HAMILTON COUNTY, Texas (FOX 44) – The Texas Department of Transportation is proposing to widen Highway 281 – from Highway 84 in Evant to Highway 6 in Hico.

TxDOT says the purpose of this widening project is to evaluate potential future capacity improvements to the Highway 281 corridor. The widening concepts being explored would involve the widening of Highway 281 to a four-lane divided roadway – as well as the inclusion of bicyclist accommodations.

The Feasibility Study is evaluating Alternative Alignment concepts for a new location relief route around the City of Hamilton in order to alleviate Highway 281 traffic congestion in downtown Hamilton.

New alignment and widening options would require additional right-of-way to accommodate the potential Highway 281 improvements and traffic congestion alleviation being explored by the project and the study. Further environmental studies would be needed to determine environmental impacts.

There will be an in-person and virtual public meeting the public can choose to attend. The virtual meeting will be on this page at 6 p.m. Tuesday, and will remain online through this Wednesday at 11:59 p.m.

The in-person meeting will let attendees be able to review the same materials and presentation as the online public meeting. The in-person meeting will be this Tuesday, from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Hamilton Junior High School Cafeteria – located at 400 S. College Street in Hamilton.