After a quick visit with our field personnel assigned to the Wurzbach Parkway project between Jones-Maltsberger and Wetmore, we've got an idea of the timeline for work remaining to get that eastern segment open to use.
The $33 million project began late 2010 with Ballenger Construction. By late 2012 Ballenger had filed for bankruptcy and defaulted on the project, leaving the project in the control of its surety company Liberty Mutual. Liberty Mutual hired Texas Sterling Construction early 2013 to finish the work.
Since Texas Sterling has come on we have been working hard to finish the project in a timely fashion. Along they way they've dealt with issues involving some of the work done by Ballenger before. They've reconstructed the center median barriers along the length of the project and reconstructed concrete paving slabs between Jones-Maltsberger and the city's brush dump site.
Now they're dealing with some issues near the Starcrest Drive overpass. Those issues will need to be addressed before the segment can be opened for use.
The work to address the Starcrest issues has already begun and is projected to wrap up this spring if weather and equipment cooperate. That would allow crews to focus on getting the segment opened up, which is now scheduled to happen by mid-2015.
That's nearly a year later than initial projections when Texas Sterling took over the project in 2013. The delays have come largely as Texas Sterling has addressed unknown quality issues involving Ballenger's completed work.
Again, expect to be able to use the eastern segment of Wurzbach Parkway by mid-2015. The final segment, spanning West Avenue to Jones-Maltsberger, will also open mid-2015.
