A spokesperson for the Texas Department of Transportation said back in October that the contractor hoped to have “The Southern Cross” just south of Lamesa open to traffic by the end of this year, although the project still would not be complete until early summer of 2019, but the extension of State Highway 349 to U.S. Highway 87 did not appear to be anywhere close to being ready for traffic this past Friday afternoon. The unpaved road surface is visible leading to the new bridge constructed across Sulphur Springs Draw just east of Radio Road. ...