ODESSA – A project to build nearly 13 miles of cable barrier between Odessa and Midland is scheduled to start the week of March 22.

The cable barrier will be placed in the median between the main lanes of Highway 191. The project begins at East Loop 338 in Odessa and ends about a half mile from Loop 250 in Midland.

The work will start near East Loop 338 and be done in two-mile segments. Lane closures are possible at different stages of the project, but an effort will be made to minimize impact to the traveling public. Lane closures cannot begin before 8 a.m. and cannot extend past 5 p.m. according to the plans. Unforeseen circumstances may make isolated exceptions necessary.

There will be times when large commercial vehicles, especially cement trucks, enter and leave the roadway near the work zone. Motorists are asked to use extreme caution in the work zone.

Traffic changes will be announced on the Odessa District Twitter feed at @TxDOTOdessa. Media will also be alerted to traffic changes ahead of the actual switch.

The speed limit will be reduced to 65 mph on Highway 191 through the construction zone. A heavy law enforcement presence may in use at times to improve safety.

The project is scheduled to take about seven months and should be completed in Fall 2021.

Motorists are reminded that state law requires them to obey warning signs and flaggers in the work zone. Safety is a top priority for TxDOT. We need help from the traveling public to ensure the work zone is kept safe and free of crashes.

Mijelum LLC of Alpine, Texas, won the project with a low bid of a little more than $2.05 million. The project is being funded through a federal safety grant.