October TxDOT Highway Letting Dates

The October Texas Department of Transportation's highway letting is scheduled for Oct. 8 and 9. According to a July 28 report, 68 projects are approved to be let with an estimated total of $223,517,422.

The report also cited that projects may be added, advanced or delayed as deemed necessary.

TxDOT Updates Progress On Turnpike Project

The Texas Department of Transportation recently provided a progress report on the Central Texas Turnpike Project, a $2.77 billion endeavor that the highway department said remains on schedule to open around December 2007.

The turnpike project includes a Loop 1 extension from Parmer Lane to State Highway 45 North/Loop1, a section of the SH45/Loop 1 interchange, five sections of SH 45 North and four segments of SH 130.

Construction of the 3.5-mi. Loop 1 extension was scheduled to begin this month, while work at the SH 45/Loop 1 Interchange is already under way and expected to be completed as early as September 2006.

More than half of the 132 right-of-way acquisitions for the SH 45 North project have been purchased and construction on the first two sections began in August. Other construction contracts are expected to be awarded later this year.

Meanwhile, current environmental work for SH 130 has begun with archeological surveys and coordination of necessary reviews with the Federal Highway Administration, federal regulatory agencies and the Texas Historical Commission.
Construction on SH 130 is expected to begin later this year.

Williams Brothers Awarded Katy Freeway Contract

Houston-based Williams Brothers Construction Co. recently broke ground on the first portion of the long-anticipated reconstruction project of the Interstate 10 Katy Freeway.

The project from the Fort Bend County line to Washington Avenue in Houston will be let in a total of nine separate construction packages. The first is a $207 million package that involved reconstruction of existing main lanes and frontage roads of IH 10 east of State Highway 99 to just went of SH 6.

The first portion of the project will include eight main lanes, two managed lanes in the center and six frontage road lanes. It is scheduled to be completed by June 2006.

The second and third contracts of the project, which include the IH 10/IH 610 interchange and a section from SH 99 to the Fort Bend County Line, were let in July and could begin later this year.

All contracts are scheduled to be let by March 2006 with all construction completed by November 2008. The total cost of the entire program is estimated at $1.18 billion.

Construction Of Houston Metro Rail Stays On Track

Officials of the new light rail system in Houston commented in early July that construction of the $324 million Metro line remains on track for a New Year's Day 2004 launch.

"We have lots of work yet to complete, but that is as scheduled," Metro vice president of construction John Sedlak told the Houston Chronicle. "We are going to accomplish that. It hasn't been easy, but we will get the project up and running."

The original timetable had the light rail line opening in October 2004, but when Houston captured Super Bowl XXXVIII - set for Feb. 1 in new Reliant Stadium - completion of the 7½-mile system was put on a faster track.

Project director Anthony Venturato told the Chronicle that no city has ever built a light rail system quicker. In addition to installing track, Houston has installed new utility lines under the Main Street corridor and has rebuilt several city streets.

McCarthy Breaks Ground On IH-10 Section Rebuild

The Dallas office of McCarthy recently broke ground on a project near Beaumont to reconstruct existing main lanes on Interstate 10 between state highways 146 and 99.

McCarthy will also add two new lanes to the five-mile stretch of IH 10.

"This is another important project for Chambers County," said Walter Crook, Beaumont district engineer for the Texas Department of Transportation. "Rebuilding this section will dramatically improve the quality of travel through Chambers County."

McCarthy is also teaming with TxDOT to educate the public by offering handouts that offer helpful information to motorists, such as project timetables, planned changes in traffic patterns and potential traffic disruptions or delays.

The reconstruction project is scheduled for completion in June 2006.

Tollway Extension Design Contract Awarded To PB

The Dallas office of international design firm Parsons Brinckerhoff has been awarded a contract to design a two-mile extension of the North Texas Tollway from State Highway 121 to U.S. Highway 380 in Frisco.

The $40 million project involves two miles of a six-lane, controlled-access toll facility with ramps and ramp toll plazas.

PB will provide detailed bridge designs for two bridge overpasses and one bridge underpass. The project also entails grading, paving, retaining walls, drainage, signage, lighting, traffic signals, traffic controls and utility relocations. In addition, an intelligent transportation system will be developed with closed-circuit television monitoring and dynamic message signs.

Construction of the project is scheduled to begin in mid-2004 with completion slated for summer 2006.