July 2004

(Hidalgo County, Texas) - Zachry has expanded its reach in South Texas with two highway construction jobs in McAllen and Edinburg. Crews began work for TxDOT on McAllen's FM 1926 in June and on Edinburg's U.S. Hwy 281 in July. This two-pronged project is designed to ease congestion associated with the area's recent and projected population growth.

The project team is following an aggressive 20-month schedule, planning to complete the U.S. 281 portion of the project by March 2006. The crew will widen a 2.2-mile stretch of U.S. 281, from two to three lanes in each direction, between Trenton Rd. and SH 107. The project's scope also includes constructing bridges, retaining walls and drainage structures. Zachry's workforce for the $31.23 million job will peak at 50 employees, and will include multiple subcontractors.

Crews have begun drainage work and the first of five phases, which entails constructing detours on the inside of the frontage roads. Phase two will begin with construction of the outside portions of the frontage roads and conclude with switching traffic to the newly-built permanent lanes.

For the second project, up to 15 Zachry employees will participate in widening a 2.6-mile segment of FM 1926 that runs parallel to the nearby U.S. 281 job. The $5.46 million job, which also stretches from Trenton Road to SH 107, is slated for completion in August 2005.

Zachry will widen the existing roadway to two lanes in each direction with a continuous turn lane, and will complete related drainage work. Work commenced with the construction of a north-bound detour and drainage outfalls for the RCP pipe.

Zachry entered deep South Texas in spring 2003 with a U.S. Hwy 77 project in San Benito. U.S. Hwy 77, U.S. 281 and IH-35 are three of Texas' main arteries to the U.S.-Mexico border. U.S. 77 and U.S. 281 will become part of the future IH 69 corridor designed to facilitate trade and travel in the area.

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