The State Highway 43 bridge over the Kansas City Southern Railroad will be widened during the coming year according to plans approved in August by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).

“We will be widening the bridge and approaches from the current 28 feet to 48 feet, which will allow for two 12-foot traffic lanes with 12-foot shoulders on each side,” said Wendy Starkes, area engineer for TxDOT in Marshall. “During construction, traffic will be restricted to one lane for both directions. An automated signal light will be used at each end of the project to allow only one direction at a time through the work zone.”

Stateline Construction of Quitman, TX was awarded the contract for the project with a bid of $2.5 million.

Work on the project should begin in October of this year and take about eight months to complete, Starkes said.