Safety features in the form of texturized centerlines and shoulders will be added to four area highways during coming months, according to plans approved in September by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).
“We are looking at installing texturized pavement methods to centerline areas of these highways to help prevent crossover crashes and along the shoulders to prevent run-off-the-road crashes,” said Rebecca Wells, Director of Traffic Operations for TxDOT in Atlanta. “The texturized pavement methods make noise when vehicle tires run over them, alerting drivers that they are getting out of their traffic lane.”
Highways scheduled to receive the improvements are:
| County | Highway | Limits | Miles |
| Harrison | SH 43 | From: Panola County Line To: US 59 | 14.1 |
| Marion | SH 43 | From: Cass County Line To: Harrison County Line | 13.1 |
| Panola | FM 1970 | From: US 79 To: SH 315 | 4.0 |
| Upshur | FM 852 | From: FM 2088 To: SH 154 | 15.7 |
Striping Technology of Tyler was awarded the contract for the construction on these projects with a bid of $1.8 million.
Work on the projects should begin in November of this year and take about five months to complete, Wells said.