US 83/84 Y-Intersection and US 83 Improvements
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US 83/84 Y-Intersection and US 83 Improvements

Project background

US 83 and US 84 intersect near Tuscola in Taylor County and the concurrent highways lead north to the city of Abilene. The intersection of US 83 and US 84 forms an at-grade “Y-Intersection.” The section of US 83 and US 84, north of the Y-Intersection, is a four-lane divided highway with full shoulders. US 83 south of the Y-Intersection is a two-lane highway with full shoulders. US 84 south of the Y-Intersection is a four-lane undivided highway with two-foot shoulders. There are no acceleration lanes on US 84. Northbound US 83 at US 84 has a stop sign with red flashing roadside beacons. The speed limit is 75 mph for US 83 and US 84.

US 83/US 84 Y-intersection aerial view

Project purpose

The purpose of the proposed projects is to improve mobility and safety at the US 83/84 Y-Intersection, and from US 83 north of Tuscola to the Y-Intersection. This project was part of an overall corridor study of US 83/84.

Proposed improvements

Considerable growth in the southern portion of Abilene, into Taylor County, has impacted the safety and efficiency of US 83/US 84. Growth involves an expanding number of residences and growing neighborhoods, an increasing number of vehicles traveling into and out of Abilene at peak hours and high projected business and residential growth over the next 20 years. TxDOT is reviewing this corridor for:

  • Safety
  • Rapid growth of nearby residential housing
  • Currently a school bus route for Jim Ned CISD
  • Movement on US 83/84
  • Business access points in vicinity of intersection
  • Improved drainage along US 83

US 83/US 84 Y-Intersection

The TxDOT Abilene District presented four exhibit design options (A thru D) to the public and the majority chose the Exhibit B Design at the second open house, and the public overwhelmingly chose the Exhibit E Design during the project update held during May/June 2021. The Exhibit E Design consists of building an overpass for US 84 for northbound and southbound lanes, adding U-turns for US 84 at the Y-intersection, and building a direct connect ramp for US 83 northbound traffic to US 83 and US 84 northbound in the direction of Abilene. The benefits of this new design include improved safety at the Y-Intersection and increased mobility of traffic from Tuscola to Abilene.

Exhibit E Design - Compressed Diamond with U-Turns and Direct Connect

US 83/84 Y-Intersection – Exhibit E Design – Proposed Diamond with Direct Connector

US 83 improvements

TxDOT is continuing to define the schematic for the US 83 improvements north of Tuscola to south of Tuscola. North of Tuscola, the US 83 project limits originally were from the US 83/84 Y-Intersection to Brown Avenue in Tuscola. The updated limits are from near the Y-Intersection to near CR 160 north of the Tuscola city limits. The proposed roadway will include two lanes in each direction with a center left-turn lane and improved drainage. The section south of Tuscola is still being defined.

Get involved

Public involvement and input are essential to the project's development. Public involvement opportunities will be updated here throughout the project's planning. The first open house was Monday, April 15, 2019, and a second open house was on Nov. 5, 2019. TxDOT held a project update in June/July 2021 to collect public input on an updated design before hosting the next public meeting. TxDOT then held a third public meeting on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021.

TxDOT is affording an opportunity for a public hearing for the US 83/US 84 Y-Intersection project, and is also affording an opportunity for a public hearing for the US 83 Improvements project. Both were published on Wednesday, April 6, 2022.

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