Drivers of 18-wheelers and other heavy trucks will now face more restrictions when driving in the Interstate 35E construction zone.
Crews with the 35Express Project will post new signs Thursday morning barring commercial vehicles from driving in the left lane on three lane sections of the road.
Project spokesperson Kimberly Sims said any vehicle over 10,001 pounds will have to stay in the right two lanes in order to allow for better flow in the construction zone. That covers most of the stretch from Interstate 635 in Dallas County to the Lake Cities area in Denton County.
Truck drivers at a local Denton truck stop Wednesday said they are used to lane restrictions with several roads nationwide carrying them and even some entire states barring semis from the left lane.
Drivers also said they often see the rule enforced by police in those areas and it tends to carry a hefty fine for violators.
The new truck rule comes as the 35Express team announced Wednesday their renewed Safe Drive 35 campaign which will include a new online and social media blitz for safety in the work zones, and in the past year has brought more police patrolling the corridor and lowered speed limits.
Sims said their team is also identifying spots along the stretch to add new “pull over zones” where police can safely pull over speeding drivers or other violators in an effort to better enforce safety laws and prevent backups.
