MIDLAND – Work on the Highway 191 and Loop 250 project has progressed to the next phase to relocate ramps on Loop 250 between Highway 191 and Wadley Avenue. As a result, some ramps in the area are closing so the new ramps can be built.

The northbound Loop 250 exit ramp for Wadley will close. Northbound traffic on Loop 250 main lanes will have to take the Highway 191 exit and take the service road to get to Wadley. 

The southbound entrance ramp for Loop 250 south of Wadley will also close. Traffic on the southbound service road will have to go through the interchange at Highway 191 to get up on the loop.

The Loop 250 southbound exit ramp for Highway 191 will remain open in this phase. Likewise, the northbound Loop 250 entrance ramp between Highway 191 and Wadley will remain open in this phase.

These closures will remain in place until the new ramps are built. This will take several months. At a future date, the other ramps in the area will be closed as well.

The work between Highway 191 and Wadley is called a ramp “reversal.” Ramp reversals will also happen on westbound Highway 191 between West Loop 250 and Highway 158. Essentially, the current entrance ramp locations will become exit ramp locations. Likewise, the current exit ramp locations will become entrance ramp locations.

The most notable part of the overall project will move the eastbound Highway 191 exit ramp further west. The new exit ramp will go over the existing entrance ramp in a configuration referred to as a braided ramp. Braided ramps are ramps that cross over each other and are vertically separated by concrete pillars that elevate one ramp, in this case the eastbound exit ramp. Braided ramps streamline traffic flow for drivers to reach their destinations.

The ramp reconfigurations will eliminate some merging conflict points and will also allow more room for queueing on the service road instead of having traffic back up on to the main lanes.

Other work scheduled in the project involves intersection improvements at the mid-level interchanges of Highway 191 and Loop 250. In addition to some auxiliary lanes to provide more capacity, the intersections will be built with full-depth concrete pavement to better handle wear and tear from traffic.

The roads at the signalized intersections at Highway 158 (also known locally as Avalon) under the Highway 191 overpass will also be rehabilitated.

A reduced speed limit will be in place in work areas.

While traffic disruptions and lane closures are a natural part of road construction, the contractor and TxDOT are committed to limiting disruption as much as safely possible. TxDOT will issue traffic alerts and news releases at different stages to keep the public informed. Follow @TxDOTOdessa on Twitter for updates. You can also subscribe to the district’s email traffic alerts by emailing Gene Powell at gene.powell@txdot.gov.

Motorists are asked to slow down when driving in work zones. Motorists are also reminded that state law requires them to obey any warning signs, flaggers and pilot cars encountered in the work zone. TxDOT wants everyone – motorists, contractor employees and TxDOT staff -- to go home safely every day. 

The project is expected to be completed in late 2023. 

Jones Brothers Dirt & Paving of Odessa won the project with a low bid of a little more than $18.2 million.