Challenges often elicit two reactions: either you sink into the dark depths or you swim to the water's surface. This month marks the COVID-19 pandemic's one-year anniversary — if we can call it that. When the pandemic hit during I-35 Waco 4B Project, the TxDOT Waco District's team chose to keep swimming. While following COVID-19 protocols to keep one another and the driving public safe and well, district personnel adapted to necessary changes while continuing to make progress on the project.
One year ago, six miles of old pavement had been removed and eight bridges had been demolished in the I-35 Waco corridor. Now, three miles of new pavement are in place and nine new bridges have been (or are in the process of being) built. The three-mile stretch of road, south of the Brazos River near Baylor University, and two of the bridges — one over 4th/5th Streets and the other over 12th Street — opened to traffic this month.
Besides improving travel on I-35, the two new bridges will be equipped with new, attractive features unique to the local community. The 4th/5th Streets bridge will eventually include a pedestrian crossing equipped with pedestrian buttons and Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramps. Clearly marked signage instructs pedestrians and vehicles on where and how to cross safely. New sidewalks run parallel to the interstate to provide another mobility option for pedestrians and bicyclists along I-35. The 12th Street bridge will provide easier access between Baylor University's south campus and downtown south Waco. And new 14-foot-wide frontage roads now provide room for bicyclists.
"TxDOT ensured construction through the I-35 Waco corridor continued to make measurable progress — despite new challenges imposed by the pandemic," says Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) Research Engineer John Habermann, I-35 lead mobility coordinator for TxDOT. "You can see the progress that was made. You can drive on it. It's a visual testament to TxDOT's resiliency, not to mention the construction team's commitment to following COVID-19 guidelines and TxDOT's safety protocols."
Like many businesses at the pandemic's beginning, TxDOT started its "new normal" by following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID-19 guidelines. TxDOT also developed an internal COVID-19 Safe Operations policy. When field office employees come into TxDOT offices, they wear masks and maintain a six-foot distance from one another. Hand sanitizer is now in all the offices and field vehicles. And when traveling between construction sites, team members drive their own vehicles instead of using ride-sharing services.
Additionally, like the rest of the world, the I-35 construction team converted in-person meetings into online interactions. Although it was challenging at first to make that transition, the format's necessitating that one person speaks at a time helped clarify intra-team communication. A Safety Minute agenda item for the construction crews — formerly dedicated to offering seasonal safety tips (e.g., staying hydrated in the summer, etc.) — added a new feature: COVID-19 protocol reminders.
"While we can't say any aspect of this pandemic was beneficial, we have seen opportunities arise for the project. As the shutdown orders came in March, traffic volumes decreased through the project limits," notes Blake Axen, project manager for BGE, Inc., an engineering consulting firm providing construction management for Project 4B. "This decrease allowed us to study work progressions, contractor proposals and potential opportunities to advance work in critical areas, specifically frontage road work that can particularly impact local businesses and project stakeholders. We were able to successfully initiate some of these changes while folks were driving less and working from home, and that's helped keep things moving while focusing on getting certain areas completed as traffic levels increased and businesses re-opened."
Replacing old pavement with new pavement and demolished bridges with newly constructed bridges are not just milestones for the 4B Project; they also represent TxDOT's dedication to continue improving mobility for Texans in the Waco area despite the challenges imposed on the department by the pandemic. As I-35 travelers and Waco residents travel the reconstructed corridor — and as more people get vaccinated, meaning traffic levels of all kinds (vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian) normalize — the Waco community will benefit from the hard work of TxDOT and its contractors in improving access and safety along their local roadway infrastructure.
"The I-35 Waco Project is marked by notable progress, a proactive construction team and well-defined safety protocols," states TxDOT Waco District Area Engineer Clayton Zacha. "Each transportation construction project comes with a unique set of challenges, but TxDOT, its contractors and the area stakeholders continue to collaborate on and implement solid solutions. 2020 has presented new safety challenges with COVID-19, but the Waco District and area offices have worked with the leadership in Austin to provide the training, tools and time to adjust to new procedures. Through it all, TxDOT stays committed to safety."
Jake Smith
I-35 Public Information Officer
254-867-2705
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