Major Amarillo Underpass Project Wraps Up—Here’s What Drivers Must Know

It's always a good day in Amarillo when we can rejoice the completion of another construction project. It seems like we are always just complaining about construction interrupting our travels.

Oh, the headaches we suffer while we learn new traffic patterns. Sometimes those projects leave a usual way home no longer with the ability to travel. So when the work is done and the cones are gone, we rejoice.

Why the Crockett Bridge Closed

That is what recently happened with a major project that affected the Crockett Street bridge. It has been closed for about a year. Oh, and what a long year that was. There was no way to cross under from the Bivins neighborhood to the Wolflin neighborhood like we were once used to using that underpass.

We had to use either Georgia Street or Washington. Oh, and while that was going on for the longest time you could not use the I-40 entrance near Crockett either. That project finished first. No longer did we have to travel up to the next entrance near Washington to enter I-40 East.

Read More: Amarillo, Texas: I-40 On-Ramp Reopening Eases Morning Commutes |

That was the first of our rejoicing back in April. Now as of yesterday we can now celebrate the construction work at the Crockett Street Bridge being complete. The wait is over we can now use the underpass again.

What’s Changed: Stop Signs & Traffic Flow

Now with this comes some warning. For the past year or so those using the access road did not have to stop. The stop signs were gone. There was no through traffic coming from Crockett Street. That is done. The signs are up again. If you don't pay attention there can be some accidents at that intersection. Be prepared. Pay attention.

The other thing that I know people are going to be happy about. Even though it is illegal to do that underpass will now be open and the neighboring community will be thrilled when the storms roll in. Yes, illegal or not a lot of people who don't have garages at their home use that underpass for protection from hail and they park when a storm is moving in.

Another project in Amarillo is done and there are a lot of us just thrilled about this.