Dust and vibrations along the US 281 project

Excess dust and feeling vibrations from excavation are common occurrences near construction, but can certainly be tiresome for those directly affected. We have heard your concerns about these issues along the US 281 corridor, and we want you to know that we’re working to mitigate its effects on you.
Today we'll discuss the issues directly - including their causes - and our solutions to lessen the impact on you.

Why all the dust and vibration?
Excess dust occurs during the excavation of rock when equipment creates fine particles that could easily become airborne with wind. Simple enough, yeah?

Vibrations felt from construction are caused by heavy equipment (and even traffic) using the roadway. The majority of the US 281 roadway sits on rock bedding. Any movements or loads on the that rock bed are easily transferred creating vibrations. The closer your home is to the construction site, the more likely it is that you may feel vibrations. This gets amplified when crews start digging and milling layers of rock to develop the road bed.

How are we minimizing the impact?

Preventing the creation of excess dust - dust abatement - is a priority on all our projects. There are several ways we can do this, and we are not limiting ourselves to just one. For instance, running extra water trucks along the site to moisturize the soil keep it from kicking up with wind has been somewhat effective. We use non-potable water wherever possible for this. Our construction crews and project team will also monitor wind speeds and directions prior to and during work to avoid sending dust downwind.
As for vibration ... well, we've already had Webber move some of its work to crush rock pulled from the ground away from sensitive work area. You should know we will not use any blasting techniques to break rock along the US 281 corridor as part of this project. Unfortunately, some of the vibration that will come when we use compactors to harden the layers of the roadway are going to be unavoidable.

When will these problems go away?

Once the US 281 frontage roads are complete – late 2018 - most concerns related to excess dust and vibration along the corridor should subside. At that point traffic will move outward, onto the new frontage road lanes, and construction activity will move to the main lanes area minimizing the chance of feeling vibrations. While the next phase of work on the project will still include activities causing vibration, those impacts will be way less than what you're feeling now. Since that stage of work involves significantly less excavation we also minimize the potential for construction-related dust.

Your takeaway

First of all ... we get it! We're hearing about the concerns and we want you to know these issues are a routine conversation on this project. Webber and our project management team continually work to mitigate construction-related impacts on those who live, work and play in the area.
If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Clearing the way for I-10 HOV lanes

We are only about eight weeks into work and the footprint of the future HOV lanes is already taking shape behind the concrete barriers.

The dirt work happening now to the inside of both the eastbound and westbound lanes really shows how the HOV lanes will fit into the I-10 corridor. If everything goes as planned these lanes will become available for use in a little more than a year, providing immediate relief for drivers along this increasingly congested corridor.
Not all our work is limited to the inside area of the HOV lanes, though. On the northern end of the project, near Ralph Fair Road, Flatiron Construction is building the foundation to extend the box culverts that will support the additional highway lanes. When we're all done that culvert will be eight boxes wide!

Work on the outside lines not near Ralph Fair Road is intended to develop a temporary bit of asphalt so we can shift traffic over and give crews more room to build those HOV lanes. This is pretty common for expansion projects like this.
Through Thanksgiving work will continue on the culvert extension and on bridge support columns. Expect lane closures nightly, Sunday nights through Thursday nights, with no closures on Fridays or Saturdays. During the week of Thanksgiving crews will skip Wednesday night and Thursday night but return to action Friday night, November 24th.
Be sure to check back after Thanksgiving for another look-ahead on what to expect during your daily or nightly commute.

Steel beams to be set over I-410 ... at US 90

Williams Brothers Construction will place steel bridge beams over I-410 at US Hwy 90 over the next two weekends, requiring a near complete shut-down of the busy interchange each weekend.
The beams will form the future eastbound Loop 1604 ramp to northbound I-410.
There's no quick-and-easy explanation of these closures, so we'll be very deliberate covering each direction. Please pay attention to the specific direction you may be traveling (look for a video of this next week).

Nov. 10-13 closure
Beginning Friday, November 10 at 8 p.m. all lanes - frontage road and main lanes - of US Hwy 90 will close at I-410. The main lanes of I-410 will not be affected.

• Eastbound traffic will take southbound I-410 to Valley Hi, turn around and return to US Hwy 90.
• Westbound traffic will take northbound I-410 to Hwy 151, turn around and return to US Hwy 90.
• Southbound I-410 traffic to westbound US 90 will not be affected.
• Southbound I-410 traffic to eastbound US 90 will exit Valley Hi, turn around and return to US 90 via the northbound frontage road of I-410.
• Northbound I-410 traffic to eastbound US 90 will not be affected.
• Northbound I-410 traffic to westbound US 90 will exit Hwy 151, turn around and return to US 90 via the southbound main lanes and frontage roads.
• All other directions will follow their normal paths.

All lanes will be reopened by 5 a.m. November 13.

Nov. 17-20 closure
Beginning Friday, November 17 at 8 p.m. all lanes - frontage road and main lanes - of I-410 will close at US Hwy 90. The main lanes of US 90 will not be affected.

• Southbound traffic will exit westbound US Hwy 90 to Hunt Lane, turn around and return to I-410.
• Northbound traffic will exit eastbound US Hwy 90 to Military Drive, turn around and return to I-410.
• Eastbound US 90 traffic to northbound I-410 will exit Military Drive, turn around and return to I-410 via the frontage road.
• Westbound US 90 traffic to southbound I-410 will exit Hunt lane, turn around and return to I-410 via the frontage road.
• Southbound I-410 traffic to eastbound US 90 will exit US 90 west and turn around at Hunt Lane.
• Northbound I-410 traffic to westbound US 90 will exit US 90 east and turn around at Military Drive.

All lanes will be reopened by 5 a.m. November 20.

Overnight work, too
The steel beams, once set, will need to be welded into place and have the temporary bracings removed. This will take about a month to accomplish with overnight closures employed to get the job done. These closures will be confined to the main lanes and be in one direction only, with the exception of two or three nights of work over the heart of US 90 and another two or three nights of work over the heart of I-410.
The nights with full closures in both directions will be announced via social media as they are scheduled.
As a rule of thumb, expect closures on US 90 every night between November 13-22 and November 27-30. Expect the same activity on I-410 between November 29 and December 22. If you noted the dates overlap a bit, let us put your mind at ease: we will NOT close both US 90 and I-410 at this location simultaneously.

Next week's construction-related closures

I-10 – Fair Oaks Ranch

• Current until Friday, December 29. Westbound frontage road at Old Fredericksburg Road. All lanes will close while crews replace drain structures. Traffic will follow the signed detour route, including a temporary route under the new overpass at Old Fredericksburg, to reach its destination.
• Saturday, November 11 at 4 a.m. until Sunday, November 12 at 6 p.m. Main lanes, both directions, at Fair Oaks Parkway. All lanes will close while crews set bridge support beams overhead. Traffic will exit Fair Oaks Parkway, continue through the intersection and re-enter the highway. No traffic will be permitted across the Fair Oaks Parkway bridge during this closure.

I-10 – Leon Springs

• Sunday-Tuesday, November 5-7. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Westbound main lanes between Ralph Fair Road and La Cantera Parkway. Alternating lanes will close while crews restripe the road.
• Wednesday-Friday, November 8-10. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Main lanes, both directions, between Ralph Fair Road and La Cantera Parkway. Alternating lanes will close while crews stripe the road.

I-35 – Selma

• Current until October 2018. Frontage roads, both directions, at FM 1103. The right lane will close while crews replace the FM 1103 overpass bridge.

I-35 – Northeast San Antonio

• Saturday, November 18. 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. Main lanes, both directions, between Walzem Road and Randolph Boulevard. All lanes will close while crews install overhead highway signs. Northbound traffic will exit Walzem Road and southbound traffic will exit Randolph Boulevard. Both traffic directions will follow posted detour signs along the frontage road and re-enter the highway at the next available ramp.

I-35 – East San Antonio

• Current until Monday, November 27. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Main lanes, both directions, between George Beach and Thousand Oaks. Alternating lanes will close while crews lay asphalt.

I-37 – Downtown San Antonio

• Current and continuous until Friday, December 1 at 5 p.m. Northbound exit ramp to Florida and Carolina avenues (exit 140A). The ramp will close while crews rebuild the slope near the exit. Traffic will exit Cesar Chavez (exit 140B) and turn around to reach its destination.

I-410 – West San Antonio

• Current until Wednesday, November 15. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Northbound main lanes between Marbach and Hwy 151. Two right lanes will close while crews set barrier.
• Current until Wednesday, November 22. Northbound exit to Culebra Road. The exit will close while crews widen the main lanes and frontage road. Traffic will exit Ingram Road, turn around and get to Culebra on the southbound frontage road.
• Current until Sunday, November 26. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Northbound main lanes and frontage roads at US Hwy 90. The right lane will close while crews work on overhead bridge support columns. This closure includes the ramp from westbound US 90. Traffic will head south to Valley Hi and turn around to reach its destination.
• Current until December 2018. Turnarounds, both directions, at Marbach Road. The turnarounds will remain closed while crews construct the new Marbach overpass bridge. Traffic will use the signalized intersection.
• Friday, November 10 at 8 p.m. until Monday, November 13 at 5 a.m. Southbound ramp to eastbound US Hwy 90, northbound ramp to westbound US Hwy 90. The ramps will close while crews set overhead bridge support beams. Southbound traffic will turn around at Valley Hi to reach its destination. Northbound traffic will turn around at Hwy 151 to reach its destination.
• Friday, November 17 at 8 p.m. until Monday, November 20 at 5 a.m. Main lanes and frontage roads, both directions, at US Hwy 90. All lanes will close while crews set steel bridge support beams overhead. This is a total closure of the highway. All traffic will exit US Hwy 90. Southbound traffic will head west to Hunt Lane, turn around and return to I-410. Northbound traffic will head east to West Military, turn around and return to I-410.

U.S. Hwy 90 – West San Antonio

• Current until Wednesday, November 15. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Eastbound frontage road between Ray Ellison and I-410. All lanes will close while crews set bridge panels. Traffic will use Crooked Trail and the southbound frontage road of I-410 to reach its destination.
• Friday, November 10 at 8 p.m. until Monday, November 13 at 5 a.m. Main lanes and frontage roads, both directions, at I-410. All lanes will close while crews set steel bridge support beams overhead. This is a total closure of the highway. All traffic will exit I-410. Eastbound traffic will head south to Valley Hi, turn around and return to US Hwy 90. Westbound traffic will head north to Hwy 151, turn around and return to US Hwy 90.
• Friday, November 17 at 8 p.m. until Monday, November 20 at 5 a.m. Eastbound ramp to southbound I-410, westbound ramp to northbound I-410. The ramps will close while crews set overhead bridge support beams. Eastbound traffic will turn around at West Military to reach its destination. Westbound traffic will turn around at Hunt Lane to reach its destination.

U.S. Hwy 281 – North San Antonio

• No scheduled closures November 5-12.

Hwy 151 – Northwest San Antonio

• Current until December 22. Westbound exit to Hunt Lane. The exit will close while crews reconstruct the roadway to fit the future direct connector ramp from southbound I-410. Traffic will exit Ingram and follow the frontage road to reach its destination.
• Monday-Friday, November 6-10. 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. daily. Eastbound main lanes between Potranco Road and I-410. The auxiliary lane used by the entrance ramp from Potranco will close while crews move barrier. This closure includes the entrance ramp. Traffic will continue along the frontage road and use the next available ramp.
• Thursday, November 9. 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Westbound main lanes between Potranco Road and Military Drive. The right lane will close while crews pour concrete at Hunt Lane.

Loop 1604 – Northwest San Antonio

• Current until Friday, January 26, 2018. North-to-south turnaround at Bandera Road. The turnaround will remain closed while crews do road work. Traffic will use the signalized intersection to turn around.

Other roads – New Braunfels

• Sunday, November 5 at 8 p.m. until Monday, November 6 at 6 a.m. Hwy 46, both directions, between FM 758 and Mary Lane. Traffic will be reduced to a single lane, controlled by flaggers, while crews mill the road.
• Monday, November 6 until Friday, November 17. 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily. Hwy 46, both directions, between FM 758 and I-35. Alternating lanes will close while crews resurface the road.

Other roads – Converse

• Wednesday-Thursday, November 15-16. 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. daily. FM 1516, both directions, between FM 78 and Converse Center Street. All lanes will close while crews install a wastewater line. Traffic will use Converse Center Street and FM 78 to reach its destination.

Other roads – Helotes

• Monday-Tuesday, November 6-7. 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. daily. FM 1560, both directions, between Alta Loma and Saltillo Flats. Alternating lanes will close while crews set bridge beams. Traffic will be controlled by officers or flaggers.
• Monday-Friday, November 6-10. 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. daily. Hwy 16, both directions, at FM 1560. Alternating lanes will close while crews install support structures.

Other roads – West San Antonio

• Current until Friday, November 17. Dodge City, both directions, at Loop 1604. All lanes will close while crews reconstruct the intersection. Traffic will use Emory Peak to reach its destination.
• Current until Friday, November 17. Red Musket, both directions, at Loop 1604. All lanes will close while crews reconstruct the intersection. Traffic will use Spurs Ranch to reach its destination.
• Monday-Friday, November 6-10. 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. daily. Hunt Lane, both directions, at Hwy 151. The right lane will close while crews do overhead bridge work.
• Friday, November 17 at 9 p.m. until Monday, November 20 at 6 a.m. Marbach Road, both directions, west of Loop 1604. All lanes will close while crews reconstruct the intersection. Traffic will use Emory Peak to reach its destination.
• Friday, December 1 at 9 p.m. until Monday, December 4 at 6 a.m. Marbach Road, both directions, west of Loop 1604. All lanes will close while crews reconstruct the intersection. Traffic will use Emory Peak to reach its destination.

All closures are pending weather.

Hwy 46 getting a new road surface next few weeks

If your commute in New Braunfels includes Hwy 46 between I-35 and FM 758 expect minor delays due to construction between November 6 and November 17.


What/When
Overnight closures of the middle portion of Hwy 46 between I-35 and FM 758 tomorrow (Thursday) night, Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday night. Each night crews will begin about 8 p.m. and will be cleared out by 6 a.m. each morning.
Daytime closures of alternating lanes on Hwy 46 between I-35 and FM 758 begin Monday, November 6 and will run through Friday, November 17. Work will begin 9 a.m. and wrap up by 4 p.m. each day.
During the daytime closures we will make sure we have one lane open in each direction. The last few days of this closure will be a "rolling" closure, with crews slowly progressing along the route.


Why/How

We are resurfacing Hwy 46, and we're almost done with the work we've been tackling out there the last few months. The overnight work will let us mill the middle of the road to just about match what's out there on the rest of the road right now.
The daytime work will allow asphalt crews to do their thing. The top layer of asphalt we're laying is a fairly thin layer of specialized surface asphalt. Because of the way it's made up and because of how thin it is, we have to have temperatures of 70 degrees and rising. This pretty much prevents us from doing work overnight this time of the year.
Once pavers are done with their work a striping crew will follow to set lane markers.


By the way

A new traffic signal on Hwy 46 at FM 758 will be installed November 6. It should only take a day to install, so if you drive through the area expect to see those flashing beacons replaced by a full signal during your evening commute.
If something pops up to delay us at all, that signal will be in action by November 7.
Ordinarily we put new signals on "flash" mode to drum up awareness of the signal. In this case, since a beacon already exists at this spot, we're going to go ahead and immediately turn the signal on with full functionality.