Segment 3A - Design refinements & structural caps
Overview
During Segment 3A Construction, traffic will still need to move through the area. Below is the rationale for why TxDOT made the decision to build temporary bridges.
“
Temporary I-69 mainlane bridges of three lanes in each direction and 38 feet wide would accommodate traffic during construction”
Challenges with using existing I-69 bridges
- Reduces existing travel lanes to 2 narrow lanes in each direction for up to 5 years
- Requires major foundation improvements to prevent weakening structures during construction of below grade mainlanes, increasing construction time and costs
- Requires a continuous wall to be built down the middle of the freeway for the length of the project
- Still requires some temporary bridge construction
The benefits of constructing temporary bridges *:
- Allows 3 travel lanes in both directions to be maintained
- Significantly reduces the impacts to the traveling public
- Improves safety by isolating traffic away from the construction zone
- Reduces overall construction time by significantly reducing the number of lane closures needed
- Reduces number of lane reconfigurations, reducing the potential for driver confusion
- Allows the contractor to build street-level caps/bridges and the depressed mainlane roadway more efficiently
- Makes use of additional needed right of way
* In both directions for the length of the project
This Segment 3A map shows the proposed temporary mainlane bridges in purple, outside the existing I-69 mainlanes.
I-69 temporary mainlane bridges from Main St. to Caroline St.
Northbound and southbound temporary mainlane bridge typical section
“
Reconstruction of the METRO Wheeler Transit Facilities along Fannin St. requires additional right of way.”
- New transit center light rail alignment across I-69 is shown in red on the image to the left
- Not disrupting transit center operations achieved by building additional track and replacing existing tracks in phases
- Reconstruction will provide new station, enhanced bus turnouts, bus bays, sidewalks, and a bus-only connection between Fannin and Main streets also shown on the left
- The areas circled in orange on the left represent additional right of way needed