Mail Bag:

The person who commented on the on-ramp to westbound I-10 at Ralph Fair Rd was completely correct. You can't see the right lane clearly until you are in the acceleration lane which is way too short. And I don't agree about your suggestion on not stopping. If there is an 18 wheeler going 60 and you can't accelerate in front of it, you stop.
- Jean
For those new to the blog or unfamiliar with this issue, Jean is referring to Vicky's question back in the April 11 Mail Bag post.
A few minor points of clarification: it wasn't us making the recommendation on how to navigate the ramp; we referenced the recommendations coming from safe driving experts on the issue. That said, we've had our folks out there in a variety of vehicle types - the visibility of the roadway is quite clear from the frontage road.
The key here is to look ahead while driving. Those who aren't seeing the traffic on the I-10 main lanes are likely falling into the trap most of us do while driving; we're looking only at the pavement ahead of us. Nearly every safe or defensive driving course out there - including a standard drivers' education class and the Smith System program taught to drivers at TxDOT - teaches to aim high in steering and to get the big picture. In other words, don't simply focus on the road immediately ahead.
All this said, we stand by our explanation from before.

Why is the hillside by the southbound I-10 frontage road in Leon Springs being cut back? The project schematic does not show any additional main lines or ramps in that area. Is it for future projects?
- Blake
You're right - we're not adding additional lanes. But you'll notice on the schematic a realignment of entrance and exit ramps along the project. What you're seeing there is the cut for the new eastbound exit to Dominion Drive.

Are there plans to expand the road out Blanco Road to Old Blanco Road out in Bexar County near Camp Bullis?
- Rose
That's a great question - one we don't have a definitive answer for. The portion of Blanco Road north of San Antonio city limits is not a TxDOT facility, but is owned and maintained by Bexar County Public Works. They may have more to say on the issue than we do.

I was just wondering on the Hwy 90 west project if there will be additional lanes? And the bridge that is being built - is that going to be a turn around?
- Christina
In a word (or two): sort of. You've got two questions here. The easy one is about the turnaround. That answer is YES. As for the additional lanes ... that's the sort of.
We're adding "auxiliary lanes" in each direction to help facilitate traffic entering and exiting the highway in that area. For a closer look, check out our schematic used during our open house meetings prior to the project starting.

Flooding happens every time we have heavy rains. I travel I-35 and I-410 every day and see the trash collecting. When it floods we see six vehicles and 15 workers trying to fix something that they were payed to keep clear. People will be people that is why we pay city crews to clean it up. Someone is not doing there (sic) job period.
- Paul
Paul, we're glad you've reached out - and we hope you'll join us in our efforts to remind people of our Don't Mess with Texas campaign.
The highway belongs to the public and, as such, the care of the highway is the responsibility of us all - not simply the folks contracted to clean it up. At least, not any more than it's the sole job of our moms to clean our rooms or do our laundry. Heck, we even have a whole national holiday to recognize our moms and remind us all it's us, not our mom, who's ultimately responsible for picking up those pesky dirty socks.
We have our crews patrol the highways regularly to clean trash, but that's an extremely hazardous job to do. We can't do it daily, which is - quite frankly - what would be required to keep up with the trash getting tossed out by those people who are simply being people.
Those same crews are contracted to mow the medians at various intervals. They repair guardrails destroyed by drunk, inattentive or speeding drivers. They clean up graffiti by those who deface the signs or columns your tax dollars built. They fill in potholes we stuggle to keep up with.
In our efforts to save money in order to focus our funds on improving your commute through capital projects, we've outsourced some of our maintenance work. That's the case here - and our maintenance contractors are out on these roadways routinely.
So the issue, Paul, is not with our crews who aren't able to keep up with the trash folks are tossing out the window. It's with folks who dismiss the pathetic practice of littering as something we just need to deal with.
We take a different approach, believing we can use education to combat the problem and bring it to an actual halt. We've been working at it for 30 years now and seen some great results. There's more to do, though. Join us!

With 1604 opening past Bandera Rd, why the drop in speed limit to 60 mph? This section of road seems to be better than the NE part of 1604 around I-35 where the limit is at least 65 mph with less limited access than this section of road. Could I be so bold as to even throw out 70 mph for consideration?
- Ryan
Ryan, your sentiment is familiar - it sounds a lot like the request to increase the speed limit on Wurzbach when it opened. Well, those familiar with that situation know the speed limits were, indeed, changed.
Our approach here will be much more tempered. We have two more expansion projects coming to similarly add overpasses along Loop 1604 all the way through Hwy 90. That means this stretch between Bandera and Culebra is the stretch leading into a construction zone (that will be active next year), and the decreased speed limit will help slow folks down as they head into the new construction zones.
After that work is all done (2019), well ... that's a question for elected officials, speed studies and the Texas Transportation Commission.

How long for a large pothole to be repaired at state Hwy. 16 and main street in Kerrville?
- William
The pothole has been reported and should be addressed quickly. Thanks for letting us know!

Would you please give me information on the Highland Hills subdivision, Pocahontas Dr., and other roads around the zip code 78264 having construction plans to pave roads.
- Lee
Those roads - all unpaved, private or county roads - are not under TxDOT ownership or maintenance. The best agency to approach with this project would be Bexar County Public Works.

Wurzbach Parkway update

Blanco to West

Consistently the biggest concern folks share is about the opening of the Blanco Road overpass bridge. Last week we posted a short video talking about the delay and the solution.

A paving subcontractor is on board to address the surface issues on the bridge deck. We're waiting to get an asphalt batch that meets approved standards (that comes from the asphalt plant), and we should be ready to pave just a day or two after a batch is approved. Project bosses are still targeting the end of March to have the bridge open, if weather permits.

Otherwise, a few small items are being addressed. These include:

- Lighting at the Blanco overpass. Some of the wiring hadn't been put in because of a blockage in the conduit. Electricians are saying the issue has been resolved and lights should be on this week.

- The westbound sign for Vista Del Norte. A bike lane sign was obscuring the VDN sign; we put our best guys on it this week and it is done.

- Yield signs for the westbound exit ramp to Blanco Road. We will not be posting yield signs at the end of exit ramps on this project, in line with our area-wide policy to replace yield signs with a double white line that shouldn't be crossed. The idea is safety; we've actually seen a reduction in crashes when we've removed the yield signs for the white lines.

West to Jones-Maltsberger

 

 

Jones-Maltsberger to Wetmore

Bridge crews are planning to pour the remaining bridge deck at Salado Creek this week. Meanwhile, the two abutments and first two (of four) column caps will be poured in the nest two weeks. Abutments and column caps serve as a resting spot for bridge support beams, which hold the bridge deck up. In a best-case scenario with weather and resources we would have the bridge deck built by Labor Day.

Meanwhile, three other areas are being addressed with effort: the westbound widening of Starcrest, the widening of Jones-Maltsberger and the entryway of the city's brush site. With concrete crews about to be made available (while concrete structures cure), project planners will move them over to the brush site entryway to hammer out some of the road work remaining there (the roadway is made up of concrete slabs in that vicinity).

The road widening at JM is still being coordinated; the driveways involved, plus the coordination with another contractor, have made planning sluggish. We should be ready to hit that area in March.

At Starcrest, though, we're looking at March 3 to start the work. This date is tentative and is still very weather dependent. The work will block one of the entrances to the soccer fields across from Gardenville, but only during the week. Bosses with Texas Sterling Construction have committed to do heat they can to be out of the way by the end of the week.

Wurzbach Parkway progress

Wetmore to Jones-Maltsbergrer

More of the work to get the Mud Creek bridge has been finished - the support columns are all formed and built; the forms for the column caps are scheduled to be delivered this week. The columns will take about two weeks (weather allowing) to finish. Once the columns are capped, bridge crews can set beams and build the bridge deck.

On the other end of this segment, paving crews are scheduled to lay asphalt on Jones-Maltsberger (the future southbound lanes) Thursday. Recent weather issues have pushed this work back a bit; project bosses had initially planned to have the work done in January. With the new asphalt in place, traffic will be moved to begin using the actual lanes planned for the respective directions. That means southbound traffic will be on southbound lanes and northbound traffic will be on the northbound lanes. Some work remains in the middle if the road - that will happen over the few weeks after the next switch - but traffic on J-M should be about where it will stay by mid-spring.

Jones-Maltsberger to West Avenue

The most visible work right now is at West Avenue and along U.S. Highway 281. At West Avenue, bridge crews are scheduled to finish pouring the bridge deck this weekend. The first half was poured last weekend ... The upcoming work will mirror what was done before. This will mean alternating lane closures starting at 6:30 Saturday morning just as we had Feb. 15. This will finish the bridge deck and allow crews to focus on the surrounding features and the barrier rail lining the bridge.

On U.S. 281, the push is on the northbound side. Dirt crews continue to build up the area for the new Wurzbach Parkway exit ramp under Nakoma while a subcontractor continues work on drain structures near the future braided ramp exiting to Blanco ans entering from Nakoma. This drain structure needs to be built before the support structures for the ramps.

Just because this segment is seen the least of the three segments, here's a look (end to end) at the work being done. Note: this video was shot during the workers' lunch hour, so don't be alarmed if you don't see a bunch of guys actually doing the work!

 

West Avenue to Blanco Road

The last remaining piece of this segment is the Blanco Road overpass, which remains unopened until the bridge deck surface issue is resolved. Again, it's not a structural issue but a ride-quality issue; the kind of subtle dips in that bridge deck currently existing can make the drive less comfortable that we like. It also creates a potential for puddling when rains fall.

Here's the bottom line: project bosses are targeting spring break to have the Blanco Road overpass prpopen to traffic. Several factors can impact this, including approval of a batch of asphalt mix (that is in the hands of the Vulcan Materials Company), weather (that's in the hands of a Power higher than us at TxDOT) and equipment (that's on the shoulders of Clark Construction).

Liberty Mutual has approved a plan to address the bridge deck surface; a subcontractor (enter Clark Construction) will add a surface layer of asphalt to smooth the road. Clark's equipment is scheduled to be repaired and ready to go this week; asphalt should be ready by the weekend. If the weather holds - TxDOT specifications require temperatures higher than 60 to lay asphalt - we should be able to get the work done by spring break.

Here's a look at the bridge:

 

Wurzbach Parkway - progress continues

Blanco Road to West Avenue

Electricians are working to solve a blockage problem that will allow for the lighting issues near Blanco Road to be handled. The conduit carrying the power supply lines to each light is blocked in a spot, preventing the wiring from being delivered to the lights.

Meanwhile the prime contractor is working with TxDOT personnel well above the project level to determing the oucome of the Blanco Road overpass. While not yet resolved, the folks at the project level are working well with TxDOT supervisors to get the remaining work finished quickly.

Traffic has been using the western third of rhe parkway since Christmastime, though the Blanco Road overpass has remained closed while project supervisors come to agreements on how to treat the bridge surface (there are some ride-quality issues with slight dips on the surface; nothing structurally adverse, but could make for a bumpy ride) and a clear direction regarding the "punch list" and some of the finishing items on that list. The bottom line: expect to see the workers  on the western segment for the upcoming weeks. They'll be patching cracks and repainging walls and adjusting signs as they can, doing what they can do to make the new Parkway as beautiful as it can be.

Earlier we talked about opening the overpass once the overhead highway signs were put into place. Well, those overhead signs were successfully installed late last week, but we've still not opened that up. Everything boils down to the ongoing discussion regarding the bridge deck surface and getting the proper paperwork from Liberty Mutual. We hope to have that ironed out quickly. To those worried about that overpass: getting this open is one of the biggest priorities those involved with this project have. There's not a day or a week that passes without talking about how to get it done.

West Avenue to Jones-Maltsberger

The northbound exit to Bitters Road will close overnight Monday and Tuesday while crews set barrier; various lanes on the frontage roads will be closed Saturday while crews restripe roadway.

All this should allow us to open up a temporary entrance ramp from Nakoma Drive - the hope is to have that opened up Saturday, but it may not happen until Monday night. For the daily drivers, there won't be a whole lot of difference; the temporary ramp is set just south of the existing ramp, merging onto the main lanes pretty close to the current merge location.

When the temporary ramp is opened up bridge crews will begin working on the braided exit-entrance ramp in that location. The finished product will have the Bitters Road exit ramp bridging over the entrance ramp serving traffic from Wurzbach Parkway and Nakoma Drive.

Meanwhile, crews are working hard to have the new Wurzbach Parkway exit ramp built and in use late spring. The new ramp is really a reconstruction of the existing Bitters Road exit, moved back enough to allow traffic space to move over and reach the parkway.

Clear as mud? Let's sum up (remember ... this is all on the north-bound side):

• A temporary entrance ramp from Nakoma Drive will open by Monday night
• Construction on the future Bitters Road exit, which bridges over the future entrance ramp from Nakoma Drive (located pretty near the existing ramp), will begin
• The future Wurzbach Parkway exit, located near the existing Bitters Road exit, should be open late spring

Meanwhile, work continues at West Avenue to build up that overpass. That work will continue for the next several weeks - even two or three months - before wrapping up. The overpass will open for use when the center segment is ready to open in its entirety.

That is currently scheduled to happen in 2015.

Jones-Maltsberger to Wetmore

The biggest news is the paving on Jones-Maltsberger, initially set to be laid two weeks ago, will need to continue waiting out the weather. Cold temperatures this week have once again set work back a week. Supervisors with Texas Sterling are looking hard for the break in the cold or wet weather to lay the asphalt down.

Meanwhile, bridge crews are pushing forward with the Mud Creek bridge, which has become a focus and a priority for all involved with the project. The sooner the Mud Creek bridge is finished, the sooner we can build the final few feet of the city's Salado Creek Trail and users can begin crossing the parkway without using a surface-level crosswalk. Right now we're still hoping to have the Mud Creek bridge finished this spring. That should allow us to get rid of the temporary traffic signals put in place to protect the crosswalk near the entrace to McAllister Park.

Major closures, major openings and more progress on Wurzbach Parkway

Beginning this week—Wednesday, actually—alternating lane closures will be used on West Avenue to allow bridge crews to begin constructing the West Avenue overpass.

 

A single lane will close between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., ensuring crews will stay out of the way of peak traffic rushes. While only single lanes will close, those driving the area should be aware the closed lane will change from day to day. Bridge crews will be setting bridge deck panels, overhang brackets, tying steel reinforcement frames, pouring the bridge deck surface and building the roadway barrier rail. The east-to-west turnaround of Wurzbach Parkway will also close

Over upcoming weeks, bridge crews will complete the West Avenue overpass bridge.

The closures on West Avenue will continue until the end of February. Project bosses hope to have the overpass finished by mid-March, though it won’t be in use until the full center segment of Wurzbach Parkway is finished.

The overhead highway sign structures have been the biggest factor behind keeping the Blanco Road overpass closed. These structures should be put up by next week, allowing the overpass to open.

While opening the Blanco Road overpass remains a priority for staff at all levels of management at TxDOT, the solution for the bridge deck surface issues and overhead highway signs that have kept crews from opening the bridge are still pending.

Crews responsible for erecting the overhead highway signs are scheduled to be on-site to do their work by the first of February. Once the overhead signs are in place we’ll be able to open up the overpass for traffic.

 

That could happen as early as the middle of next week.

 

The support structures of these signs have been the biggest reason for not opening the overpass at this point. The structures are being stored along the parkway, creating a potential safety hazard for those who might be driving along the road should the structures be left in their places. Sign-hanging crews were waiting on a new design for bolt placement, signed and sealed by an engineer, to place the signs.

 

Project supervisors explored the option of moving the structures, but the cost and resources necessary to do so simply made moving the structures off-site prohibitive.

 

The Blanco Road overpass ride quality – that is, the smoothness of the ride over the bridge – is another issue still being discussed. TxDOT is committed to ensuring the product delivered to the public meets a certain level of quality, and the bridge deck isn’t quite there yet. Officials with Liberty Mutual, the surety company that insured Ballenger Construction before that contractor went bankrupt in 2012, are discussing with TxDOT administration to determine the long-term solution for the ride issues.

The bridge deck surface may not be perfect, but it's safe. Project supervisors are intent on opening the overpass; future closures may be employed, if needed, to resolve issues with the bridge deck surface.

All other major work has been finished on the western segment. Contractors may be out cleaning up the area over the next few weeks – including addressing graffiti issues on the parkway. As you see them, please be courteous of them and slow down while the crews do their work.

 

Dirt crews will close the northbound frontage road of U.S. Highway 281 between Country Parkway and Maltsberger Lane this weekend to build an underground drain structure crossing the road. The frontage road will close Friday night at 9 p.m. and reopen in time for Monday’s morning commute.

 

Drivers in the area should use Country Parkway and Maltsberger Lane to reach their destinations; this route has been used for similar closures in the past.

 

The drain structures will connect the inlets that have been built along the outside shoulder of the frontage road with the massive culvert built between the main lanes and the frontage road near Bitters Road, improving drainage for the whole area. When the new structure is in place, road crews will build a temporary entrance ramp for traffic coming from Nakoma Drive.

 

The temporary ramp will allow crews to begin building the braided ramps to be located in the area, serving traffic driving from Nakoma and the parkway onto northbound U.S. 281 and traffic exiting U.S. 281 at Bitters Road.

 

It will also signal an uptick in activity near Nakoma Drive, where the new exit ramp to Wurzbach Parkway—which is a relocation of the current Bitters Road exit ramp—will be opened for use mid-February.

 

The center segment of the parkway, connecting West Avenue and Jones-Maltsberger, is on track to be complete in 2015. Among the last portions of that project, as anticipated today, is the completion of the parkway’s overpass at U.S. 281.

TxDOT lead inspector recognized

Lloyd Mair, the lead inspector for the center segment of Wurzbach Parkway and a 28-year veteran at the Texas Department of Transportation, was recognized this week by his peers for an award given by the Association of General Contractors earlier this year.

The AGC had announced the award in October and recognized Mair at a conference in Austin. Mair wasn’t at that conference, saying his priority was concentrating on the active construction in San Antonio. TxDOT leaders with the Bexar Metro Area office and the district construction office plotted the recognition, knowing Mair wouldn’t go out of his way for accolades.

"This shouldn’t go to an individual,” Mair told those gathered at the weekly progress meeting on Wurzbach Parkway Tuesday. “This was a team effort.”

Those involved with the project, who worked with or around Mair, gathered at the weekly meeting to surprise him with a plaque and some handshakes. The award was presented by TxDOT Director of Construction Gina Gallegos.

“I’ve heard a number of nicknames for Lloyd,” Gallegos said during the presentation. “Now I’m hearing him called ‘Gold Star’. I just heard that this morning – it’s fitting!”

The recognition came for his work on the expansion of Spur 421 – Bandera and Culebra Road, inside I-410 in town – between 2008 and 2011. Williams Brothers Construction was the contractor on that project. Mair is inspecting Williams Brothers’ work on the parkway now. The project superintendent with Williams Brothers was also recognized for his part in the project.

For more information on the Wurzbach Parkway project Mair is currently inspecting, check out the project's regular newsletter here.

Parkway Progress

The latest updates on the Wurzbach Parkway project:

 

Parkway Progress newsletter....