I-27 N to I-40 W ramp closes as TxDOT continues work on downtown interchange

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - The Texas Department of Transportation plans for two ramps to close and one to open this week as construction continues on the downtown interchange.

The I-27 northbound to I-40 westbound ramp is expected to close today.

Crews are working to improve guardrails and striping.

“We have requirements we have to follow for safety to keep things uniform and it’s regularly updated,” explained Sonja Gross, public information officer for TxDOT Amarillo. “So it’s time to upgrade what we got in place currently at the downtown interchange.”

Crews are also adding LED lights to improve visibility throughout the interchange.

“We’re going to have a better lighting, so that’s going to be very welcomed for our motorists traveling at night,” said Gross. “We’re going to upgrade to the LED lights. They do shine a little brighter and are cost effective as well...it’s time for these safety enhancements to happen.”

TxDOT also anticipates closing the I-27 southbound to I-40 westbound ramp this Wednesday, May 5.

After a month-long closure, I-27 southbound to I-40 eastbound plans to open up this week.

“This week we’re hoping to move off of that current location and open at I-27 southbound to I-40 eastbound ramp, but it’s really going to depend on the weather,” explained Gross. “How much rain, if any, we get today [and] depending on what happens with the weather, it could be Wednesday before that gets reopened.”

The entire project costs $4.5 million and construction is planned to continue through November.

“The project that’s taking place at the downtown interchange and the I-40 and I-27 corridor improving the guardrails and the striping and the lighting, it is a $4.5 million project and our main contractor on it is Gilvin-Terrill,” said Gross. “[The project] is going to be a bit of an inconvenience there at a high volume area.”

This project is part of TxDOT’s $600 million statewide project ‘Road to Zero’, which aims to eliminate deaths on Texas roads.

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