Mike Heiligenstein, executive director of the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, said contractor CH2M has had issues with maintaining the labor supply, the weather, drilling work and discovering unknown underground utilities. The project broke ground in October 2013 and was originally slated to open in the fall.
“We now expect the express lanes to be fully operational sometime in the second half of 2016 with the possibility of segments opening up earlier,” Heiligenstein said during the July 29 Mobility Authority board meeting.
Crews start excavation work for the MoPac express lane underpass into downtown Austin on July 24.[/caption]Some segments, particularly between RM 2222 and Parmer Lane, could open in early 2016, he said.
“Everything north of Enfield [Road] is going pretty well,” he said.
The Mobility Authority has been upfront about the project’s delayed schedule since late 2014 when it learned the contractor was falling behind. Since then it has worked with CH2M to remedy the delays. The contractor hired new management to oversee the project as well as three additional subcontractors to add more workers and expedite construction.
“Obviously we’re disappointed [about the delays],” Heiligenstein said. “When you look at some of the elements of the rollout of the project—[during] the design phase—we expressed some concern. We started seeing some deviation from the schedule last December, but it wasn’t dramatic. … We didn’t see the comeback.”
To expedite the project, the Mobility Authority has allowed CH2M to temporarily close the Lake Austin Boulevard exit ramp from April 26 to July 12, close cross streets and ramps overnight and extend the length of time for lane closures.
“While the contractor bears the responsibility for addressing these problems under the terms of the contract, we are working with them to identify ways to minimize those [problems] wherever we can,” he said.
Contract dispute
In July, the Mobility Authority relocated the Fifth and Cesar Chavez streets exit to begin the drilling work for the express lane underpasses into downtown Austin. That relocation will last for three to five months. The agency and contractor disagreed on how to approach excavating for the underpasses, hauling out dirt and managing traffic around the project, Heiligenstein said.
After a 90-day wait period to gather documents, he said the two parties will enter into a dispute resolution where a board will mediate the disputes in the contract.
He said the Mobility Authority entered a dispute resolution on the Toll 183A project in Cedar Park and likely will enter one on the Manor Expressway project on Hwy. 290.
“It’s fairly normal; it’s not something you want to go through obviously,” he said. “But you have a disagreement over some item in the contract.”
For more information on the MoPac project visit www.mopacexress.com.
