According to Gerardo Barrera, the West University Place public works director, the project, which will span from the 5300 block south of Bissonnet Street to the 6700 block north of West Holcombe Boulevard/Bellaire Boulevard and finally to the West U Drainage Outfall south of that, remains on schedule, with TxDOT expected to send out bids in early November.
“The action items at this point consist of completing final [quality assurance and quality control] and dot the I's and cross the T's, literally,” Barrera said. “There is ... paperwork and forms that must be submitted and processed.”
The city of West University Place will be notified once TxDOT has selected a contractor, who will mobilize approximately 60 days thereafter to begin work in January 2021, Barrera said. Construction is slated to be complete by 2023.
The $32.56 million project has been ongoing since October 2018 and is being paid for through a combination of city of West University Place and TxDOT funds and through grants worth approximately $14.5 million. Targeted drainage system improvements include proposed dual 8 feet by 8 feet box culverts for transporting stormwater to the Poor Farm Ditch south of Holcombe Boulevard, according to the city’s website.
