Hwy. 71 becomes two lanes at Southwest Parkway

Hwy. 71 will shrink to one lane in each direction near Southwest Parkway for roughly the next eight months while workers expand and reconfigure the intersection.

The Texas Department of Transportation closed lanes and shifted traffic on Sept. 13.

It plans to widen the road and create a continuous turn lanes, an acceleration lane and paved shoulders, TxDOT Spokesman Christopher Bishop said.

The work is intended to increase safety and mobility in the area, according to a news release. TxDOT has completed preliminary stages and is moving on to major construction work.

Bishop said drivers may expect traffic to back up during peak times, but declined to offer estimates about how much extra time they should allow to reach their destinations.

Once the traffic pattern has been changed, the roadway will stay at two lanes near Southwest Parkway until work has been completed.

"The contractors have a disincentive clause," he said. "If [the roadwork] takes too long, there will be penalties. It's in the contractor's interest to get the project done."