POTTSBORO, Tex. -- Local officials say the much anticipated Highway 289 expansion will bring much needed growth to Texoma, but the undertaking has been challenging.

The ‘289 project’ has officially begun, but the crews moving the telephone lines here have been delayed two weeks because the ground is so saturated they have to dig four to five feet down in order to get those lines in.

The project manager says right now the project must be advertised for 21 days to receive bids on the work.

At the end of August, a contractor will be hired to begin paving the highway October 1st.

Pottsboro city manager Kevin Farley says telephone wires, sewer lines and power lines need to be moved in order to move forward.

"You had to do some clearing of all the land and that's taken place that's finished now on the entire section of the new road now the utilities are trying to be relocated try and get those out of the way including us," said Farley.

This is just one of the multiple processes to get this highway in, but officials say you won't be driving on 289 until 2009.