Direct Connet May 2026

 

Over the weekend a new traffic pattern was put in place on 76 East / 42 South. Three lanes going to 42 South have been shifted to the right and along with a single lane coming off the Al-Jo curve they now pass under the new 295 mainline overpass that has been built over the past few months. The single lane from 76 East to 295 South has also been shifted to the right and joins back to the ramp closer to 42. 

I believe these lane shifts are needed to make room for the installation of the remaining steel for the 295 mainline overpass.

42Freeway has posted a great video that shows a drive through of the new pattern along with aerial views.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYX3IL97gjM

Here are some of my photos driving through the new pattern. 

On the right are the two lanes from the Al-Jo curve going to 295 South, in the middle is the lane from the Al-Jo curve going to 42 South, and on the left are the lanes from from 76 East.

Another thing to note is that recently a crane has appeared ont he small piece of ramp which will eventually carry 42 North traffic to 295 North. This likely means that installation of steel for that ramp will start soon. 

Direct Connect April 2026

Here is an overview picture of the most active area of the project. On the left in the southern portion of the new main line overpass. It starts with a ground based portion and transitions into the recently added steel that will extend over 42 and Browning Road. The partial ramp on the right was built in an earlier phase of the project and will eventually carry traffic from 42 North to 295 North.

First sections of steel have been installed over the past few weeks. Temporary railings have been installed so work can begin on the bridge deck for this section. 

Steel has been installed up to the point where it would pass over the current travel lanes. You can also see that metal brackets have been added to the tops of the columns where steel beams will be attached. 

Thes two columns will hold up cross beam which will hold the new mainline overpass. 

Work continues to close up the hole in the retaining wall where the temporary Browning Road overpass was. A couple rows of wall panels have been installed and they have poured the concrete barrier along the botton. 

Paving work has been going on under where the steel has recently been installed. This will allow for a lane shift they will probably have happened by the time you see this. I believe this is needed because it looks like temporary supports will be needed to install the next sections of steel. The lane shift will provide room to install these supports. 

The retaining wall for the southern end of the new mainline overpass is nearly complete. Panels are all installed and cap has been installed. Drainage work has been going on, on top so it will probably be ready for paving soon. 

Direct Connect March 2026

Here are a couple pictures showing the area where the temporary Browning Road overpass used to be. They are in the process of building the rest of the retaning wall to finish off that area. 

More steel has been installed for the 295 main line overpass. This being installed between the southern ground based part of the overpass up to where it could cross over 42. The pieces that go over 42 will eventually require nighttime road closures. 

Direct Connect February 2026

Over the last few weeks they have begun to install the steel structure of the new 295 mainline overpass. The section currently being built is the south bound section below Browning Road and will connect to the ground based section that has recently been built. This section doesn't go over any active portions of the highway so I assume this was done without any lane clousures. Evenutally they will need to put in steel over the highway which will require nighttime lane clousures. 

 

Direct Connect January 2026

The removal of the bridge abutment for the temporary Browning Road overpass is almost complete. You can see the temporary retaining wall that was behind it. They will now complete the concrete retainin wall and join it to the permannt bridge abutment. 

Just south of the Browning Road overpass a temporary support has bee installed which will be used when the steel for the main line overpass is installed. 

Browning Road Overpass January 2026

Here is picture fropm 1/17 showing the continued removal of the temporary abutment that was part of the temporary Browning Road overpass, removal is almost complete.  

Browning Road Overpass January 2026

This week they have started to remove the temporary bridge abutment that was holding up the termporary Browning Road overpass. Here is a picture from Tuesday..

This picture is from Wednesday. You can see a couple feet of the abutment has been removed and exposed the I-beam and wood retaining wall behind it. Once removed the mechancially stablized earth retaining wall will be completed up to the overpass.