TxDOT OFFERS MONETARY INCENTIVE TO ACCELERATE US 59 SOUTHWEST FREEWAY FRONTAGE ROAD RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT

Total closure of Buffalo Speedway at Southwest Freeway needed to complete work sooner

HOUSTON - In an effort to accelerate the US 59 Southwest Freeway frontage road reconstruction project, the Texas Department of Transportation has agreed to provide an incentive to the contractor to complete the project ahead of schedule.

Hassell Construction Co. has been given until November 21 to achieve substantial completion* of the project. As part of this effort, Buffalo Speedway, the final remaining intersection requiring total reconstruction, will be completely closed (instead of closed in phases) to significantly trim the amount of work days for the project.

Beginning Wednesday, October 22 after the morning rush the contractor will close Buffalo Speedway at US 59 Southwest Freeway in both directions for approximately one month. The US 59 Southwest Freeway north and south bound frontage roads at Buffalo Speedway will remain open. However, only one through-lane will be available at the intersection while the left lane will be used for U-turns only and the right lane will be used for turning right onto Buffalo Speedway. Accordingly, motorists traveling northbound on Buffalo Speedway will be detoured to the US 59 northbound frontage road, U-turn at Kirby, follow the US 59 southbound frontage road to Buffalo Speedway. Those traveling southbound will be detoured to the US 59 southbound frontage road, U-turn at Weslayan, follow the US 59 northbound frontage road to Buffalo Speedway. 

The contractor has the potential to earn an additional $10,000 a day for up to seven days if completed prior to November 21. Further, the incentive agreement calls for penalties of $10,000 for each day work is not complete past November 21, with no maximum.

"Without the total closure, the reconstruction at this intersection could take as much as twice the time now allocated," said Quincy Allen, TxDOT Houston Deputy District Engineer. "According to the original contract, Hassell Construction has until the spring of 2015 to complete this project. This incentive agreement motivates the contractor to complete the project significantly earlier to help mitigate impacts on the traveling public and avoid significant construction during the 2014 holiday season."

Police officers will be used at the site and the traffic signals will be adjusted to help minimize the impact on the traveling public.

To date crews have been able to reconstruct most of the US 59 Southwest Freeway frontage road from about IH 610 to Greenbriar on both north and south bound sides. The $19 million project has included work at multiple intersections including Weslayan and Shepherd/ Greenbriar.

In addition to the work at the Buffalo Speedway intersection, the contractor is wrapping up work at the Greenbriar and Shepherd intersections at US 59 Southwest Freeway. Additionally, the US 59 Southwest Freeway northbound exit ramp to Greenbriar will reopen October 27.

*Substantial completion means all major work/reconstruction should be complete. However, the contractor may need to complete striping and other non-construction punch list items to wrap up the project.

For more information on this and other scheduled lane closures in the Houston District contact Danny Perez at (713) 802-5077. 

Also be sure to visit the Houston TranStar website at  www.houstontranstar.org. for a complete of list of Houston District closures.  All closures are subject to change due to inclement weather.  Follow us on Twitter @TxDOTHoustonPIO.