McLennan County and the cities of Waco and Hewitt are working together to rebuild Ritchie Road.
The $5.6 million project will expand the road from Panther Way to Warren Street to four lanes and add sidewalks and storm drains in that section of the road. In addition, the plan will improve pavement from Warren Street to Park Place Drive, which will have two lanes with shoulders.
City of Waco Capital Improvement Program Manager Jim Reed said the project aims to meet the current and future traffic needs of the area.
"As people move out into this area of two, their traffic needs are accommodated in a safe manner," Reed said.
Narlen Evans who has lived at a home on Ritchie Road has seen the growth first hand.
"It used to be country, and a couple of years ago they started building new homes across the street," Evans said.
The new development is increasing the traffic in the area, which Reed said have worsened the state of the road.
"The number of cars and the loading of the cars has put those cars in a major area of distress," Reed said.
The road conditions are the reason Evans said he doesn't ride his three-wheeled motorcycle often.
"If one of the tires goes into one of the potholes. It's likely to throw me off the road," Evans said.
He is grateful that some work will be completed.
"However many lanes I get, it's fine but just fix the road please," Evans said.
The construction, which will happen in phases, will start next month. Reed said vehicles will still be able to drive through the road during construction but that some intersections will be temporarily closed.
The project is expected to be completed in two years.
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