Construction of FM 1382 bridge resumes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE; February 17, 2006

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has begun work to complete the construction of the southbound FM 1382 bridge located near Cedar Hill State Park in southwest Dallas County. The project will require contractor, W.W. Webber, Inc., of Houston, to lengthen the existing bridge and then construct a parallel northbound bridge structure as well as restore the original drainage channel.

Construction of the southbound bridge began in January 2004 and was completed in April 2005, but was closed to traffic shortly thereafter when signs of unstable soil along the embankment appeared. Despite construction efforts to repair the problem, continued failure of the adjacent roadway embankment caused work to cease and TxDOT engineers to re-evaluate the situation and formulate a solution.

After extensive consideration and consulting with the state’s Bridge Division in Austin and Federal Highway Administration engineers, TxDOT decided to redesign the structure, said Mike Bostic, P.E., TxDOT’s Southwest Dallas County area engineer.

"This has been a very challenging project. We know it’s been an inconvenience for those who travel this route, but we ask for their continued patience," Bostic said. "Because of the delay and inconvenience, TxDOT has included incentives and penalties in this new contract that will require that both bridges and the roadway be completed and open to traffic by August 31 of this year."

Cost of the project is $3.9 million.

For more information contact: Dianah Ascencio Public Information Office at 214-320-4484.