BRIDGE CITY, Texas — Traffic along northbound Texas Highway 87 in Orange County between Bridge City and the airport is being interrupted each morning this week but its all in the name of jobs and progress.
Crews will be moving "heavy haul" loads between a "marine offloading facility" at Cow Bayou in Bridge City along northbound Texas 87 to the construction area near the Orange County Airport every day this week.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: The above video first aired on March 30, 2023.)
The loads will be moving between the hours of 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. weekdays this week.
Several large pieces of what will become part of the $8.5 billion Golden Triangle Polymers facility being built in Orange County are being transported.
The company built the "marine offloading facility," or MOF, about 2.5 miles from the work site on Caw Bayou to bring in large pieces by barge.
The heavy loads are transported by a "heavy haul vehicle" north to the construction site a few miles away.
All of the "heavy hauls" will enter the site at gate two across from the Orange County Airport the company said.
The company has released a satellite image mapping out the MOF location and the planned "heavy haul route" along Texas Highway 87.
Here's the traffic protocols the company has listed on its website...
- Entrance signs have been placed on State Highway 87 North and South to indicate where trucks should enter the construction site.
- No trucks entering from the South (FM 1006) will be allowed to park on State Highway 87 under any circumstances.
- Heavy Haul trucks must remain in the right lanes and trucks exiting Gate 2 must make a right turn on State Highway 87 and head North.
- A flagger will be positioned inside Gate 2 to make sure the above is implemented properly.
- Download an overview of the Traffic Management Plan and Projected Workforce.
Officials say nearby residents can expect parts of the highway to be shut down as crews continue to large equipment.
They understand shutting down Highway 87 causes traffic, but they want residents to know it's a growing pain that will accommodate the growth happening in Orange.
"I'm happy to say that as of Sept. 30, we have spent $192 million with local orange county companies," said Communications Lead for Golden Triangle Polymers Company, Heather Betancourth.
Betancourth says the equipment being transported into Golden Triangle Polymers comes on flatbeds and ready to be installed.
"This is unique and different for us, typically pipes are just bought in and we assemble them onsite. What this means is we're moving large pieces of equipment and modules from our off-loading facility on Cow Bayou to approximately two and a half miles down the road to our project site," she said.
Construction on the $8.5 billion dollar is slated to be completed in 2026.
In the meantime, it's bringing in 5,000 construction jobs and 500 full time jobs once it's operational.
"We have hired 432 local workers since we announced our project. i think that people are more appreciative. they were already appreciative that our project is here but i think it means something more now that they are facing this change with all the plant closures in the area. '
Betancourth says the next road closures will be sporadic for the next 20 months.