Grand Parkway nears crucial construction milestones

April 5, 2020

One thing the coronavirus hasn’t slowed much is the construction of the Grand Parkway or SH-99.

While the rest of the world around them deals with the coronavirus pandemic, construction workers continue the daily grind on the Grand Parkway.

“We’re still at it at 100%. We’ve had to make some modifications to our weekly safety meetings,” said Chris Neill, public relations manager for Grand Parkway Infrastructure, LLC “We’re meeting with a smaller group or via conference call.”

“If you’re driving in the area on the highway, you’ll definitely see the concrete columns that we’ve built. Now we’re ready to put the concrete bridge beams on top of them,” he said.

GPI is working on segments H and I1, which bridge the corridor between Mont Belvieu, Dayton and New Caney to the other 184 miles of the Grand Parkway. The $894 million project is expected to be completed in 2022 and creates a new stretch of highway between Hwy. 59 and I-10. Once segments H and I1 are completed, drivers will be able to travel from the Dayton area to places like New Caney, Spring, Tomball, Cypress and Katy.

The Grand Parkway spans seven counties and will serve as Houston’s third loop at completion.

Neill said the crews will be working from west to east, from the southbound frontage road across over the highway to the northbound frontage road.

“We’ll start with the bridge beams,” he said.

Then they’ll follow with the deck panels, overhangs, railing installations and pour the concrete roadway.

“There’s certainly a variety of activities that will require closures,” Neill said.

As they get toward the end of the bridge construction, Neill said there would still be some closures but mostly for safety’s sake even with a smaller presence of workers.

The construction of the bridges is expected to be completed in the next three to four months but even that schedule could be amended.

“The closures won’t be on every Friday and Saturday, but we’re working with the (Texas Department of Transportation) for closures for certain times. Most of these will be during the overnight times,” he said.

The teams in the field are on a rotation basis either working out of their truck or sometimes in the office.

“We’re doing what we can to minimize any potential risks,” he said.

They are still under contract to finish the work regardless of what’s occurring around them including the deadly coronavirus. The schedule hasn’t changed because of the COVID-19 aspect.

“We’re still on schedule.”

The overnight schedule will maximize their time when there’s the least amount of travel on the highway.

It is important to note that all northbound and southbound main lanes will never be closed to traffic simultaneously. Motorists will be detoured to the frontage roads during main lane closures.

The first set of main lane closures will be implemented beginning the weekend of April 17. All southbound travel lanes on IH-59 will be closed south of the Porter/Conroe exit to motorists during the overnight hours 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Friday, April 17. On Saturday, April 18, all northbound travel lanes on IH-59 will be closed north of the Community Drive exit to motorists during the overnight hours from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.

With the lessened load of traffic even during the week caused by the stay home orders in the counties they are working in, GPI is exploring the possibility of doing some of the work during the week as well.

“Our marching orders for now are for the weekends,” he said.

The next big project is the bridges on I-10 near Mont Belvieu and Baytown sometime this summer.

“We can’t get to it any sooner because the public utility crews are out there now putting the overhead cables underground. Once they’re done, they’ll give us the green light and we’ll bring that bridge over I-10,” he said.

“2020 is a pretty significant year for us,” he said about moving the project along.

Having the bridges will allow them to use it for access points.

“We’ll be able to use the bridges at US 59 and I-10 as opposed to taking up some real estate on the frontage roads and that will expedite some of our activities,” he said.

The traveling public doesn’t see all the work that’s going on, particularly in Liberty County where numerous bridges and roadways have already been constructed.

“We just want folks to know that this is not a two-day closure for the bridge but something that will take some time,” Neill said.

“Once the general public sees the completion and the connection to SH-99, I think they’ll be excited.”

Neill said any future closures would be announced through media advisories and on the Grand Parkway Infrastructure’s official project website at www.sh99grandpkwy.com.

dtaylor@hcnonline.com