Drivers in Texarkana should prepare for significant traffic changes beginning this week as the Texas Department of Transportation moves forward with plans to replace the FM 989/Kings Highway bridge over Interstate 30.
The bridge will be closed to all traffic starting Thursday, June 11, at approximately 9 a.m. as crews begin preparations to demolish and replace the aging structure.
The biggest impact to motorists will begin at midnight on Saturday, June 13, when all Interstate 30 traffic through the construction zone will be diverted onto the frontage roads for approximately one week while the bridge is removed. The schedule is weather permitting.
Westbound I-30 traffic will exit at Summerhill Road (Exit 222) and travel along the frontage road before reentering the interstate west of Kings Highway. Eastbound traffic will be diverted at Kings Highway (Exit 218) and will reenter I-30 between Summerhill Road and State Line Avenue.
During the closure, motorists traveling along the frontage roads will move through the Kings Highway intersections without stopping. Drivers on Kings Highway will be required to stop at the frontage road intersections.
According to TxDOT, the existing bridge no longer meets modern clearance standards. The replacement structure will provide 18.5 feet of vertical clearance over Interstate 30, compared to the current bridge’s clearance of less than 17 feet.
The new bridge will also be significantly wider, featuring five lanes, including shared-use lanes designed to accommodate both vehicles and cyclists. Six-foot-wide sidewalks will be added on both sides for pedestrians. In addition, a new east-to-west turnaround bridge will be constructed on the west side of Kings Highway. The existing turnaround bridge on the east side will remain in place but will be closed during construction.
Work on the bridge replacement is expected to take approximately 19 months to complete, although weather and other factors could affect the timeline.
The bridge replacement is part of the larger Interstate 30 widening project through Texarkana. Once completed, I-30 will feature three lanes in each direction.
Meanwhile, TxDOT is also opening newly constructed frontage roads west of Kings Highway later this week. The new frontage roads extend from Kings Highway to just east of FM 3419 and are intended to improve traffic flow as construction continues.
Motorists traveling westbound on the new frontage roads will be able to reenter Interstate 30 near FM 3419 or use a new turnaround bridge to access the eastbound frontage road and return toward Texarkana.
As part of the changes, Hampton Road, which previously carried two-way traffic between Kings Highway and FM 2148, will now operate as a one-way westbound roadway only. The FM 2148 underpass is also scheduled to reopen.
TxDOT officials say the frontage road improvements are designed to fill gaps in the roadway system and support future traffic patterns as Interstate 30 reconstruction progresses. A future project will also rebuild and raise the FM 3419 bridge and connect it to the frontage road network.
Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead, expect delays, and stay alert for changing traffic patterns throughout the construction zone.
