Granite Construction Inc.has been given the O.K. to proceed on a $181 million contract by the North Texas Tollway Authority to construct Section 6 of the new Chisholm Trail Parkway. Granite will book the project into backlog during the fourth quarter of 2011.

The project consists of extending State Highway 121 from Fort Worth, Texas south 13 miles to Cleburne, Texas. The contract calls for the construction of a divided two-lane tollway with passing lanes, ramps at proposed cross streets, and 19 bridges. Scope of the work also includes drainage elements, illumination, striping and signage, electronic tolling, intelligent transportation systems, fencing, utility relocation, guard rails, and landscaping.

Construction work is estimated to begin in March of 2012 and be completed by April of 2014, according to a press release from Granite Construction.