TxDOT practices using both sides of expressway in case of evacuation

PHARR, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Texas Department of Transportation's Pharr district partnered with emergency management services to practice using both lanes of the expressway in the event that an evacuation would be necessary.

TxDOT said the exercise that was conducted Wednesday would not disrupt traffic and that no ramps would be closed.

The practice of having both sides of the expressway utilized to flow traffic in one direction is what TxDOT calls, contraflow.

"[It] would only be utilized in an extreme circumstance following a mandatory evacuation order by elected officials, involves using all lanes of the interstates to move traffic in the same direction, away from an imminent threat," TxDOT wrote in a release.

This week's exercise is part of the department's ongoing planning to discuss the roles and responsibilities of TxDOT employees and partnering local and state agencies.

In the Pharr District, the primary routes for contraflow are I-2 westbound and I-69C northbound.

In an actual event, 72 entrance ramps along southbound I-69C and eastbound I-2 would close.

To see the evacuation routes for the Pharr region in the event of a hurricane, visit TxDOT.gov and search keyword "evacuation."