CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — As drivers adjust to traffic changes near the Interstate 37 and U.S. Route 77 interchange, officials asked people to slow down and pay more attention to construction.
There are now warning signs that are alerting drivers of which lane they need to be in to get to the US 77 exit. About 45,000 cars drive in that section of the highway per day, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.
As drivers navigate toward the US 77 exit to Odem, they will see an electronic sign alerting them to move to the right lane. Rickey Dailey with TxDOT said that if drivers slow down, they will have a better chance of seeing the signs.
"People need to be not so much looking at their navigation, but knowing where they're going before they enter that work zone," Dailey said. "Stay to the left if you're going to I-37 in San Antonio, stay to the right if you're going to US 77 Sinton and farther."
Construction at the I-37 and US 77 interchange is part of TxDOT's Nueces River Bridge project. Dailey said that drivers can exit from the right and center lanes. He explained that it is a similar configuration to how it was before the project started.
He also said it is a 60 mph speed limit and drivers should be safe for themselves and others.
"When you drive across that bridge, you are in an active work zone," Dailey said. "That means to slow down, remove distractions, to pay attention."
Dailey said that there is slow-moving machinery, uneven pavement and close concrete barriers to watch out for during construction. It is important to drive in a single lane, Dailey said and Sgt. Rob Mallory with Texas DPS explained that people should check for other drivers and pay attention to lane shifts.
"There are definitely some subtle changes in the lanes as they shift around through the construction zone," Mallory said. "So, keeping your focus on the roadway there and not just assuming that your lane is going to continue straight forward."
As drivers try to find their exit at the I-37 and US 77 interchange, Mallory said that they must keep their eyes on the road and avoid making a quick lane change.
"If you realize that you're going to miss your exit, rather than trying to make that quick move over and try to make it, it's better to just go ahead and go, continue forward and find a crossover," Mallory said.
The Nueces River Bridge project on I-37 is estimated to be completed in mid-2025, according to Dailey, which is ahead of schedule. He added that it is a gateway to Corpus Christi, and will now have higher and more resilient bridges during weather events with better lanes.