ODESSA – A second district seal coat project is under way across the Odessa District of the Texas Department of Transportation. Nearly 90 miles of roads in five counties will be worked on in June and July.

Each year the Odessa District seal coats select roads as part of a program to prolong the life of the roads. Seal coating offers three major benefits: it protects the road base by keeping water from seeping in; it seals cracks and stops them from spreading; and it provides a new surface which improves safety.

It is likely that loose rocks will be encountered in the work zones during the seal coat process. Motorists are urged to find alternate routes if possible and avoid work zones. Loose rocks may be present after work is completed as well.

Pilot cars and flaggers will be used frequently due to necessary lane closures. Wait times will vary depending on the amount of traffic. Motorists should obey any pilot cars, warning signs, or flaggers they encounter. Slower speeds are also advised.

The following locations are scheduled to be seal coated. It is difficult to predict exact dates for each location and scheduled dates are subject to change pending weather and other unforeseen circumstances. These dates are only offered as a general guide. A striping crew will follow about a week or two later in each location. The locations include:

• FM 1788 from Highway 176 in Andrews County to Highway 158 in Midland County (crosses corner of Ector County). (Through week of June 21 for about five days).
• Highway 302 in Ector County from Highway 158 to West Loop 338. (Week of June 21 for about six days.)
• Southwest Loop 338 in Ector County from I-20 to Highway 385. (Late June for a day.)
• Highway 385 from I-20 in Ector County to Highway 329 in Crane County. (Late June and early June for about two weeks.)
• Interstate 20 from Ward County line (crosses corner of Crane County) to 2.3 miles west of FM 1601 in Ector County. (Early July for about a week.)
• BI-20 from Pecos River to I-20 east of Barstow in Ward County. (July for about two days.)

Brannan Paving Co. of Victoria won the project with a bid of a little more than $6.65 million.