Work on the Texas 360/Division Street interchange in Arlington has carried on for much of the past year with minimal interruption to traffic -- but that's about to change.

This weekend, motorists are urged to avoid the area altogether.

Both directions of traffic on the notoriously congested Texas 360 will be reduced to one lane from 8 p.m. Friday to 2 p.m. Sunday, weather permitting.

Traffic will be detoured as a precaution while workers hang bridge beams over the freeway's main lanes, said Val Lopez, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Transportation.

Northbound traffic on Texas 360 will exit at Abram Street to Great Southwest Parkway and across the railroad tracks. Southbound traffic will exit at Division Street to Stadium Drive and across the tracks. Detour signs will be posted.

The $56 million project includes rebuilding two bridges -- one for cars on Division Street, the other for Union Pacific Railroad freight trains -- at Division Street and 360. Ramp and frontage road improvements are also being made.

The work should be completed by 2012. The project's contractor has pledged to avoid closing freeways lanes during the work, and in most cases lanes are closed only on nights or weekends, Lopez said.

GORDON DICKSON, 817-390-7796

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