FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE; March 30, 2006

Highway to be rebuilt to eliminate curves on roadway The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) began reconstructing SH 160 from the Grayson County line to SH 121 in Collin County this week. The cost of the 1.4-mile project is $3.4 million. SH 160 runs through Desert, which is located south of Whitewright.

"Primarily, the purpose of this project is to improve safety by adding shoulders and reconstructing the existing curves on SH 160 to meet today’s design standards," said Brenan Honey, a project manager for TxDOT’s Collin County Area Office.

In order to minimize the curves on the highway, Honey said SH 160 will be shifted to the west. Some of the lanes will be widened to 12 feet along with shoulders being added to the roadway. Honey said two inches of hot mix will be placed on SH 121 so that its surface will match the new surface of SH 160.

Throughout the project, various lanes will be closed from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., weekdays. Flaggers will direct motorists through the construction area.

R. K. Hall Construction, LLC, of Paris, serves as the contractor of this project. Work on SH 160 is scheduled to complete in December 2006.

For More Information Contact: Angela Loston Public Information Office at (214)320-4483.