TxDOT to upgrade US 77 to interstate standard in Kenedy County

KENEDY COUNTY, Texas - The groundbreaking ceremony was held by the Texas Department of Transportation to celebrate the start of a $191 million project to get US 77 up to interstate standards near the Willacy-Kenedy County line. Another $173 million will be spent by TxDOT on a similar project further north in Kenedy County.“The projects, in general, in Kenedy County will have overpasses every five miles or so to allow turnarounds for emergency vehicles and to provide access to major ranches in the area,” said Pete Alvarez, TxDOT’s Pharr District Engineer. “Both of these projects have two lanes in each direction with shoulders, and in the future, they will have two-lane main lanes in each direction. We're adding overpasses, and we're adding frontage roads to the major ranch entrances.”Among the speakers at the groundbreaking ceremony were Alvarez, Alliance for I-69 Texas Executive Director Jennifer Shepard, state Sen. Morgan LaMantia, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn’s district director for South Texas, Anna Garcia, Kenedy County Judge Charles Burns, Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr., Harlingen Mayor Norma Sepulveda, and Cameron County Commissioner David Garza.Here is an audio recording of the event.  Go to www.riograndeguardian.com to read the latest border news stories and watch the latest news videos.