginning to show more open lanes, though some work remains to be completed. Daily lane closures will continue for most of the remaining work, with certain areas remaining closed until the final pavement surface can be installed.
He said he and Jordan Perry, an area engineer for TxDOT, estimate that the project can be completed in April, contingent on favorable weather conditions noting the final surface work is particularly weather-dependent and requires warm temperatures.
He also said that if the county judge wants them to focus on any specific locations in the meantime, they would look into those options as well.
Additionally, Cedillo proposed two methods to keep the judge updated on the project’s progress: either scheduling an in-person meeting for a project update or arranging biweekly updates from Jordan Perry to the judge’s office.
In an phone interview with the Breckenridge Texan, Roach said he welcomed TxDOT’s commitment to improved communication, but he remained critical of the project’s overall status, stating it has gone on way too long.
He pointed out that while the project falls under TxDOT’s jurisdiction, rather than county or city control, the local officials still need to have open communication channels with state transportation officials.
“I think the promise to keep us updated is vital, because when I’m asked questions from the community and I can’t answer them because I have not been updated…I just don’t want to be in that position,” Roach said. “I’m not satisfied at all in the fact that we’re in the place we’re at. This is unacceptable, and we’re stuck. But if I can get clear updates in the future, as they’ve promised, then that’s that’s great.”
Construction on U.S. 183 North has the east two (north-bound) lanes blocked off, awaiting final surface work. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Caption, top photo: A truck passes construction barriers on U.S. Highway 183 looking north. TxDOT told Stephens County Judge Michael Roach they expect to have the project completed in April, if there are no weather delays. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
