TxDOT; APD Addressing Safety In Highway Construction Zones

It’s a fairly common sight in construction zones along I-40 and I-27, motorists exiting the zones by cutting through the grassy berms to get to access roads. This had created a safety issue as those side roads are not equipped to handle the excess traffic volume.

Sgt. Carla Burr of the Amarillo Police Department says not only is making such an exit dangerous, it’s also illegal. She adds that, with the conditions as they are, exiting across the dry grass presents a fire hazard. 

TcDOT officials say there are a number of options drivers can choose from to avoid the construction zones along I-40, including side streets properly accessed by using exits before the construction to get around it. Above all, they ask motorists to be patient.

These projects are all planned for years ahead of construction, and not rolled out without any forethought as some might believe.