By Christopher Green
More than 100 changes have so far been made on the construction process for improving Burleson Street, a project that is now more than a month behind schedule.
Joann Garcia, Kyle project manager, said weather issues in the fall and spring slowed progress, requiring numerous changes to be made with the city’s contract with Cash Construction, the contractor of the project.
That included a rain event that stopped construction for an entire month. Garcia said work on Burleson Street is now about 40 days behind schedule.
“There’s been numerous changes in the project because of the old infrastructure that exists on Burleson (Street) with water and wastewater and even gas lines that are very old,” Garcia said.
Garcia said the changes have affected the city’s contract with Cash Construction.
“There’s been numerous changes in the project because of the old infrastructure that exists on Burleson (Street) with water and wastewater and even gas lines that are very old.”
–Joann Garcia, Kyle project manager
When it comes to the utility relocation process, water line installation from Miller Street to Star of Texas is roughly 70% complete.
However, a water line installation from Live Oak to the I-35 frontage road is only 20% done. Garcia said Burleson Street is 47% complete at this time.
“We still have to go back and evaluate how those changes have affected the contract, and if the contractor needed more time because of the additional work, or what we had to do differently than what was in the plan,” said Garcia.
Burleson Street, part of the city’s 2013 $35 million road bond, has an estimated completion date in 2020.
Meanwhile, Garcia said construction on Lehman Road, another project part of the city’s road bond, is now ahead of schedule.
Under current construction plans, Lehman Road will go from two to three lanes, which will accommodate the increase in traffic in the area. Other parts of the project include improvements at two low water crossings on Lehman Road.
Currently, Kyle has closed Lehman Road from east FM 150 to Masonwood Drive for ongoing construction. Garcia said in an emailed response that the city is 90% complete in installation of a 30-inch wastewater line at the intersection of Lehman Road and FM 150 east.
In addition, a 12-inch reclaimed, or treated effluent, water line near the FM 150 intersection is 70% complete.
However, water line conflicts between FM 150 and Hiver in the Four Seasons Farm subdivision is 35% complete. The entire Lehman Road project is approximately 21% complete, Garcia said.
Improvements on Lehman Road will go from Goforth Road to east FM 150 and is expected to be completed by 2020, Garcia said.
