Road closures aren't in the immediate future for the project at the intersection of Fredericksburg Road and Medical Drive, but some water services will be interrupted overnight next week in order to install cut-in valves that will accommodate other San Antonio Water System adjustments.
These overnight shut-offs, required by SAWS to perform the necessary work getting the water lines out of the way of the road construction project, are planned to begin Tuesday night and run through Sunday morning.
Tuesday night, the buildings northeast corner of the intersection will be impacted;that is, Oak Cliff Village.
Wednesday and Thursday night the buildings on the northwest corner of the intersection - primarily a storage facility - will be impacted.
Friday and Saturday night the buildings on the southwest corner of the intersection, including the Texaco gas station and the neighboring business complex, will be impacted.
These water shut-offs will be done between the hours of 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. - hours and times determined by project staff and SAWS to minimize the impact of the work. Project personnel have reached out to a few individual businesses to offer bottled water for those who will be hit hardest by these brief shut-offs.
With these shut-offs out of the way, we should be clear of any other major water shut-offs later on in the project. We might have one or two smaller ones, but those will be individual services and we'll address those with the directly impacted parties as appropriate.
Note, however, I just said water shut-offs would be done by the end of next week....
We have crews laying new gas line over the next few weeks. At some point (at the discretion of City Public Services) that new gas line will need to be connected to those currently enjoying service. That will require brief shut-offs as well. As soon as more details have been shared with TxDOT, we'll share those details with everyone affected.
Excavation work is already underway as crews beguin building what will eventually be the westbound "frontage road" or "exit ramp" on Medical Drive. We'll try to post a shot of the project from this location regularly, to show the progress of the new intersection.
Work at Forum Parkway continues to progress, and project supervisors are confident we'll have traffic on the new northbound exit ramp to Forum Parkway in time for the busy holiday shopping season.
That work is known on the jobsite as "Milestone One". The other milestone - oddly enough, "Milestone Two" - involves the northbound exit ramp to FM 3009.
Those who keep up with the project are aware we actually wanted to have the new northbound exit ramp to FM 3009 opened by now. We had planned on closing it late September, with the aim at having work done and the ramp reopened in just three weeks.
Then it started raining. And after some sun, it rained some more. And then again and again. Now ... it's happening again.
In fact, six days in the last three weeks have brought rain. The San Antonio area has gotten nearly an inch of rainfall over that time - much needed, indeed! - and the area of FM 3009 has been too soggy to allow for dirt movers to do their work. Based on forecasts, we're anticipating just as much rainfall over the next week as we've seen over the last three. Typically, when we get a solid rain work is hindered for two or three days more - we have to wait for the ground to dry out.
So the target closing date is being moved again. Last week we announced we'd be shooting for 13 October. Message boards have reflected that goal all week.
The new target is October 20. But remember: weather could flush this back another week yet again.
In the meantime, we've asked the contractor to dedicate some time and effort to getting the remainder of the intersection of I-35 and FM 3009 - including the turnarounds moving northbound traffic to the southbound frontage road - finished up. We anticipated opening the intersection with the new ramp, but that's been a bust.
Now we're trying to get the intersection opened up a bit earlier. Crews have priorities on the project - the northbound ramp to Forum Parkway and southbound ramp to Olympia Parkway and Forum Parkway are the two highest priorities right now - but we're trying to do what we can to get out of the way at FM 3009.
We figure we've had a number of incredible neighbors for the last year-plus, and it's time we get neighborly as well.
So ... here's the bottom line:
We're on pace to have traffic on the northbound exit to Forum Parkway
We're targeting October 20 to close the northbound ramp to FM 3009 to rebuild it
We'll have the northbound ramp to FM 3009 opened three weeks after it's closed
We're working to get the north-to-south turnaround at FM 3009 opened sooner than promised, if possible
Two projects on I-10 east of San Antonio's downtown have elicited more than a handful of phone calls or emails, so it seems a quick post to address the issues is warranted....
Houston Street exit
Earlier this year - in fact, about two weeks after the Spurs were beaten by the Heat in the NBA Finals (too soon?) - Salinas Construction began work to reconstruct the eastbound exit to Houston Street. The timing of the project was actually designed to begin when the Spurs season ended and conclude before 2013-2014 season gets going.
But ... then the Spurs made it to the Finals. Which is what we all wanted here in San Antonio - don't get us wrong here, a lot of TxDOT folks love to cheer for the Spurs - but it pushed the start date of the project back almost a month.
And now we're getting ready for the start of the Spurs new season (first regular-season home game is October 30 vs. the Memphis Grizzlies), and it's looking like we're going to still be working until later this winter.
However, a meeting of the minds last week settled on a commitment to have one lane of the exit ramp available for use by October 25. That won't help those headed to preseason games - which begin later this week - but it will help the regular-season crowd.
One more issue to consider: the city of San Antonio is working on Houston Street as well. That project is scheduled to wrap up December of 2014. If you're driving in the area, you might consider an alternate route. To bypass the TxDOT work, consider exiting WW White and then using the turnaround to get to Houston Street.
While we'll have a single lane available for use before the first game of the season, folks wanting to bypass the Houston Street exit (eastbound I-10) can try using WW White and approaching Houston Street on WESTbound I-10.
I-10 East San Antonio
Over the summer we began work on a project intended to smooth out I-10 on the east end of San Antonio - between New Braunfels Ave and Roland Ave, to be precise - that will also increase the spacing between the highway surface and the overpasses along that short corridor.
This short stretch of I-10 is an active construction zone, though the traffic control plan for the project are under review for revision. When the revisions are drafted, construction will continue.
Within a few short weeks of kicking off, the contractor brought to our attention some issues with the plan to control traffic flow through the project. Because adjustments to our traffic control plan require new designs signed and sealed by an engineer, we can't make changes on the fly.
That means we've got what we've got out there right now, and traffic has been pared down to two eastbound lanes. What's got folks frustrated - understandably so! - is no work is being done behind those barriers.
Well, we've paused work on the project until the adjustments to the traffic control plan are signed and sealed by our engineers. We expect to be ready to go again in November.
We're aware the situation is less than desireable, and we know how frustrating it is to see barriers out there without seeing crews to accompany them. And we can't pull those barriers back without violating provisions of the work contract, so we've kind of painted ourselves into a corner.
For now, we've got a safe corridor to travel, and we've got at least two lanes in each direction. We're looking forward to pushing forward with the project again soon.
Interstate 10 Friday-Monday,
October 4-6 10 p.m. until 9 a.m. nightly Westbound main lanes between I-410 and Huebner Road
(northwest San Antonio) The three right lanes will close while crews
resurface and restripe the road. Expect delays.
Sunday-Friday,
October 6-11
9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly Westbound main lanes between I-410 and Huebner Road
(northwest San Antonio) The three right lanes will close while crews resurface
and restripe the road. Expect delays.
Interstate 35 Friday-Sunday,
October 4-6 9 p.m. until 10 a.m. nightly Southbound main lanes between FM 3009 and Evans Road
(Selma-Schertz) Alternating lanes will close while crews mill and
pave the road. Two lanes will be closed at a time, reducing the main lanes to a
single lane. Various exit and entrance ramps will temporarily close as needed.
Use next available ramp. Expect long delays.
Sunday-Monday,
October 6-7 9 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. Southbound main lanes between Schertz Parkway and
Evans Road (Selma-Schertz) The
two right lanes will close while crews mill and pave the road. This closure
includes the exit to FM 1518 and the entrance from Schertz Parkway. Traffic
will use the next available ramp. Expect long delays.
Sunday-Friday,
October 6-11 9
p.m. until 5:30 a.m. nightly Main
lanes between Forum Parkway and Schertz Parkway (Live Oak-Selma) The
two left lanes will close in each direction while crews work on the overhead
highway signs. Expect delays.
Sunday-Friday,
October 6-11 10
p.m. until 5:30 a.m. nightly Northbound
main lanes between Powell Street and Malone (downtown) Alternating
lanes will close while crews fix road joints. This closure will occupy two
lanes at a time. Expect delays.
Interstate 37 Wednesday-Friday,
October 9-18 6 p.m. until 6 a.m. nightly Southbound main lanes between Highway 181 and Leal
Road (southeast Bexar County Alternating lanes will close while crews texture the
shoulders. Expect delays.
Interstate 410 No
closures scheduled. Loop 1604 Monday-Thursday,
October 7-10 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. daily Northbound main lanes from Marbach to Emory Peak
(west Bexar County) Traffic will reduce to a single lane while crews
build the roadway curb. This closure will only impact one direction of travel. Expect
delays.
U.S. Highway
90 No
closures scheduled. U.S. Highway
281 Friday-Monday,
October 4-7 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. continuous Northbound main lanes between Brook Hollow and Loop
1604 (north San Antonio) All main lanes and accompanying entrance and exit
ramps will close while crews replace deficient asphalt associated with the
Alamo RMA project. Drivers should seek alternate routes. For more information,
please go to www.alamorma.org.
Sunday-Saturday,
October 6-12 10 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. nightly Southbound main lanes between Interpark and North
Park Drive (north San Antonio) The auxiliary lane will close while crews work on
the bridge support structures for the Wurzbach Parkway overpass.
Sunday-Saturday,
October 6-12 10 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. nightly Southbound frontage road between Interpark and North
Park Drive (north San Antonio) The two left lanes will close while crews work on
the bridge support structures for the Wurzbach Parkway overpass.
Sunday-Saturday,
October 6-12 10 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. nightly Northbound exit ramp to Bitters Road (north San
Antonio) The right lane of the Bitters Road exit ramp will
close while crews work on the bridge support structures associated with the
Wurzbach Parkway overpass.
Sunday-Saturday,
October 6-12 10 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. nightly Northbound frontage road between Arion Parkway and
Maltsberger Lane (north San Antonio) The left lanes will close while crews work on the
bridge support structures associated with the Wurzbach Parkway overpass.
Monday-Thursday,
October 7-10 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily Main lanes between the Guadalupe River and the
Blanco County line (Spring Branch) One-way traffic control will be used in targeted
areas along this corridor while crews build new drain structures. Expect long
delays.
Tuesday,
October 8 12 p.m. until 4 p.m. Southbound main lanes at Brookhollow Road (north San
Antonio) The right lane will close while survey crews test
the asphalt.
Other roads Sunday-Saturday,
October 6-12 10 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. nightly Bitters Road at U.S. Highway 281 (north San Antonio) The north-to-south turnaround on U.S. 281 and all
westbound lanes of Bitters Road will close while crews work on the overpass
bridge expansion. Eastbound lanes will remain open. Westbound traffic will use
the northbound frontage road of U.S. 281 and u-turn at Winding Way to continue
on Bitters Road. Expect delays.
Monday-Friday,
October 7-11
9 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily Blanco Road (FM 2696) at Wurzbach Parkway
Alternating lanes will close while crews pave the road.
Expect delays.
Wednesday-Thursday,
October 9-10 8 p.m. until 5 a.m. Medical Drive between Ewing Halsell and Fairhaven Street
(Medical Center) Alternating lanes will close while crews move and set
concrete barrier. Expect delays.
Crews have officially been working on the "grade seperation" project at the intersection of Fredericksburg Road and Medical Drive for two weeks now, and we feel like we're all still getting to know eachother on the project.
That is, we feel like daily commuters in the area are still getting used to us, and us to them. That's pretty normal!
Because we're just getting going and working out some kinks (and they're barely kinks, even ... just a few things being addressed here and there), let's talk about a few issues that have been brought to our attention to date:
Parking off the job site
With any new project, parking is one of the first issues we face. We have several workers who show up to the job site, and they lack a parking space. As you can imagine, parking isn't really something that's included in our plan sheets, so guys try to park wherever they can when they get to the job. Just think of those awkward moments you showed up for your first few days of a new job, and you were still developing a routine for your parking space - that's what we're doing now.
We've heard from local businessowners about our guys parking in adjacent parking lots, taking up space that should be reserved for clients and customers. We've addressed that issue with the contractor and word will be passed down. The goal is to make sure our guys park within TxDOT right-of-way. It may not always be pretty, but that's what we try to do.
Tree removal
We've finished removing trees from the area that will make up the future westbound lanes (and ramp) of Medical Drive. We'll be trimming and pruning a bit next week still, but actual tree removal is complete.
Trees removed on the westbound side are to make room for the new road structure. We're done removing trees, but we will have tree trimmers out pruning trees through next week.
I've gotten a couple of notes on this. Most are concerned about whether or not we'll replace those trees. We will not - we won't have room to do so. We only removed the trees we needed to remove, though, and we're doing our best to ensure the remaining trees are able to remain in place.
The milestone
The overall project schedule from the contractor shows the project should be complete early 2015. The "milestone" (a major traffic-disrupting task within the project tied to a financial incentive and disincentive) is planned for fall 2014.
Crews are working six days a week, mostly at night, to get this project done. What's really exciting is the proposed method of building the bridge structure that will carry Fredericksburg Road over the sunken lanes of Medical Drive when we're all done.
When we're done, thru lanes of Medical Drive will run under Fredericksburg Road.
The method is a new-to-Texas method, called "slide-in bridge construction", or "accelerated bridge cosntruction". Essentially, the bridge deck is built off to the side and then slid into place. The method reduces (significantly) the time required to shut down a road in order to perform the bridge work.
The technique was actually developed centuries ago by ancient engineers and seems to be favored in Utah. The technique has been used in Nevada, Missouri, Oregon, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. Though it won't likely present a major cost savings on this project, the technique can provide significant cost savings on larger jobs, and significantly reduces the impact on traffic. Just take a look at this weekend-long project, just outside Salt Lake City, replacing a bridge deck on Interstate 80:
With the milestone still more than a year out, right now our engineers are just getting excited about it. We look forward to talking about it much more when we get to the point of that work somewhere around this time next year.
What to expect now
Over the next two weeks, we'll have crews removing some of the curb and sidewalk - particularly along the downhill side of Medical Drive. With that sidewalk gone, pedestrians will need to use alternate routes. It's just not safe to walk through an active work zone, and we don't want people getting hurt.
Some of our closures include sidewalks. Please don't use closed sidewalks - for your safety and for ours!
We'll also start drilling support shafts for the retaining wall that will line the westbound side of Medical Drive. Again, this is on the downhill side of Medical, near where we've just cleared some trees. This drilling work will take place overnight. We're doing our best to be good neighbors to everyone here, and as part of that our priority is to work nights on this job.
With most of the work area for the westbound lanes set to be cleared by the middle of next week, we should be able to move excavation and drilling crews onto the work site in about two weeks.
Drilling is scheduled to begin as early as October 14.
