UPDATE
The area by where the Business 77 Bridge near US 84 was demolished is fully cleared and the streets are open.
ORIGINAL STORY
The BU 77 bridge near US 84 closed in 2019 because of the I-35 4B project. Now, as part of a separate project, it is being demolished.
- The BU 77 bridge near US 84 will be demolished in the fall, weather permitting
- Alternate routes have not been finalized yet, but TXDOT has ideas for reconfiguring the intersection
- The new Unified Transportation Program includes funding details for transportation projects in the Waco district
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Ricky Maxwell has owned an auto repair shop across from the Business 77 bridge near US 84 for more than 20 years.
He says he would see and hear the structure crumbling.
"The bridge got unsafe, pieces of it fall off," Maxwell said.
TxDOT says it was specifically closed for safety reasons.
Despite the construction in the area, Maxwell says he doesn't think the demolition will affect his business because he has loyal customers.
"No it's not going to affect my business. I have the same customers for a long time — they'll find a way here," he said.
TxDOT PIO Jake Smith says they are still a few years out from finalizing the demolition project details.
"Long term, the intersection of Business 77 and U.S. 84 will be reconfigured and right now that design is currently underway and nothing is finalized," Smith said.
While plans aren't sure yet, TxDOT has a few ideas in mind for the area.
"Removing the bridge, which is what they're doing right now, and then bringing that road to at-grade, which means at ground level," Smith said.
"A possible option is a roundabout, so we do have some ideas, but design is still underway," Smith said.
Earlier this week, TxDOT released the details of the new Unified Transportation Program or "UTP," which lists projects planned for the Waco district.
The plans include hundreds of millions of dollars allocated for projects in our county.
"Why the Governor and TxDOT is investing so much money into transportation and infrastructure because we do have an exponentially growing economy and exponential growth in population," Smith said.
"We want to deliver projects that are going to help with that anticipation of newcomers and add that capacity."
