New plant sets traffic watches for heavy hauls

The Chevron Phillips petrochemical plant under construction along Texas Highway 87 south has set more times to close traffic lanes for moving heavy modular components.

The $8.5 billion plant, officially named Golden Triangle Polymers, or GTP in the 21st Century language of abbreviations, is being built from a number of prefabricated units, many of which are constructed overseas.

The heavy units are shipped to the U.S. and then placed on barges that travel to Cow Bayou and then to a specially-constructed loading facility along the bayou. Heavy haul trucks then move the modules on Highway 87 to the plant site, about a mile away.

The construction site is about 2,000 acres along Highway 87 between Foreman Road and FM 1006.

When the heavy hauls are made, lanes in the northbound traffic could be affected or slowed. Traffic on both lanes may be affected in the area between Cow Bayou and FM 105.

GTP has given dates for the heavy hauls along with time frames for the roads to be affected. The hauls may be canceled because of rain or wet conditions.

The dates and time frames are Wednesday, June 5, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Saturday, June 8 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Monday, June 10, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Wednesday, June 12, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Friday, June 14, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.