BEAUMONT, Texas — If you're traveling south into Beaumont from Hardin County and plan to take Dowlen Rd. you'll need to plan ahead for the next three months.
The exit ramp to Dowlen Rd. from southbound U.S. Highway 69 as well as the entrance ramp onto the southbound highway will be closed for the next three months beginning on Friday according to TxDOT.
Both ramps are near Parkdale Mall where the frontage road will be shut down to only one lane while the ramps are closed for construction.
The Dowlen exit ramp is just south of Texas Highway 105 while the on ramp is in front of the Texas Roadhouse restaurant.
Southbound drivers wanting to exit for Dowlen will need to take the Texas Highway 105 exit about a half mile ahead of the Dowlen exit ramp.
They can then stay on the frontage road, which will be down to one lane, to access Dowlen Rd.
Drivers can turn right from the frontage road onto Rosedale Dr. or Cole Rd. and then make a left to head south on Old Dowlen Rd. which will take the to Dowlen Rd. near the Super WalMart.
Drivers looking to enter southbound U.S. Highway 69 from Texas 105 or Parkdale Mall will need to stay on the frontage road heading south, cross Dowlen Rd and then use the on ramp about a mile south of the existing on ramp just north of Lucas Dr.
The construction closures are part of the U.S. Highway 69 widening project according to TXDot spokesperson Sarah Dupre.
The project is set to widen the highway from two lanes to three lanes in each direction from the U.S. 69/Interstate 10 split to the Lower Neches Valley Authority canal according to Dupre. the project began at the end of 2018 and should be finished by the end of 2023.
Another project is handling the widening of the highway from the canal to Tram Rd. she said.
Eventually the department plans to widen all of U.S. Highway 69 in the Beaumont district which extends all the way through Tyler County.