The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has one Karnes County project under way for 2007, two projects planned for 2008, and growing concerns over the width of U.S. Highway 181 in the years to come.

Restoring the pavement structure of State Highway 119 southeast of Gillett is just the beginning of their plans over the next two years.

Road workers are already out near Gillett and the rehabilitation project is under way, but huge improvements to county roadways aren’t planned until the latter half of 2008.

April 8, 2008 is the planned date to go out for bids on a huge State Highway 72 reconstruction project through downtown Kenedy.

TxDOT will be reconstructing the roadway all the way from the stoplight intersection to where the road splits off into FM 792.

"We’re going to re-do the roadway through downtown Kenedy. What that entails is … grinding out the old pavement — we call it milling — then we’re going to put a new pavement back in that will be smoother," TxDOT Transportation Engineer Daniel Kelley said.

In addition to the reconstruction, TxDOT will be installing several improvements such as sidewalks and ramps that will bring the area into compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Kelley said the bid process could take around two months, which puts the estimated date start of construction around June 2008.

"Those are estimated dates. It’s always subject to change, (but) we do try to meet those schedules," Kelley said.

The department’s long-term plans for U.S. Highway 181 aren’t as clear as the upcoming construction projects, though. A movement to turn the State Highway 123 intersection with 181 into an overpass has fallen through in recent years.

Kelley said former Congressman for Karnes County Lloyd Doggett was working to secure funding for the project, but when congressional redistricting put the county under Congressman Ruben Hinojosa, the project fizzled.

"Doggett had secured a small sum of money to do that project which really wouldn’t have covered but a very small portion of what that project would’ve cost. We still want to look at some improvements on that intersection, but we’re kind of thinking now it probably won’t be an overpass," Kelley said.

The department also is considering other improvements to U.S. Highway 181, but it may be a very long time until the entire roadway is four lanes wide through the county.

"Where have we had the most accidents? If anybody asked me, I’d say from (Karnes City) to Falls City on 181," Kelley said. "For me personally, I’d like 181 four lanes up to the Wilson County line."

The county’s best bet to get a four-lane highway will be on the back of a plan to streamline Texas’ hurricane evacuation routes. The best evacuation route from the shore, though, will turn off 181 and head up State Highway 123 at Karnes City.

That projected route would leave the southern half of the county’s major highway widened to four lanes, but the northern half would be left out of the loop.

"Going up 123 has really got more things going for it in the long run to become a four-lane divided highway," Kelley said. "This is not a project that’s right around the corner (but) the thinking is that (hurricane evacuation is) our best shot of getting 181 four lanes in between Kenedy and Beeville.

"The thinking was that 123 was a better alternative because you’re taking folks up toward Seguin, San Marcos, and Austin. In our eyes, that’s a more viable route for hurricane evacuation."

Kelley said there is no timetable on any U.S. Highway 181 widening project at the time and that even looking at pre-project surveying would depend on the improvement money suddenly becoming available.

"I can’t even speculate when we would have construction dollars, but we are anticipating pursuing that and looking at how much right of way we would need," Kelley said.

On the schedule past 2008, TxDOT plans to construct a curb and gutter section at the intersection of 123 and 181 in 2009, replacement of a bridge on FM 1020 one mile southeast of FM 81 in 2009, and roadway repair on State Highway 123 between the intersection of State Highway 80 and its termination at 181 in 2010.