MIDLAND, Texas — The Midkiff Bridge will be closed starting May 30, ahead of the bridge's demolition set to take place on May 31.
Before everything starts, the Texas Department of Transportation and Midland County want commuters who travel north and south on Midkiff Road to know the different alternate routes you can take.
"We want people to really think about where they’re going and take those detours or find an alternate routes to get to where they need to go," said Maryann Cedillo, public information officer at TxDOT.
"We will re-route traffic in different directions, so Midland County has opened up Midland County Road, which is connected to SH 158 at Sprayberry and SH 349, then West Loop 250, so that's one avenue," said Cedillo. "We anticipate the new connection will provide some relief from SH 349 to the Rankin Highway intersection at I-20."
With other TxDOT road projects finishing, like the CR 1250 Bridge Project, more roadways opening should ease up traffic.
"The Pulice Construction anticipates having the new I-20 overpass of 1250 open by late July, so that should provide relief as well," said Cedillo.
The map from Midland County attached here is a way for drivers to find routes. Follow the green lines on the map that delineate that route.
ALTERNATE ROUTE 1 - Begin at the intersection of Interstate 20 and SCR 1232 (South Loop 250). Follow SCR 1232 south until you reach WCR 140. From there, turn east (Left) on to WCR 140. Follow WCR 140 until you reach SH 349 (Rankin Hwy).
ALTERNATE ROUTE 2 - Begin at the intersection of Interstate 20 and SCR 1232 (South Loop 250). Follow SCR 1232 south until you reach WCR 120. From there, turn east (Left) on to WCR 120. Turn north (Left) on to SCR 1223 1/2. Follow SCR 1223 1/2 to WCR 116. Turn north (Left) on to WCR 116. Follow WCR 116 until you reach SCR 1220. Turn south (Right) on to SCR 1220 until you reach WCR 118. Turn east (Left) on WCR 118. Follow WCR 118 until you react SCR 1210 (Midkiff Road). Stop at the temporary traffic signal. Turn south (Right) at SCR 1210. Follow SCR 1210 until you reach WCR 140. From there, turn east (Left) on to WCR 140. Follow WCR 140 until you reach SH 349 (Rankin Hwy).
ALTERNATE ROUTE 3 - This Route will be available in mid-July of 2023. Begin at the intersection of Interstate 20 and SCR 1232 (South Loop 250). Follow SCR 1232 south until you reach Antelope Trail. Turn west (Right) on to Antelope Trail. Follow Antelope Trail until you reach SCR 1250. Turn north (Right). Follow SCR 1250 until you reach the intersection of SCR 1250 and Interstate 20.
Midkiff Road is expected to reopen by spring of 2024.
Once it does, TxDOT is expecting it to eliminate bridge strikes and provide accessible walkways for pedestrians.
"What’s happening right now is I-20 is going underneath Midkiff," said Cedillo. "So we want to flip that and have I-20 going over the top, so that way that will eliminate those bridge strikes from the I-20 traffic. And having those walkways is going to help people get across the bridge without having to navigate all that traffic that goes through there."