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Edinburg to Harlingen connecter at the Pharr interchange opening next month

By: Cassandra Garcia

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The Texas Department of Transportation announced the $303 million project to expand the I-2 and I-69C interchange in Pharr is 75% complete, and Valley drivers headed to Harlingen will soon travel on a newly completed flyover bridge.

The days of going west to go east on the Pharr interchange are almost over. For nearly a year, drivers have taken the Sugar Road turnaround to go east on the I-2, but the new and improved Edinburg to Harlingen overpass will open to drivers next month.

“We want the public to be aware that the change is coming,” TxDOT spokesman Ray Pedraza said. “The turnaround at Sugar Road is going away permanently, so as drivers approach the interchange south of Nolana they're going to see directional signage that points them to the left for Harlingen, or points to the right for McAllen, just like old times."

All that's left is putting stripes on the roadway and making final inspections.

Both connectors to Harlingen and McAllen will have two lanes instead of one.

“It's also a vital link for our state and our nation's economy,” Pedraza said. “We have 14 international ports of entry in the Pharr district, so there's a lot of movement of goods in and out of Mexico through this corridor.”

The McAllen to Edinburg overpass will open the month after the Harlingen overpass opens, Pedraza added.

“The eastbound access ramp on the frontage road between Cage and Sugar will temporarily close while preparations are made to open the next connector, which is going to be the McAllen to Edinburg [overpass],” Pedraza said.

After that route is finished, crews will start work on the final piece of the interchange. 

“Simultaneously around that time, the last and final connector — which is the Harlingen to Edinburg —  will be demolished and reconstructed, and then they'll all be done by the end of the year,” Pedraza said.

TxDOT will announce the official date of the opening of the Edinburg to Harlingen connecting overpass next week, TXDot added.

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