The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and general contractor Sundt Construction are working on a project in Roscoe, Texas, which has a population of approximately 1,000 and is located about 10 miles west of Sweetwater, Texas, and 250 miles west of Dallas, Texas. The I-20 at U.S. 84 Interchange Improvement Project is expected to enhance safety in the North Central Texas town by bringing the interchange up to current design standards.
Texas is the biggest state in the contiguous United States. One can drive miles between population centers and see little. However, even in areas one may think of as barren, there is much going on in the vast state.
The Roscoe wind farm is one of the largest onshore wind farms in the world, with 781.5 MW of turbines installed. Constructed by E.ON Climate and Renewables, the plant is run by RWE, a multi-national energy company.
The wind farm occupies 100,000 acres of land, which the RWE website says are primarily dry-land cotton fields. The massive wind farm touches four counties: Mitchell, Nolan (home of Roscoe), Fisher, and Scurry.
Roscoe and Nolan County are also in the middle of the oil fields. There are many oil wells and drilling locations in and around the area, according to the Texas Drilling website.
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Another happening in the area is the railroad. The Union Pacific Railroad passes through Roscoe.
Despite the major happenings in and around Roscoe, the area is dominated by wide open spaces. This type of landscape encourages drivers to go fast, often beyond the speed limit.
The speed limit on U.S. 84 in the project area is 75 mph, but some drivers go significantly above that number. Excessive speeds can create unsafe conditions.
According to TxDOT, the aging interchange does not provide optimal placement/spacing of ramps, and it “experiences higher than average crash rates compared to other interchanges in the Abilene district.” Accidents at high speeds often mean significant damage and enhance the potential for fatalities.
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“The interchange had a bad history of accidents because the I-20 main lines are very curvy,” said Brian Smith, a Sundt Construction Project Executive overseeing the project. “The road curved in a way that made it look like a snake.”
While some traffic is standard, there is a significant amount of through traffic. Some of the traffic includes 18-wheelers and oil tankers. Maneuverability is more challenging, so drivers need to handle snake-like curves carefully.
A primary aim of the project is to smooth out I-20 so it is less curvy and adjust the road so there is a better connection between I-20 and U.S. 84. TxDOT added that the project will provide a “flexible design to accommodate future needs.”
A Sundt Construction press release said that the project “updates the interchange layout to meet today’s design standards and improve public safety. It will realign a portion of IH-20 main lanes and frontage roads, provide direct connections between IH-20 and U.S. 84 main lanes, and update ramp configurations along IH-20. Once complete, the interchange will be able to accommodate present traffic numbers and future traffic growth.”
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When the new interchange is complete, it will have two direct connectors; one is brand new, and one is rebuilt. The rebuilt connector is an 11-span bridge that is approximately 1,200 feet long. The other connector is a 29-span bridge that is 3,000 feet long. Smith said that the tallest column on the new bridge is 30 feet.
Smith said that Sundt strives to hire local people to be part of their workforce. This practice tends to create goodwill, garner community appreciation, and strengthen the connection between the community and the project/construction company.
“In a rural area like Roscoe, we have to bring in lots of our own people,” Smith said. “We tried to hire from the local workforce and did get some to join our crew.”
Among the local hires is a ready-mix company. They are providing the team with concrete for miscellaneous elements such as bridge decks, drill shafts, and everything other than concrete paving.
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Although Sundt usually erects its own portable concrete plant, their portable plants were busy. So, they hired a Texas-based company that specializes in erecting portable concrete plants.
On average, the onsite workforce numbers are between 40 and 50 people. To encourage Sundt staff to join the workforce in Roscoe, Smith said, “We knew in advance that we had to make it attractive to come out here, so we made sure to offer a generous subsistence/per diem for living expenses.”
Smith and Sundt did additional work before starting the project.
“We researched to find good partners and formed relationships with people in the area,” Smith said. “Some of our partners have gone on to work with us on other jobs in the area.”
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The research also enabled Sundt to find a landowner to take the dirt. Because the recipient is nearby, there is less time spent hauling the dirt from the job site. The proximity also saves money.
Smith and Sundt have also gotten to know the local population.
“Every district has their own way of doing things,” Smith said. “The local people have engaged with us and shown a genuine interest in the project.”
Smith said he appreciates the kindness and enthusiasm of the local community.
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Construction on the project began in November 2022. As part of the bid, Sundt said they could complete the project in 829 working days. Other outfits bidding on the project said the process would take longer. One of the reasons Sundt won the project was their shorter build time.
TxDOT did not select a contractor based solely on low bid. Price and schedule were also considered when determining the winning team.
Eight-hundred working days meant the project would have been completed in spring 2026. Sundt is currently projecting to finish the project in 600 days and 10 months ahead of schedule.
Sundt made some significant changes to reduce the build time.
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“At the beginning of the job, we approached TxDOT about phasing changes, which we felt would make the project more efficient,” Smith said.
“Originally the project had nine phases of work, and we proposed to do [it] in four phases,” Smith added. TxDOT agreed to the change.
The original plan was to have work on bridge structures throughout the project, but Smith said that they were “able to work on more bridge structures faster, as we did all the direct connectors simultaneously. The change enabled us to be more efficient with concrete paving and make work zones more efficient overall.”
The construction budget for the project is a shade below $117 million. The state is providing all the funding. Smith estimates that the project will come in slightly under budget. He credits the plan and how Sundt refined/executed it as to why the project is under budget.
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When the I-20 at U.S. 84 Interchange Improvement Project is completed, Roscoe and Nolan County will offer safer driving conditions for locals and those passing through. The town will have a modern interchange that suits the needs of drivers and reduces congestion in the corridor.
- Owner: Texas Department of Transportation; Area Engineer, Ryan Sayles, PE
- General Contractor: Sundt Construction, Inc., Tempe, Arizona
- Designer: AECOM, Dallas, Texas
- CEI: Volkert, Mobile, Alabama
- Other Key Contractors: Nobles Road Construction, Abilene, Texas; TRP Construction Group, Fort Worth, Texas; HB Farmer Foundations, Houston, Texas; Willis Electric, Abilene, Texas; MICA Corporation, Fort Worth, Texas; Choctaw Erectors, Grand Prairie, Texas; Hope City Concrete, Bonham, Texas; Barricades Unlimited, Lubbock, Texas; West Texas Rock Resources, Roscoe, Texas
