LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) – Business owners are celebrating progress in a years-long construction project in downtown Lubbock that cost many people their jobs.
A majority of 19th Street has been closed for several years as TxDOT works on a nearly $26 million road project from Memphis Avenue to east of I-27.
The road project is still underway, but this week Cast Iron Grill posted on social media that they are celebrating a small win.
As Teresa Stephens rounded the corner to open the restaurant Tuesday morning, she said she noticed something looked different. TxDOT had cleared the cones and opened up the lanes in front of the grill for the first time in years.
“It’s a beautiful street and I can drive anywhere I want to,” Stephens said.
There is still work to be done on the entire project. Traffic is still reduced from Avenue Q to University as TxDOT crews work on sidewalks, traffic signals and lights.
There are still some lane closures from I-27 to Q. But TxDOT tells KCBD it hopes to have all lanes open to traffic across the entire project by the end of the year.
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