New innovative intersection underway in Ellis County

February 26. 2026

By Victoria Lara

ELLIS COUNTY, TEXAS — Work is steadily progressing at the I-35E and FM 664 (Ovilla Road) interchange in Red Oak, where the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is working on an innovative intersection that will help reduce congestion and improve safety.

TxDOT is rebuilding the intersection into a Single-Point Urban Interchange, or SPUI. While drivers are beginning to see visible construction activity, the full benefits of the new design will come in phases over the next year.

A SPUI is designed to move traffic through busy intersections more efficiently by allowing opposing left turns to operate under a single traffic signal instead of multiple signals. With more vehicles able to move during each signal cycle, the design can significantly reduce delays at high-volume interchanges such as this one.

The configuration also improves safety by reducing the number of traffic conflict points compared to traditional interchange designs. Its more compact footprint makes it a good fit for growing urban corridors, and the wide, single intersection layout gives large trucks and oversized vehicles more room to maneuver.

Crews are currently focused on the northern half of the FM 664 bridge, with that portion expected to be complete this summer. At that point, traffic will be rerouted to the completed side of the bridge, so work can shift to the southern half. The project will continue into late next year when the SPUI is expected to become fully operational.

During construction, drivers should continue to expect periodic lane shifts, detours and occasional nighttime closures along I-35E and FM 664. TxDOT is encouraging motorists to stay alert in work zones and plan ahead for changing traffic patterns.

Once fully complete by the end of next year, the upgraded interchange is expected to provide smoother traffic flow and a safer connection through one of Ellis County’s key corridors.

TxDOT is developing multiple kinds of innovative intersections throughout the state. To learn more about other designs, visit TxDOT.