Road work is ready to start on a $2.4 million contract for Westbound US 82 in Cooke County. Nearly six miles of highway from the Cooke/Grayson County line to Indian Creek in Oak Ridge will be resurfaced this summer. But this won't be your average asphalt hot mix, this time the contractor will be using a revolutionary new type of pavement that is winning national awards.

PFC or Porous Friction Course is getting a lot of attention all over the country. The pavement has garnered the Wichita Falls District of TxDOT two national awards. And since our first honor winning project in Wilbarger County, the district has been phasing in the pavement for use on higher volume truck routes. We and the public have been impressed with the results.

What's so special about PFC? It's made with stiffer higher quality asphalt, cellulose fibers are added to the mix, the aggregate is larger and contains granite instead of 100% limestone.

PFC is designed to facilitate runoff and reduce the pooling of water on top of the roadway. Rain can seep down and drain off to the side of the roadway a lot easier than with regular asphalt hot mix.

PFC cuts down on over spray from vehicles during wet conditions to provide more safety to motorists. The new surface also is a lot tougher and can handle truck traffic without rutting as quickly. And lastly, PFC has an amazingly smooth and quiet ride.

Other roadways in the Wichita Falls District paved with PFC include:

1. North & Southbound US 287 from about Oklaunion to Electra in Wilbarger County.
2. Southbound 287 from Henrietta to Bellevue.
3. I-44 from Wichita Falls to Burkburnett.

Before the PFC goes down....concrete crews will repair places on the highways where the concrete has started to fail. They will be sawing out the damaged sections of roadway and pouring new concrete for the repair.

The job will include three layers of pavement to be placed on top of the concrete roadway once the repairs are finished.

Zack Burkett Company of Graham is the contractor for the project. They expect to be finished by the end of the Summer. No detours are expected, however lanes will be closed intermittently as the job is done. Lanes will also be closed at night.

All planned work is weather dependant. Poor conditions will delay the job until the weather improves.