January 2018 is the anticipated construction start date on Lehman Road, which is one of the final two projects remaining in the city’s $30-plus million road bond initiative.
Leon Barba, Kyle city engineer, said the city expects to start advertising bids for the Lehman Road project in December, with construction potentially starting in early 2018.
Kyle’s Lehman Road project has a current estimate of $6 million.
JoAnn Garcia, Kyle project manager, said utilities are currently being adjusted in preparation for Lehman Road construction. Garcia said Centerpoint Energy is placing new gas lines.
However, Pedernales Electric Cooperative hasn’t submitted a plan to the city of Kyle at this time. Garcia said there could be as many as five to six utility poles that could be in conflict with construction.
One of the primary delays on Burleson Street is acquiring necessary right-of-way for the project. Barba said there are two parcels of land the city still has not acquired. He said property owners have not been willing to agree to the price Kyle has offered, while some are not willing to sell at all.
Barba said some of the delay has stemmed from PEC continuing to assist with recovery efforts following Hurricane Harvey.
While progress has been made on Lehman Road, the city continues its attempt to start on Burleson Street, which the city plans to bid by March 2018.
Improvements on Burleson Street would extend from Center Street to Interstate 35.
One of the primary delays on Burleson Street is acquiring necessary right-of-way for the project. Barba said there are two parcels of land the city still has not acquired. He said property owners have not been willing to agree to the price Kyle has offered, while some are not willing to sell at all.
“Without right-of-way, you can’t build a road,” Barba said.
Kyle is also eyeing potential struggles with moving utilities for the project as they’re currently under the road bed. Garcia said cities attempt to place utility lines outside of paved surfaces.
With a limited amount of right-of-way, however, Kyle placed gas and other utility lines under the road.
Another issue the city anticipates facing comes after construction has begun. Under an agreement with the Union Pacific Railroad, Kyle must finish road surface improvements on Burleson within 12 months of the project’s start date.
Union Pacific, in turn, would help with construction of Burleson Street at the railroad crossing.
Current estimates have the project taking as long as 18 months, Garcia said. She said the city is exploring ways to stay within the timeframe, as well as stay under the $8 million budget.
“We’ll see as we go along,” Garcia said. “There are things we can do without sacrificing on time.”
But Kyle city leaders Oct. 17 praised Barba, Garcia and their staff on completion of construction on Marketplace and Philomena Avenue and Goforth Road. Barba said the city is finalizing the Philomena and Goforth projects, as well as finding out how much the projects’ final cost will be.
Garcia said the city gathered density and coring samples for the projects.
“What we paid for, it should be out there,” Garcia said.
Kyle Mayor Todd Webster said Oct. 17 the completed projects are “good roads” and were “well planed and better than they were before.”
“I didn’t give your department much time to breathe when we expedited the road bonds and built them simultaneously,” Webster said to Barba. “I know I taxed your department quite a bit.”
