'Mechanical concrete' pilot project on Knapp Road to move forward after 2 years

The project will be carried out in partnership with researchers from Texas A&M University, who will install pavement performance-monitoring equipment during construction to provide data that will inform whether to expand the technology for broader use in Pearland and the state, City Manager Trent Epperson said.

What else?

Getz said his company has used the technology on over 150 projects over 15 years, including in extreme weather environments like Alaska's, without a single failure.

Pearland will monitor the road for one year to assess its structural integrity and effectiveness before considering using the technology in other areas, council member Joseph Koza said at the meeting.

Knapp Road was chosen as a test site because of the heavy industrial truck traffic it experiences, allowing the city to test the design’s durability.

What they’re saying

Council member Joseph Koza said he had “real heartburn” about the two-year delay in reaching the pilot stage, especially if the city decides to use the technology on other road projects.

“I'd kind of like to see how it's done prior to me getting off council,” Koza, whose term expires in 2028, said. “I might not be here to vote on a road that has it, but I'd kind of like to be able to see if this thing works.”

City Attorney Lawrence Provins said having a licensed engineer sign and seal the plans is a state requirement and protects the city from liability in the event of a road accident. The city did not receive sealed engineering plans until February, Mayor Kevin Cole said at the meeting.

The city’s public works team said they frequently communicated with various representatives from the project team, which contributed to project delays.

“The communication piece has really been a challenge,” Lorenzo Wingate, Pearland’s director of engineering and public works, said at the meeting.

Cole asked Getz’s team to establish a single point of contact for the city’s team to communicate with to avoid confusion in the future.

Looking ahead

Construction on the Knapp Road test strip is expected to begin pending final schedule coordination, which could happen in the next two weeks, Wingate said at the meeting.