Some current road projects in Kyle are facing issues, but most are going according to plan.
Leon Barba, city engineer, presented a quick and thorough update about where the projects stand and how some of their issues will be handled.
Lehman Road and
Bridge at Plum Creek
Lehman Road overall is a little more than 50 percent completed. The bridge at Plum Creek is 40 percent complete and its estimated completion is April.
Earlier this year, there was an issue discovered with the hot mix for the section of FM 150 to Masonwood Drive. If they do not fix it, the durability of the road is subject to be lowered and will lose life faster. To repair it, the contractor will remove the top three inches of the road. If the second layer is not up to par, they will remove another three inches. Replacement will be at no cost to the city.
To fix the hot mix, they plan to start milling around March 18. The city will start advertising the project around March 11 to give residents a heads up on the road closure.
Barba said they are expecting the overall project on Lehman Road to be complete by August, but Mayor Travis Mitchell is skeptical.
“[This] makes me a little nervous about our contractor, but I have faith in you, please stay on them,” Mitchell addressed Barba.
Burleston Street
Burleson Street is 74 percent complete. The section from Center Street to Rodriguez Street is open only to local traffic with workers in the section.
The Burleson Street project is also facing an issue. Due to groundwater levels, Schlemmer Street and Live Oak Street are distressed, Barba said. When the contractor first scanned for water, the levels were much lower. Recently, the water tables in the area have become higher and the paint is starting to crack open.
The engineer, consultant and the lab are trying to figure how they need to fix this newfound water issue. Originally, they needed to paint one more coat over the street, but now they have to fix the water situation before moving forward.
North of Rodriguez Street to south of the roundabout, the road is closed, and Burleson Street north of the roundabout is open to local traffic only. Utility work north of the roundabout is 50 percent complete; soon, they will start fixing the road.
The estimated completion for the Burleson Street project is in June.
Beside the updates on the road work, Barba listed three consent items on the city council’s agenda.
The first is the Southside Wastewater Improvements Project which is about 45 percent complete. This project addressed issues with utilities being in the right-of-way on IH-35 Frontage Road and the relocation of those lines. The contractors are working on the first phase.
The agenda called for an amendment for a contract with Espey Consultants, Inc. for $99,000, not exceeding $931,000 for additional engineering services to the wastewater project. There is additional planning that needs to go into the project with a phase three in its future plans.
Getting easements from the adjacent neighbors for the wastewater project was difficult and is still requiring some work. Barba presented an amendment for Stateside Right-of-Way Services LLC. to acquire the easements. The requested amount is $18,000, not to exceed $67,000.
Burrgess and Niple Inc. are the engineers of record who designed the city’s wastewater treatment plant expansion project. In order for them to continue working on the project to handle requests for information, submittals coming in for materials and equipment, attending meetings and giving a final letter of completion, they require an amount not exceeding $981,560.
The city council approved all three items.
