Fluor JV breaks ground on US$700 million motorway expansion

Groundbreaking for the I-35 NEX South project in Texas, US. Pictured from left are Charles Benavidez, Texas DOT San Antonio District Engineer; Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, Texas state representative; J. Bruce Bugg, Jr., chairman of the Texas Transportation Commission; Grant Moody, Bexar County Commissioner; Marc D. Williams, Texas DOT executive director; Shawn West, president, Fluor Infrastructure; Pike Riegert, project manager, Lone Star Constructors, NEX. (Image: Fluor)

The $700-million contract is a design-build scheme for the US Interstate 35 (I-35) Northeast Expansion (NEX) South project for the Texas Department of Transportation.

According to Fluor, the motorway corridor is one of the most travelled in the state, serving more than 150,000 vehicles daily.

Phase 1 of the I-35 NEX South project includes the addition of three elevated lanes, including two main lanes and one high-occupancy vehicle lane for each direction, from the I-35/I-410 South interchange to the I-35/I-410 North interchange along I-35, said Fluor.

Completion of the build is expected in early 2028.

A 2D illustration showing phase one of the NEX South project. (Image: Texas Department of Transportation)