BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK, TX - A Federal Highways Road Repair Project is set to begin Friday, Nov. 20, 2020. Over the next two months, road crews will be busy making much needed improvements to many park roads through asphalt resurfacing, drainage improvements, culvert repairs, curbing, guardrail fixes, and striping. Big Bend National Park visitors and area residents should expect temporary delays of up to 30 minutes and, in some cases, temporary road closures.
To complete the work in a timely manner, work will occur daily from sunrise to sunset, and the work schedule will primarily focus on the following four areas during the indicated dates:
Park Road Segment
Primary Work Schedule
Chisos Basin Road
November 20 - end of May
West Entrance Road
December 21 - end of May
North Entrance Road
January 21 - end of May
Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive
January 22 - end of April
Work will halt, and all roads will be open during the busy Thanksgiving (11/25-11/29) and Christmas/New Years holiday periods (12/23-1/3).
Weekend work may result in delays, but there will be no hard road closures on weekends..
Work on the Chisos Basin Road will begin first, require the most extensive work, and result in the most disruption. At times, sections of the Chisos Basin Road will require shutdowns for extended periods.
Chisos Basin Rd. Work Schedule
Closed
~8:00 am - 11:00 am
Open - with delays
~11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Closed
~1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Open - with delays
~3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Open all night
~7:00 pm - 8:00 am
Thank you for your patience
Park Road Segment
Dan Williams Construction is the lead contractor for this $9 million Federal Highway Administration funded project. Major goals are to address degraded road surfaces and dangerous conditions caused by expansive bentonite soils. Existing pavement will be pulverized, shaped, and re-paved over new base materials.
"There is never a perfectly convenient time for major road projects, and we regret the inconvenience that this work will create, but the results will be an enhanced and much safer park experience for all," said Chief of Facilities Management Herman Pinales. “If all goes according to schedule, the improved road surfaces will be complete in time for the busy rush of Spring Break in Big Bend."
Regular updates on the project status and latest road closures will be posted at https://www.nps.gov/bibe/planyourvisit/conditions.htm
Tags: road work closures repairs road repair project
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
