news alert

4615 N.W. Loop 410 San Antonio, Texas 78229 (210) 615-5932 FAX (210) 615-6115

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

23 August 2012

Fred-Med project set to start Sept 10

SAN ANTONIO After more than eight months of utility conflict delays a Texas Department of Transportation project that will build an overpass bridge at the intersection of Fredericksburg Road and Medical Drive will officially begin September 10. Representatives of Ballenger Construction, the company awarded the contract for the job with a low bid of a little more than $12 million, indicated earlier this week they have a concrete date set to begin construction. TxDOT engineers received word Monday from various utility companies they were finally satisfied their lines were out of the way and wouldnt be disrupted by construction. A joint meeting between TxDOT, Ballenger and city officials will be held September 6 to discuss any remaining details before construction begins. The two-year-long project will separate the two roads, allowing traffic on Medical Drive to pass under Fredericksburg Road without being halted by a traffic signal. The idea behind the job is to get emergency vehicles in and out of the South Texas Medical Center more quickly, without worrying about potential collisions with cross traffic at the intersection. This project is all about saving lives, TxDOT spokesman Josh Donat said. Weve worked hard with the city and with the medical center to provide a route we think will become a preferred route for emergency vehicles rushing folks to the hospital to get urgent care. As an added bonus the reduced demand from cross traffic will increase the flow of traffic on Fredericksburg Road, allowing for more green-light time for those on the state-maintained roadway. Connecting ramps from Medical Drive onto Fredericksburg Road will allow drivers to access businesses along that corridor. TxDOT received bids for the project a year ago, planning for a January 2012 start date. When conflicts with telephone and internet lines prohibited road construction, TxDOT and its contractor were put in a holding pattern. At first, utility companies were saying construction could begin in February, then March, then April. After a while we just had to put the project on the shelf, Donat said. We kept in contact with all the parties involved and looked forward to a date we could get going. When word reached TxDOT and the contractor work could begin, the response was immediate. Subcontractors working for Ballenger asked for a few weeks of lead time to mobilize, and the September 10 date was set. - more The Texas Department of Transportation is dedicated to work with others to provide safe and reliable transportation solutions for Texas. For more information, call Josh Donat at (210) 615-5932 or e-mail josh.donat@txdot.gov. Information about TxDOT is also available through the departments Web site (http://www.txdot.gov).

The project is loaded with incentives to keep work on a brisk pace, including a milestone for the work most invasive on traffic. At one point of the project all through traffic on Fredericksburg Road will be blocked off while the actual bridge supports are put in place. When the road is re-opened after two weeks, Fredericksburg Road traffic will be driving on the new bridge deck. Traffic along Medical Drive will not be totally cut off during construction, though lanes will be shifted around at various phases of construction. To help drivers keep up-to-date on construction progress and lane closures, TxDOT will maintain a project Web page at www.txdot.gov, search keyword Fred-Med. ###

The Texas Department of Transportation is dedicated to work with others to provide safe and reliable transportation solutions for Texas. For more information, call Josh Donat at (210) 615-5932 or e-mail josh.donat@txdot.gov. Information about TxDOT is also available through the departments Web site (http://www.txdot.gov).