Trans-Texas Corridor Efforts Driving On

TxDOT and the Federal Highway Administration released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement recommending roads be placed along existing highways for the Trans-Texas Corridor project.

Existing highways will be considered first as state transportation officials continue work to identify an alignment for IH-69/TTC, an effort that will include unprecedented public involvement opportunities during the next several months, according to TxDOT.

TxDOT, in coordination with the Federal Highway Administration, released the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Trans-Texas Corridor project, saying it will make transportation safer, faster more reliable and provide for faster hurricane evacuation.

The 1,072-page report is the result of nearly three years of work with local officials and input from citizens through hundreds of public meetings. It looked at a wide, 650-mi long study area stretching from far south Texas to extreme northeast Texas.

The report recommends additional detailed examination and public comment on a narrower study area to see where IH-69/TTC can be located while minimizing environmental impacts. The recommended study area is approximately .5- to 4-mi wide.

As a result of public comment to date, the report recommends continued environmental studies on IH-69/TTC focused on using existing highways first with new corridors as a secondary option.

The report also looked at future transportation needs along the corridor where 12.1 million people are expected to live by 2040. Activity at Texas ports is growing rapidly, which will mean more trucks along the corridor, according to the report.

TxDOT will soon begin formal public hearings on the environmental study. Forty-six public hearings will be held throughout the study area with the focus strictly on the DEIS document.

State Provides Nearly $29 Million for Public Transportation Providers

State transportation officials approved $28.7 million for public transportation providers for fiscal year 2008.

Among the largest awards were the Brazos Transit District, which received $2.6 million. The Capital Area Rural Transportation System received more than $1 million and West Texas Opportunities Inc. received more than $1 million, too.

The commission also approved a $2.6 million award in transportation development credits for various public transportation capital projects. Transportation development credits, or TDCs, formerly known as toll credits are earned when local and state funds are used to construct toll facilities. The federal government credits states for their investment in these projects by allowing them to be used to offset other transportation expenditures. State and federal law permit the substitution of toll credits as the required non-federal match for capital projects.

In December 2006, the transportation commission expressed its desire to award TDCs to transit providers for projects that comply with the department's goals to reduce congestion, expand economic opportunity, enhance safety, improve air quality and increase the value of transportation asset.

Arlington’s Eastbound IH-30 Collins Street Bridge Ramp Removed

To make way for the new Center Street Bridge over Interstate 30, the Collins Street entrance/exit ramp bridge to eastbound I-30 in Arlington was recently demolished. TxDOT  awarded the project to the Zachry Construction Corp. of San Antonio for $18.6 million. The new Center Street Bridge will have six lanes with turnarounds and is estimated for completion by winter 2008.

The Center Street Bridge is part of the $162.4 million, I-30/Three Bridges project near the Dallas/Tarrant County line that includes the new bridge at Center Street, a new bridge at Baird Farm Road, the replacement of the Collins Street Bridge and the reconstruction of I-30 main lanes from Cooper Street to Ball Park Way. Construction on the Baird Farm Road and Collins Street bridges will begin this fall.

Austin’s U.S. 290 Expansion Project Could Begin in 2010

TxDOT and the FHA recently conducted public meetings on the U.S. 290 expansion project in Central Texas, which could begin construction in 2010.

TxDOT has proposed improvements to U.S. Highway 290, from SH 130 to FM  973 in Travis County. The project is planned to include widening the existing four-lane divided arterial to a six-lane toll road. The length of the proposed project along U.S. 290 is approximately 3.2 mi and includes right of way within the city limits of Austin and Manor.

IH-30 Mesquite Bridge Demolished

The east and westbound main lanes of IH-30 at Big Town Blvd. in Mesquite were recently  closed to allow for the removal of the southbound Big Town Blvd. Bridge.

In order to remove the south section of the bridge, the eastbound frontage road at Big Town Blvd. was closed for two days. The westbound frontage road closed to allow the removal of the north section of the bridge.

The contractor for the project is SCR Construction Co. Inc. of Sugar Land. The project cost is more than $2 million.

U.S. 175 Expansion Project Started in Phases

The western-most segment of the U.S. 175 expansion project is under way in Henderson County between Mabank and SH 334, where it adjoins current phases of construction. The project will widen U.S. 175 to two lanes in each direction.

The project is scheduled for completion in July 2010.

Harlingen's Loop 499 Widening Project Under Way

The Pharr District of TxDOT recently began the expansion of Loop 499 in Harlingen.

The project is expected to take approximately seven months to complete construction. The 2.2-mi project was awarded to Foremost Paving of Weslaco at a cost of $3.4 million.

The project stretches from FM 106 North to FM 507 in Harlingen and consists of reconstructing and widening to a 93-ft curb and gutter roadway with four lanes and a raised median.

The roadway leads to the Rio Grande Valley’s only major commercial airport, the Valley International Airport as well as Texas State Technical College in Harlingen.

$50 Million in Road Projects Started in Laredo/Webb County

Concrete forms were recently removed and concrete for a new bridge slab was placed fro the continued construction of FM 1472 Grade Separation Project in the Loop 20-U.S. 59 project in Laredo/Webb County. The project is being built by Kiewit Texas Construction.

Rosiek Construction Co. worked on the removal and placement of the concrete in December.

The $19.2 million project spans .2 mi south of Spur 400 to 1.68 mi north of US 59.

In the same region, Rosiek is building railroad grade separation and bridge approaches about .4 mi north of IH-35W frontage road at a project cost of $31 million.

New Ramps Open on Altamesa, Part of $13 Million Project

The new northbound entrance and exit ramps from Altamesa Boulevard to IH-35W in Fort Worth opened in late 2007. The new ramps are part of the $13 million project designed to improve traffic flow on Interstate 35W. The project is estimated for completion by winter.

Rural FM 917 Gets Facelift, Pavement Overlay

Work to rehabilitate a 6-mi stretch of FM 917 began recently. The project on FM  917 from Egan to Joshua, about 20 mi south of Fort Worth, consists of widening the roadway by constructing three-foot shoulders, reworking the existing pavement and strengthening the roadway with a pavement overlay. The $5 million contract has been awarded to Dallas-based APAC-Texas Inc.

Repairs Completed on Rain-Damaged Navarro County Embankments

Work should wrap up this month on the rehabilitation of three embankments along southbound IH-45 that experienced slope failure due to the heavy rainfall in 2007 in Navarro County.

Two of the embankment slides occurred along southbound IH-45 and Business 45, and one occurred along southbound IH-45 and mile marker 227. Work included removing the slide area, stabilizing the slope by mixing lime with the dirt to help dry it out, re-building the slope back up to the original grade, making guardrail repairs and establishing vegetation.

Ed Bell Construction Co., of Dallas did the the project cost for $394,000 and took approximately two months to complete.