Downtown Nixon sees improvement

NIXON — It’s getting a little easier to drive through downtown these days as contractors have sped up the road construction process on HWY 80. Up until a couple of weeks ago the road was down to one lane, causing a lot of delays for motorists. The project’s next phase consists of work further north on 80 up to its junction with HWY 97.

TxDOT originally planned to start redo 80, which runs north-south from Belmont to Nixon, at its intersection with 97. The project would make its way south to the Nixon intersection with 97, which has already been under construction for over a year.

Later, however, TxDOT announced a change in plans that would instead call for construction to begin in downtown Nixon before working its way north to the 97 intersection.

TxDOT Representative Cari Hensley said that the change occurred due to “traffic safety for the lane closures for each project, first and foremost.” She also noted that there needed to be coordination between the two separate projects in order to prevent delays.

Construction on 87, particularly near its intersection with HWY 80, had been delayed repeatedly since beginning in late summer 2015. But since the road-widening project began on March 1 by new contractor Dean Word out of New Braunfels, local business owners, who say they have lost business because of delays, are hopeful work will be completed soon.

Mayor Gladyne Finch noted that while she was initially shocked by TxDOT's decision, she is happy with the work being done by Dean Word and Hunter Construction.

Finch also said progress is coming along well with the city’s pavilion, which recently received three new benches - courtesy of the Nixon Lions Club, Heritage Bank and Holmes Foods. Additionally, new chairs have been acquired.

Finch said she also hopes to add an automatic watering system that will utilize soaker hoses to provide a constant water for the pavilion’s plants and flowers. Finch said she plans to revise the water system so it doesn’t leak into the street.

“The water wouldn’t evaporate in the heat or go to waste by leaking into the street,” she said.