Texas 03 2016

On average, Texas drivers in five of thestates largest metropolitan areas each arelosing about 52 hours and $1,200 annuallydue to traffic congestion, according to theTexas Transportation Institute 2015 UrbanMobility Scorecard. Upon approval by the Texas

Transportation Commission, the Texas

Department of Transportation plans toimprove drive times and reduce costs toTexas drivers through a $1.3 billion effortfocused on delivering projects at an acceler-ated pace that addresses gridlock in some ofthe states most congested areas.The major metro areas of Texas

Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San

Antonio represent more than two-thirdsof the states population and 97 percent ofthe states most congested roads, said J.Bruce Bugg Jr., Texas transportation com-missioner who was appointed by the com-mission to lead this statewide effort. These areas see some of the worst con-

gestion in the nation. Weve just completed a

listening tour in these major areas and havegathered valuable local input from trans-portation leaders regarding their prioritiesand where we can quickly address someneeds. This is the initial phase of a newstatewide plan to address congestion.If adopted by the commission, these

By Irwin RapoportCEG CORRESPONDENT

Crews from McCarthy Building Companies Inc. beganwork on a $149 million Texas Department ofTransportations (TxDOT) SH 71 Express project inJanuary 2015. The toll lanes are scheduled to open to trav-elers in the Austin area in October 2016.This is a key road for area traffic and in addition to day

shifts, work is being done at night and weekends to mini-mize the impact on traffic. The project is dedicated to improving long-term

mobility in Austin, said Emily Riggs, public informationcoordinator for the SH 71 Express project. State Highway

71 is one of Austins most important roadways connectingdrivers to the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport(ABIA), the city of Bastrop, and other central Texas com-munities. The purpose of the project is to enhance safetyand reduce congestion and travel time along this corridor.Mobility improvements to SH 71 have been studied by

TxDOT, in cooperation with the Central Texas RegionalMobility Authority, she added. In compliance with theNational Environmental Policy Act, TxDOT conducted anenvironmental study for the project. The final environ-mental assessment was completed in May 2014 and theproject received a finding of no significant impact. The bulk of the work is a 3.9-mi. (6.28 km) limited-

access toll road one lane in each direction beginning

at Presidential Boulevard, near the airport and extendingeast, ending at SH 130 near Onion Creek. The project willinclude two new toll lanes, new bridges over FM 973 andSH 130, and ramps between toll lanes and the main lanesof SH 71 and SH 130. In addition, Presidential Boulevardand FM 973 will be widened.The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, an

independent government agency created in 2002 toimprove the transportation system in Williamson andTravis counties, is responsible for the toll road.The expanded highway, a project funded by the federal

and state government, is needed as traffic in the projectarea has increased by 158 percent since 1990. The project

Austins SH 71 Road Project Should Reduce Traffic Jams

TEXAS STATE EDITION A Supplement to:

Your Texas Connection Dale Agnew, Carrollton, TX 1-877-877-4997

The Nations Best Read Construction Newspaper Founded in 1957.

see TXDOT page 20

February 72015

Vol. I No. 3

TXDOT Unveils Initial $1.3 Billion to Address Congestion

McCarthy Building Companies photoCrews from McCarthy Building Companies Inc. began work on a$149 million Texas Department of Transportations (TxDOT) SH71 Express project in January 2015.

McCarthy Building Companies photoThe new bridges being built are concrete girderbridges, with the main structure being 3,000 ft.(914.4 m) long and the second longest 450 ft.(137.7 m), while a number of existing 200 ft.(61 m) long bridges are being widened.

see AUSTIN page 14

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Good Samaritans Come to Aid of Swindled WWII Vet

By Lori TobiasCEG CORRESPONDENT

Carol Broussard had watched the re-top-ping of local asphalt roads in around hishouse for days. So when a truck pulled up inthe driveway and the driver asked Broussardif hed like an asphalt drive, the 91-year-oldWWII veteran said, Sure.

That was the first mistake. There would be several more. But as it

turns out, the story that began with a con andthe loss of mans savings did not end nearlyso badly as it might have. Rather, it becamethe real life story of the kindness ofstrangers.

The story unfolded in early October. AfterCarol agreed to the work, the man returnedmoments later with a large truck anddumped the asphalt, packed it down andoiled it.

But Carol had already made a second mis-take.

He didnt ask the price, said son GeorgeBroussard. When the work was finished,my dad let the guy come in the house, andthats another no no. They sat down at thekitchen table and my dad asked how muchhe owed him and the guy said $25,000. Mydad was incredulous. I dont have that kindof money, he told him. The guy said, Whatdo you have?

My dad told him he could write a checkto him for $11,000. The guy said, Thats allyou have? You dont have any cash. So mydad said, Let me check.

Carol went back to the room where hekeeps a stash of cash and came back to thekitchen with a stack of bills and put it on thekitchen table. Then he told the man he had touse the restroom and would be right back.

He left the guy sitting in the kitchen withhis check and his money and when he cameback out they were gone, George said.

And Carol was left with scrap asphalt thatwouldnt hold up two weeks.

George called the police, filed a report andhoped for the best. And thats when things

took a turn. A reporter with KPRC 2 inHouston saw the police report and asked thefather and son pair if they would do an inter-view on TV. They agreed. When it aired thatnight, Glenn Harris, owner of HarrisConstruction in Houston was watching.

When I saw the 91-year-old vet and thelook on his face Harris said. This wassomething I thought I could take his problemaway. Were down here in the South andwere pretty friendly. We dont mind helpinganyone who is in trouble.

But Harris works in concrete, and whenhe got to the Broussards, he saw it definite-ly called for an asphalt contractor. So he

Carol Broussard with the Chance crew.

The folks at Chance Contracting, founded by Isaac Chance and now owned by his sonsBrett and Shaun Chance, just wanted to help. The finished driveway, thanks to Chance Contracting.

see VET page 8


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Chance Contracting Makes Bad Situation Right for Vetturned to Chance Contracting, a family-ownedpaving company he often does business with.

When I called Chance, and told them whathad happened, I said, I am not calling you todo anything, Harris said. I told them, yousend me a bill when you do the work, I justwant to help this guy.

But the folks at Chance Contracting, found-ed by Isaac Chance and now owned by his sonsBrett and Shaun Chance, just wanted to help aswell.

Thats the kind of people they are, Harrissaid.

Two weeks had passed since the con artiststruck.

It looked terrible, said Brett Chance. Itwas bad. They had taken the road millings andtold them it was new asphalt. They had takenthat and spread it really thin over a lot of grass.By the time we got to it two weeks later, a tonof vegetation had grown up through it.

And for that Carol had handed over $14,000,more than double what an honest job wouldhave cost him.

The amount they put down cost them$700, Chance said. We felt absolutely terri-ble. The man is a good guy. He fought for ourcountry. It just makes you mad. We did whatwe could. We helped him out. Were fortunatewe have a lot of customers like Glenn. We canhelp people like him. If we can give back whilewere here, it makes me sleep better at night.God will show us blessings later in life.

The good deeds have not gone unnoticed. When I first saw the video news clip on

what Chance Contracting did for this veteran I said this is the type of story that should gonationally, said Bryce Davis, general salesmanager of LeeBoy. We at LeeBoy are veryproud to be associated with contractors likeChance for giving back to their local com-munities and charities. I recently had the oppor-tunity to meet both Shaun and Brett Chanceand thank them for what they did. After meet-ing them, you can tell instantly why they didthis, both are very impressive individuals whoseem to let their actions speak for them.

George is grateful for the generosity shownhis dad, but still hopeful the police will find themen who essentially robbed him.

The name on the check that my daddywrote was Willie Ruth, George said. This isthe name that the man sitting at my dadskitchen table told my dad to make the checkout to after making a phone call and askingwho the check should be made out to. So I real-ly dont know how many people wereinvolved. Possibly only two, or more likelyfour or five.

(This story also can be found onConstruction Equipment Guides Web site atwww.constructionequipmentguide.com.)CEG

VET from page 4

Brett (L) and Shaun Chance, owners of Chance Contracting.

George Broussard is grateful for the generosity shown hisdad, but still hopeful the police will find the men who essen-tially robbed him.

(L-R) are Brian Hall, territory manager of LeeBoy andShaun Chance, Chance Contracting.


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Worlds First Ever Handicap-AccessibleWater Park Being Built in San AntonioConstruction charity organization

AGC Charities Inc. is partnering withlocal construction firms to help buildMorgans Inspiration Island, a newhandicap-accessible water park addi-tion to non-profit MorgansWonderland. As part of the charitableorganizations annual OperationOpening Doors effort, many construc-tion firms will be donating time,expertise and money to build a first-ever handicap accessible water park inSan Antonio, Texas.We want to help build a special

place where every child is free to splasharound and have fun, said ScottWilliams, president of Springfield,Ore.-based Hamilton ConstructionCompany and the chairman of AGCCharities. It isnt every day we get touse our skills to build a world of limit-less fun for all children, which is whatmakes this project so important.Morgans Wonderland is the worlds

first theme park designed with special-needs individuals in mind and built foreveryones enjoyment. The new expan-sion to Morgans Wonderland Morgans Inspiration Island willserve as the worlds first ever fully-accessible water park when it opens inspring 2017. The park addition willinclude five new water play areas and ariverboat ride.We are deeply grateful for AGC

Charities enthusiastic commitment to

help build another world-class place ofinclusion, said philanthropist GordonHartman, who spearheaded creation ofunique and colorful MorgansWonderland in 2010. Just likeMorgans Wonderland, MorgansInspiration Island guests with and with-out special needs will be able to cometogether for fun and a better under-standing of each other.AGC Charities and the local con-

tractors, who are calling themselves,Inspiration Island Working Group, willhelp build five new pump houses, anew main building and the signaturelight house feature for MorgansInspiration Island, Williams noted. Thevolunteer contractors, who are beingorganized by Linbeck Group and theAGC of San Antonio, plan to conductmost of the construction work during atwo-day blitz on March 9 and 10 rightbefore the start of the AssociatedGeneral Contractors of Americasnational convention, which is takingplace in San Antonio.This is a great opportunity for our

industry to help a local group that sup-ports children from across the world,said Patrick Byrnes, a senior cost ana-lyst with Linbeck who is serving as theproject manager of the operation. Weare treating this project like an extrememakeover where we will bring a lot ofworkers in to make a big difference injust a few days.

A number of San Antonio-basedfirms participate in the MorgansInspiration Island Working Group tohelp with the project, Byrnes noted. Inaddition to Linbeck Group, other firmsinvolved include: Joeris GeneralContractors; Guido Construction; F.A.Nunnelly Company; Cude Engineers;8A Electric Inc.; and D AshConstruction Management.Williams said the AGC Charities

group is currently fundraising to sup-port costs associated with constructingthe water park addition. He noted thatthe charitable group was establishedeight years ago to channel and supportthe charitable efforts of the construc-tion community. He added that thegroup held previous national OperationOpening Doors projects inWashington, D.C., Honolulu, Orlando,Las Vegas, Palm Springs and San Juan.Encompassing 25 acres in an aban-

doned quarry in Northeast SanAntonio, Morgans Wonderland fea-tures more than 25 elements includingwheelchair-accessible rides,playscapes, gardens and other familyattractions. For more information, visit agcchar-

ities.org andwww.MorgansWonderland.com.

(This story also can be found onConstruction Equipment GuidesWeb site at www.constructionequip-mentguide.com.)

Construction charity organization AGC Charities Inc. is partnering with local construction firms to help buildMorgans Inspiration Island, a new handicap-accessible water park.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) Federal officials havegiven their final approval to plans to replace Corpus ChristisHarbor Bridge. Corpus Christi port officials announced Jan. 8 that the

Federal Highway Administration has issued a record of deci-sion for the $1.15 billion project, the final step in the envi-ronmental impact statement process. The present steel arch span opened in 1959, replacing a

drawbridge that had previously carried U.S. 181 over theharbor. However, Corpus Christi port officials wanted abridge with more clearance for larger ships than the present138 ft. (42 m). Plans now call for construction of a higher cable-stayed

suspension bridge with a vertical clearance of more than 200ft. (61 m) to be completed by 2020 about 1,000 ft. (305 m)west of the present bridge. The new span would be fundedby the port of Corpus Christi, the city of Corpus Christi andNueces and San Patricio counties. Transportation officials have identified the preferred path

for the southern approach as cutting through Hillcrest, a pre-dominantly black neighborhood. A voluntary relocation andbuyout agreement has been brokered with attorneys foraffected residents and $20 million has been allocated for vol-untary buyouts for residents in the path.

(This story also can be found on Construction Equipment

Guides Web site at www.constructionequipmentguide.com.)

Feds OK CorpusChristi Bridge Plan


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Austins Express Project One of Several Planned Upgrades

is expected to reduce travel time by16 percent in 2016 and 54 percentby 2026. When completed, theroad will be able to accommodate105,000 vehicles per-day (west ofFM 973). The express project is one of

several improvements intended tocomplete a highway upgrade to SH71.A workable traffic plan was

needed to minimize the impact ontraffic and to protect the construc-tion crews. To this end, TxDOTsPublic Information Team keeps thepublic informed via a Web site, ahotline, various announcements,E-Newsletters and press releases.It is our project teams goal to

keep to public up to date with allconstruction activities, saidRiggs. In an effort to minimizetraffic impacts we get lane closurenotifications and upcoming con-struction activities out to the publicprior to any work being done. The team developed an exten-

sive traffic control plan to mini-mize impacts to motorists andpedestrians. This includes workingnight shifts to set traffic controlsand barriers for the following workday and to drill the deep founda-tions for the bridges, and employ-ing smaller pieces of equipment,such as low overhead clearancesoil nail drilling equipment, towork in tight spaces and minimizethe need for lane closures.McCarthy has been working

closely with its design partnerLockwood, Andrews & Newnam

Inc. (LAN) to develop the mostcost-effective design solution forthe project and has completednumerous similar reconstructionprojects under heavy traffic condi-tions in Texas. There were two major design

challenges that had to be overcomeaccording to LAN. Building thetoll lanes in a busy corridorrequired navigating several issuesand foremost among them wasminimizing utility relocations andservice interruptions. To discoverpotential conflicts, the project teamgenerated a 3-D geometric model,developed by DTM-Solutionsusing Microstation software, andvisualized the design.Native soil condition was anoth-

er. Expansive clay soils, prevalentin the east Austin area also createdchallenges. The soils in the projectzone have plasticity indices (PI)ranging from 29 to more than 50,well above the design teams targetfor the subsurface conditions underthe toll lanes. High plasticity soilshave substantial shrink-swellpotential with changes in moisturecontent and samples were taken 8ft. (2.44 m) below the travel laneand required a PI of a weightedaverage of 25 or lower. When PIwas too high, McCarthy over-excavated and replaced with aselect fill of low PI materials.By the end of 2015, McCarthy

completed the SH 130 overpassstructure, eastbound Onion CreekBridge widening, FM 973 realign-ment and intermediate switches,segments of shared use path, and

temporary shoring walls atPresidential and Spirit of Texas. In2016, the primary focus will be onthe following: new SH 71 EBFrontage Road opening, new FM973 overpass and new managedtoll lanes, Presidential widening,Presidential intersection site workand hardscape, westbound OnionCreek reconstruction, completionof shared use path and sidewalk,completion of Spirit of Texasretaining walls, completion of FM973 realignment, and startup oftolling/ITS systems.Every day there is some kind

of challenge, said Jeff Billow,McCarthys project director. Thefirst year has been about relocatingutilities. There are 13 differentfranchised utilities that had exist-ing infrastructure, and part of ourdesign is accommodating them.The last of utilities is out of theway and that is pretty significantmilestone for us because on a lot ofthese jobs, utility delays are a causeof time extensions.McCarthy crews relocated

many of the utilities, with theircooperation and approval, withTexas Gas being the exception,which hired its own preferred con-tractor.Billows, via solid pre-planning

and planning, had been able toanticipate nearly all of the chal-lenges and develop solutions forthem.Weve been reasonably suc-

cessful in managing the big riskitems and we havent had toomuch come up that we havent had

to maneuver around, he said.Our coordination up-front is pay-ing dividends. We meet with ourcounterparts at TxDOT daily. Itsessential to have good lines ofcommunications at all levels on aproject like this and the sameapplies to all of the stakeholdersand utilities.The year-round work has an

average of 150 workers on sitedaily. Weekly meetings are heldwith the subcontractors to coordi-nate work, which is bolstered bydaily interaction.Working at night is not easy, but

Billows is doing his best to mini-mize the impact on the crews.Working at night is certainly

riskier and less productive, hesaid. Lighting is an issue on aheavily traveled corridor like this.With good traffic control and trail-er-mounted light plants on 15 to 20foot tall masts, the conditions aregood. We also use crash attenua-tors and barricades. Sometimes wehave road closures to bring in con-crete and police officers help us toinitiate the closures. Placing bea-cons on our trucks helps toincrease the awareness of the oper-ation to the public.Safety, be it at night or day, is a

priority and individual crews havedaily safety briefings prior to thestart of the shift. A monthly job-wide safety meeting is held andoccasional weekly meetings arescheduled depending upon thework.The new bridges being built are

concrete girder bridges, with the

main structure being 3,000 ft.(914.4 m) long and the secondlongest 450 ft. (137.7 m), while anumber of existing 200 ft. (61 m)long bridges are being widened. Our design is a standard

TxDOT design basicallycolumns of three or four feet indiameter and three to four wideand standard girders and decking,said Billows. Its replicable andpretty easy to produce. All the gird-er manufacturers are using TxDOTstandards, and the speed and effi-ciency of the design are the reasonsthat led this to be the design ofchoice.In addition to netting to prevent

debris from falling onto the high-way, much of the bridgework isdone at night, which allows forroad closures beneath areas wherethe work is ongoing. This makesthe cutting of deck panels andplacement of overhangs much eas-ier.Billows and his crews take noth-

ing for granted when buildingbridges and are employing prac-tices learned on previous bridgeprojects. It is the same for road-work, which has some of the tolllanes and general purpose lanesbased on standard asphalt pave-ment designs and concrete pavingfor the roads between the bridgesand elevated structures.The roadwork is a pretty

involved process, said Billows.The paving goes fast, but for thework on the base, we do it right asquickly as we can and efficiently.

AUSTIN from page 1

McCarthy Building Companies photoWhen completed McCarthy will have brought in approximately 40,000 cu. yds.(30,582 cu m) of concrete (cast-in-place) and approximately 95,000 tons (86,183 t)of permanent asphalt.

McCarthy Building Companies photoThe bulk of the work is a 3.9-mi. (6.28 km) limited-access toll road one lane ineach direction beginning at Presidential Boulevard, near the airport and extend-ing east, ending at SH 130 near Onion Creek.

see AUSTIN page 16


Toll Lanes, Bridges Part of Austins SH 71 Upgrade Plan

Because space is tight, materialsare delivered on a just-in-timebasis.With girders, said Billows,

we typically take them right offthe truck and put them in place. Itsthe same with the deck panels. Forthe less sizable materials like con-crete sewer and drainage pipes, fit-tings and joints, we have a littleyard where we stockpile them. Asfar as embankment material, wehave a few sources within a five-mile radius of the project and theydeliver as we need it. There is agood community of suppliers inthe Austin area.When completed, McCarthy

will have removed 6,000 cu. yds.(4,587 cu m) of concrete and 1,000cu. yds. (764.5 cu m) of asphalt.

We recycle whatever we can,said Billows. Meeting the specifi-cations of TxDOT is a challenge asit has rigorous controls on thematerials and sometimes recycledmaterials dont meet them. Wereplanning to use recycled concreteroadway base. Brick, blocks andconcrete are sent to various placesto be crushed. Suppliers in the areaprocess and stockpile it and test it,and then we use on the job as road-way fill.When completed McCarthy will

have brought in approximately40,000 cu. yds. (30,582 cu m) ofconcrete (cast-in-place) andapproximately 95,000 tons (86,183t) of permanent asphalt. In terms of equipment on site,

McCarthy has a backhoe; an exca-vator and mini-excavator; a blade

motorgrader; a cement stabiliza-tion mixer; compactors (padfoot,smooth drum, and pneumatic);cranes (mobile rubber tire andmobile crawler); dozers (D3 andD6); a loader; a forklift; a streetsweeper; trucks (water, fuel andcrash attenuator); and a weldingmachine.Billows noted that the equip-

ment is a mixture of previouslyowned equipment, newly pur-chased equipment, and rentedequipment. The firms closest shop is in

Houston, a fair distance from theproject.We have an onsite mechanic

with a truck that serves as a rovingshop and he can do minor repairs,said Billows. We work with NieceEquipment LP for some of the

equipment. Down time is a bigdeal for us, so we take a proactiveapproach and do a lot of preventa-tive maintenance oil and filterchanges. We try to minimize theeffect of repairs on our progress.A machine or vehicle after 500

hours of use undergoes more seri-ous preventative maintenance.Equipment dealerships also arepart of the maintenance plan, espe-cially for equipment that is underwarranty.A lot of McCarthys newer

equipment, especially the Catpieces, have the electronic moni-toring systems and they also areequipped with GPS systems.Machine control helps us do

the work right and efficiently saidBillows, and that reduces thenumber of hours that the equip-

ment is used and thus keeps yourequipment costs down.Billows, with 15 years of con-

struction industry experience,appreciates the evolution of equip-ment and on this job, has benefittedfrom the sharing of crews andequipment from other McCarthyprojects in Houston and Dallas.Its critical. People as much as

equipment, probably more so, hesaid. We want to keep our peoplebusy so that they can stay with us.We spend a fair amount of timeevery week talking about transfersof people and equipment betweenthe projects.

(This story also can be foundon Construction EquipmentGuides Web site at www.con-structionequipmentguide.com.)CEG

McCarthy Building Companies photoThe express project is one of several improvements intended tocomplete a highway upgrade to SH 71.

AUSTIN from page 14

McCarthy Building Companies photoThe project will include two new toll lanes, new bridges over FM 973 and SH 130, and ramps betweentoll lanes and the main lanes of SH 71 and SH 130. In addition, Presidential Boulevard and FM 973will be widened.


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Completing U.S.-Mexico Border Wall Would Be DauntingBy Seth RobbinsASSOCIATED PRESS

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) Close tothe southern tip of Texas a border wall sud-denly ends. Its final post sits in a dry corn-field half a mile from the nearest bend in theRio Grande river, the actual border withMexico. It would be easy to walk around it. Tires

left by the border patrol rest nearby. Agentsdrag them behind trucks to smooth thecracked earth and check for footprints. Unlike other famous barriers in history

such as the Berlin Wall or the Great Wall ofChina, the U.S. version is not much of awall. What stands in Texas is a fragmentedseries of fencing, composed of enormoussteel bars embedded in concrete closetogether. The rust-colored thick bars thatmust reach a height of 18 ft. loom over thelandscape, forming teeth-like slats that splitfarmland, slice through backyards, and severparks and nature preserves. There are miles of gaps between segments

and openings in the fence itself. As a resultof the Secure Fence Act passed in 2006, thegovernment built some 650 mi. of wall alongthe 1,954-mi. U.S.-Mexico boundary. While1,254 mi. of that border is in Texas, the statehas only some 100 mi. of wall. Republican presidential candidates insist

theyll finish it. But completing the Texaspart of the wall would be a daunting task dueto the borders sheer length, the fact that it

sits in the center of the snaking Rio Grande,and because treaties with Mexico preventeither country from constructing within therivers flood plains. And unlike in othersouthwestern states, most border land inTexas is privately owned. Finishing the some 1,300 mi. of border

fencing also would be costly. According to a2009 Government accountability report,pedestrian fencing, meant to keep out smug-glers and migrants crossing on foot, has runanywhere from $400,000 to $15.1 millionper mile, averaging $3.9 million. Morerecent construction has been even moreexpensive, with segments constructed in2008 costing $6.5 million per mile. If kept atthis rate, the wall would cost nearly $10 bil-lion to complete just for materials, and chal-lenging geography could bring it much high-er. With every twist and turn of the Rio

Grande and every steep terrain in Arizona, itwould cost easily that much, said AdamIsacson, a border expert of the WashingtonOffice on Latin America. Officials overseeing the walls construc-

tion faced a legal and logistical nightmarefrom the start, according to emails obtainedunder the Freedom of Information Act andlitigation by Denise Gilman, a law professorat the University of Texas. The hundreds ofemails, which Gilman shared with TheAssociated Press, show that from the plan-ning phase some 65 mi. of the proposedroute sat a half mile to a mile from the bor-

der, making it not a true border wall. Officials struggled to find places where

construction could start fast to meetCongress deadline of building 255 mi. byDecember 2008. They sought contingencyfencing that did not require significant realestate acquisitions or cut through sensitivewilderness, the emails show. Wealthylandowners demanded more compensationor refused to allow construction.Hundreds of property owners were sued

just to build the existing chunks of wall.Some 400 relinquished properties ranging insize from a driveway to commercial lots andfarms, costing the government at least $15million, according to an AP review of landcases in 2012. Among them was Eloisa Tamez, who

refused to cede her three acres in San Benito,land that had been in her family for genera-tions. A federal judge ruled in the govern-ments favor, and Tamez was compensated$56,000, with which she funded a scholar-ship at the University of Texas Rio GrandeValley where she works as a professor. It might be just a little piece of land, she

said. But to me it meant my life. The Rio Grande Valley is home to 54 mi.

of wall, and the official name of the borderbarrier there is Pedestrian Fence 255. Thearea is the major crossing point for tens ofthousands of families and unaccompaniedchildren, many fleeing gang violence inGuatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. Thesurge that began last year resumed in recent

months, and Gov. Greg Abbott extended theTexas National Guard border patrol deploy-ment in response to more than 10,000 unac-companied children crossing into the UnitedStates in October and November. Some residents have found themselves

cut off by the wall. Pamela Taylor, who lives near

Brownsville, originally fought the wallsconstruction. Now her Texas home sitsbehind the wall on the side facing Mexico. She still leaves coolers of water for thirsty

migrants, though she wishes more of themwould come to the United States legally, theway she emigrated from England. The wall doesnt do any good. Its a

waste of money, she said. But shes gottenused to it. Some locals say its better than nothing. Othal E. Brand Jr., the president of the

Hidalgo County Water District 3, which sup-plies water to the McAllen area, pointed outwhere the fence separated a 20-acre reser-voir from two pumping stations, which sitbehind it along a bend in the Rio Grande.Brand said this land, adjacent to a wildernessreserve, was for years overrun by nighttimecrossers and that smugglers threatened andeven shot at his employees. The wall is only part of the solution, he

said, but its an important part. (This story also can be found on

Construction Equipment Guides Web site at

www.constructionequipmentguide.com.)

Curry Supply Expands With New Facility in Houston, TexasCurry Supply Company, a lead-

ing manufacturer and dealer ofcommercial service vehicles, hasannounced the opening of a newfacility in Houston, Texas to betterserve customers in the southwest-ern United States.The 32,000 sq. ft. (2,972 sq m)

facility has sales representativesavailable to provide quotes, techni-cal support and financing. An exten-sive parts inventory of the mostcommonly requested parts and com-ponents will be housed there forimmediate shipping. Heavy dutyoverhead cranes are installedthroughout the facility to easilymove product during the manufac-turing and assembly process. Inaddition, a state-of-the-art paint andcuring booth allows for onsite paint-ing to ensure that quality is main-tained to Curry Supply standards. A full inventory of products will

be prepped and ready to ship fromthe new Houston facility, includingOn- and Off-Road Water Trucks,Mechanics Trucks, Service Trucks,On- and Off-Road Fuel/LubeTrucks, Vacuum Trucks, Winch

Trucks, Dump Trucks, CrashAttenuator Trucks, Ship Out TankKits, and Lube Trailers.Having a facility in Houston per-

mits us to better serve the construc-tion, equipment rental, oil and gas,

and mining industries in the south-west, said Jason Ritchey, president.We have always been able to shipour products worldwide, but havingsales, parts and inventory in one ofour largest growing markets is a

convenience for our customerslocated in that region.Martinsburg, Pa., continues to

be the Curry Supplys worldwideheadquarters. Its new facility islocated at 1113 Howard Ave., DeerPark, Texas. Curry Supply Company is a

family-owned business that wasestablished in 1932. Over the past80 years, Curry Supply has growninto one of Americas largest man-ufacturers and dealers of commer-cial service vehicles. Sales andservice is provided throughout theUnited States with financing andinternational delivery available.For more information, call

800/345-2829 or visit www.curry-supply.com.

(This story also can be foundon Construction EquipmentGuides Web site at www.con-structionequipmentguide.com.)

The 32,000 sq. ft. (2,972 sq m) facility has salesrepresentatives available to provide quotes,technical support and financing.

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TXDOT Plans to Spend $1.3Bto Ease Crowded Roadwaysmetro area projects will begin constructionto enhance existing efforts and address grid-lock on the state highway system. The proj-ects, which add up to more than 42 mi. (67.6km), include interchanges, flyovers and con-gestion relief efforts at some of the statesworst chokepoints. They will be fundedusing $1.3 billion made available throughending the use of diversions of highwaymoney by other agencies.I recently directed TxDOT to work with

transportation planners and local communi-ties across the state to reduce congestion, and[this] proposal is a significant first step in

doing just that, said Gov. Greg Abbott.Texans are tired of sitting in traffic and havevoted to make a historic investment in ourstates transportation infrastructure. I want tothank the Texas Transportation Commissionfor rapidly responding with a thoughtfulapproach that identifies and addresses someof the states most congested chokepoints.I am grateful to Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov.

Dan Patrick, Speaker Joe Straus and theTexas Legislature for making the diversionfunds available for highway projects, saidBugg. TxDOT is focusing on using thisfunding to provide Texas drivers relief in anexpedited manner. By making theseimprovements on an accelerated schedule,TxDOT will save $457 million versus build-ing those roads in future years.For years weve been committed to

addressing congestion, and this year weregetting a jump start on that part of our coremission, said James Bass, TxDOT execu-tive director. As the severity of congestionin the Lone Star State continues to grow, we

are committed to delivering projects manyTexans need and deserve to reduce theamount of time they spend in traffic.The announcement is the result of a sev-

eral month effort led by Bugg to gain valu-able insights from transportation leaders andelected officials in the states five major met-ropolitan areas. That listening tour and col-laborative efforts with MetropolitanPlanning Organizations and TxDOT districtsshaped this initiative and projects beingunveiled. The listening tour was just thebeginning, and the conversation will contin-ue as TxDOT focuses on this important chal-lenge for Texas.

The Texas Transportation Commission alsowill consider another $800 million in addition-al funding for connectivity and safety, mainte-nance, repairs to the energy sector and borderinfrastructure funding. The commission isexpected to vote on all these projects when itconsiders the quarterly Unified TransportationPlan at Februarys commission meeting.The Texas Department of Transportation

is responsible for maintaining 80,000 mi.(128,748 km) of road and for supporting avi-ation, rail and public transportation acrossthe state. TxDOT and its 12,000 employeesare committed to working with others to pro-vide safe and reliable transportation solu-tions for Texas by maintaining a safe system,addressing congestion, connecting Texascommunities, and being a Best in Class stateagency. For more information, call 512/463-8700

or visit TxDOT.gov.(This story also can be found on

Construction Equipment Guides Web siteat www.constructionequipmentguide.com.)

For years weve been committed to addressingcongestion, and this year were getting a jump starton that part of our core mission. As the severity ofcongestion in the Lone Star State continues to grow,we are committed to delivering projects manyTexans need and deserve to reduce the amount oftime they spend in traffic.

James BassTxDot

TXDOT from page 1


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ADVERTISER INDEX

The Advertisers Index is printed as a free editorial service to our advertisers and readership. Construction Equipment Guide is not responsible for errors or omissions.

BANE MACHINERY ..............................................................24

BAYONET-RECS ..................................................................23

BLUELINE CONST EQUIP & SERVICES ..............................6

CISCO LOGISTICS ..............................................................17

CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT GUIDE

TEXAS STATE PROMO ................................................22

DITCH WITCH WEST ..........................................................13

EAGER BEAVER TRAILERS ................................................15

FECON ..................................................................................21

FOUR SEASONS EQUIPMENT INC ......................................3

INTERSTATE TRAILERS ......................................................11

KIRBY-SMITH MACHINERY INC ..........................................19

KLEIN PRODUCTS OF TEXAS ............................................12

KUBOTA SVL ........................................................................21

MIDCO SLING AND CABLE ................................................20

RAYCO MFG ........................................................................21

ROMCO EQUIPMENT CO ......................................................2

TROPHY TRACTOR ................................................................7

US SHORING & EQUIPMENT CO ........................................9

VERMEER OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA ......................................5

WAUKESHA-PEARCE INDUSTRIES INC ..........................19

To read articles about these CEG advertisers, visit www.constructionequipmentguide.com


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Texas 03 2016

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