Safety Projects Top TxDot Area Contracts

AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Transportation is moving ahead with a series of projects after the Texas Transportation Commission recently awarded contracts for seven projects to improve and maintain roads across 10 counties.

Metal beam guardrail is an important device designed to protect drivers from hitting stationary objects along the road, or from driving into a lowered area or deep drop-off. Aaron Concrete Contractors won a $1.1 million contract for upgrading guardrails and adding safety end treatments to drainage culverts on RM 1431 in Travis County.

SJ&J Construction will do the same work on FM 1624 in Lee County. That contract is also worth $1.1 million. The state awarded a similar contract to 3LW Management for more than $765,000 to work on US 87 in Mason County.

3LW Management also won an approximate $434,000 contract to trim trees and remove brush along highway rights-of-way in Mason, Llano, Burnet and Blanco counties.

Crack sealing is an important step in preserving the pavement and keeping water from seeping into the road base. This repair is indicated by the black, squiggly lines on highways. FYL Enterprises will have crews working on crack sealing at various locations on US 183, US 290, FM 969, FM 973, FM 812, FM 734, FM 1625, SH 71, SS 69, and SL 111. The contract is worth approximately $240,000. Work will be done this fall.

A narrow bridge on Barton Oaks Drive south of Smithville will be replaced under a $529,000 contract. MAC, Inc. will begin construction on a new, two-lane 28-foot bridge to replace an old one-lane bridge over Bartons Creek this winter. The work will take about five months to complete, weather permitting. Major detours are not expected since the new bridge will be built next to the old 16-foot structure.

In Blanco County, Acme Bridge Company will begin adding paved shoulders to US 281 north of CR 307 for about one mile. The $897,000 project should start around the first of the year and is expected to be complete by late spring 2017.