Maintenance, Rehabilitation Projects Continue Across State

Also, NTTA goes green; Navarro County bridge-rehab project begins; expansion of Fort Worth highway cleared for takeoff.

North Texas Tollway Authority Commits to Going Green

Working greener while helping ease traffic congestion top the goals of the North Texas Tollway Authority in the Dallas area. With a number of green projects in place, officials with the NTTA say they are seeing a difference in a variety of ways, from reduced emissions to sustainability.

"As a major provider of transportation, the NTTA is committed to improving mobility, economy and quality of life for the North Texas region," says Jorge C. Figueredo, NTTA executive director. "And improving quality of life includes being environmentally responsible to the best of our abilities," Figueredo told Texas Construction. "We definitely want to be good stewards of our assets."

NTTA’s Landscaping and concrete structures demonstrate its goal of “working greener.”

In all of its construction projects, the NTTA says it uses concrete that has a sustainable aesthetic with architectural finishes as an alternative to painting.

"Not only does this eliminate costly re-work cycles because paint can peel and chip off, it also reduces particulate/toxin disbursement and machinery noise, increases user safety be reducing traffic-lane closures and provides a high-quality, natural-looking visual appeal," Susan Slupecki, a spokeswoman for NTTA, told Texas Construction.

The NTTA's sustainability concepts for concrete also work for maintaining its steel structures by using weathered steel in projects such as the Lewisville Lake Toll Bridge, which combines low maintenance with durability, she says.

"Our landscapers choose plants that will survive the Texas heat while also conserving soil and water."

Slupecki says a prime example is located along the President George Bush Turnpike, where drought-tolerant plant life with low-irrigation requirements provide seasonal color.

NTTA uses a "smart landscape irrigation control system" designed to manage limited water resources, she says. Each landscape focus area has a dedicated controller that is connected to a central command center computer via the NTTA's fiber network.

The system has numerous water-conservation features incorporated in each controller including remote controllers that can automatically adjust irrigation zone run times based on ET (evapo-transpiration) data to match weather conditions. Run times are decreased when temperatures decrease and humidity increases. As temperatures increase and humidity decreases, run times will be increased. The ET data is compiled utilizing NTTA's weather station, Slupecki says.

Of the NTTA's 200-vehicle fleet, 16 are flex-fuel vehicles with E85 fuel capability. Half of those were purchased with a grant from the North Central Texas Council of Governments, which paid 80% of cost, Slupecki says. There are 32 hybrid vehicles and plans to convert remaining vehicles, where appropriate, she adds. NTTA's forklifts and new mowers are powered by propane.

Bridge Rehabilitation Project Begins in Navarro County

The Texas Department of Transportation began construction to rehabilitate multiple bridges and approaches on IH-45 in Navarro County. The nearly $1 million project work includes .28 mi on the southbound IH-45 service road at Elm Creek as well as bridgework on the north and southbound service roads at Richland Creek Relief.

New shoulders and guardrails will be a part of the bridge rehabilitation that will improve travel and reduce roadway maintenance along the corridor. The contractor for the project is Ajax Equipment Co. of Lufkin. The estimated project completion date is June.

Northeast Loop Interstate 820 Cleared by FHWA

The Fort Worth District office of TxDOT announced that the Federal Highway Administration has issued a finding of no significant impact on the environmental assessment for proposed construction on IH-820 from IH-35W to the Northeast Interchange.

The finding completes the environmental and public involvement requirements and allows TxDOT to continue with the development of the highway to accommodate expected growth in the area.

The 6.4-mi project will ultimately reconstruct and expand IH-820 from four lanes to 10 lanes with a new IH-35W interchange. It includes a toll-managed express lanes facility in the median.

Energy, Transportation Leaders Meet at Texas-Alberta Summit

Energy and transportation in the 21st century were the focus of the first-ever Texas-Alberta Summit held in Austin in December.

Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach, Gov. Rick Perry, Texas Secretary of State Hope Andrade and Texas Transportation Commissioner Fred Underwood headlined the event. Discussions centered on opportunities to improve and modernize energy infrastructure and build a partnership for a global economy.

The Texas-Alberta partnership strengthens the case for funding North America's primary energy and agricultural corridor, including new infrastructure in Texas.

The summit was sponsored by the Ports-to-Plains Trade Corridor Coalition, a network of nine states that promotes energy and agriculture trade. The corridor stretches from the Gulf ports of Texas to the Canadian border.

TxDOT Projects in Progress Across the State

The Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews began resurfacing parts of FM 317 east of Athens. The resurfacing effort took place over a number of weeks in various locations between Athens and FM 314 south of Brownsboro. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress.

In Smith County, TxDOT maintenance crews performed edge repairs along Spur 364 between SSW Loop 323 in Tyler and SH 31 west of Tyler. Tree-debris removal remaining from Hurricane Ike was performed in late December along the FM 2767 right-of-way.

In Anderson County, TxDOT maintenance crews performed pavement-edge repairs in various locations along SH 19 north of Palestine, FM 1817 east of Elkhart, and SH 294.

In Wood County, maintenance crews continued overlay work on SH 37 south of Winnsboro, as well as repairing pavement edges and shoulders in various locations along FM 14 and FM 778.

TxDOT Tyler District Ramps Up Efforts in Colder Weather

For most of the year in East Texas, it's warm enough for TxDOT and its contractors to apply hot mix and seal coats. But once the weather cools, and overnight temperatures drop, it's time for what TxDOT calls "extraordinary maintenance."

Extraordinary maintenance refers to operations such as plowing snow, applying de-icing agents on the roadways and removing downed trees from the highways. Preparations usually begin during the first week of November, with crews testing de-icing equipment, stockpiling de-icing agents, and going over vehicle maintenance checklists.

In the Tyler District, dump trucks go from hauling items in the warmer months to housing a spreader box in the dump bed for treating roadways with de-icing agents. With major hauling capacity, the trucks can stay out for hours at a time without needing to reload.