EHRA completed preliminary engineering, phase one environmental site assessment and schematic development for the widening of Northpark Dr. between US 59 and Woodland Hills Dr. EHRA also provided program management, drainage analysis and design, traffic engineering, environmental documentation and schematic design for the roadway, as well as grade separation at the Loop 494/UPRR railroad crossing.
EHRA conducted traffic operations and access management studies for the Northpark Dr. corridor. This corridor is approximately 2.2 miles long and has major signalized and unsignalized intersections and driveways that access various subdivisions and industrial developments. These studies laid the groundwork for the widening of Northpark Dr. from a four-lane boulevard cross-section to a six-lane boulevard complete street. The new street design includes low impact development drainage, conventional drainage, a grade separation at the UPRR crossing with mechanically stabilized earth retaining walls, two at-grade crossings for bi-directional frontage access, reconstruction of two concrete bridges over a diversion channel, intersection improvements, a roadway-adjacent multiuse path and traffic signal improvements.
Drainage analysis and design included hydrologic and hydraulic studies of both existing and proposed conditions to demonstrate that proposed project components would not adversely affect the 100-year floodplain in the area. The roadway and traffic designs contained horizontal and vertical alignments, cross-sections, plan and profile, sidewalk and bicycle accommodations, intersection layouts, traffic control plans and signing and pavement markings.
As the program management firm, EHRA coordinated with TxDOT, UPRR, the City of Houston Council District E, COH Planning and Development Department, COH Public Works and Engineering Department, Montgomery County, Harris County, HCFCD and area residents throughout the project.
The purpose of this project was to convert the existing at-grade crossing of Brazoria County Road 56 (CR 56) and State Highway 288 (SH 288) into a diamond interchange that includes a new overpass bridge and providing access to the newly developed Meridiana Development. Coordination with TXDOT, area landowners, utility companies, and Brazoria County was integral in obtaining approval and acceptance of the project. The main design challenge for this project was to accommodate double intersections on the west side of SH 288 to tie into existing access roads with two-way traffic and a new southbound on-ramp within a close proximity. EHRA coordinated with TxDOT throughout the project from preliminary concepts for the intersection and bridge through final design and construction. Each component of this project was designed in accordance with TxDOT standards and criteria.
Identified as a top priority during the development of the District’s Parks Master Plan, this portion of trail was the first phase of over two miles of planned trails to provide connectivity and recreation for District residents.
This project was the second phase of parks implementation outlined in the District's Parks Master Plan, which was completed by EHRA in 2007. Utilizing the site of a recently demolished former wastewater treatment plant provided an opportunity to create a passive park space for District residents.
EHRA completed a site-specific planning and visioning study for the proposed 470-acre San Jacinto Boulevard District (SJBD) in Baytown, Texas.
The Grand Parkway Toll Road, a 180-mile-long ongoing project, is one of the largest freeway projects in the Greater Houston region. The 180 miles of roadway are divided into 11 segments (A-K), each being a unique and separate project. Segment D extends 17.4 miles from the Southwest Freeway to the Katy Freeway in Southwest Houston. EHRA Engineering was contracted in 2011 as Design Lead for the section at Peek Road within Segment D. As Design Lead, EHRA performed bridge design, designed roadway geometry, and oversaw other design elements such as drainage, roadway, retaining walls, signing, and pavement markings for the Peek Road Overpass. EHRA also designed Traffic Control Plans, which maintained traffic flow throughout the construction. The EHRA project team coordinated with Fort Bend County to overcome timing and inclusion challenges of County Plans that fell within the Grand Parkway Right-of-Way.
EHRA designed the main lane pavement and two bridges across Peek Road. The main lanes were designed to connect to existing pavement located approximately 800 linear feet to both the north and south sides of the bridges. Design plans also incorporated traffic control components, retaining walls, detours, and aesthetic bridge details that maintain the uniformity throughout the corridor. EHRA integrated accommodations for future road and/or bridge widening into the overall design. The most challenging project component was configuring geometric design. The bridge designs were more complex due to the roadway being on a superelevation and horizontal curve.
The project was placed on an unexpected hold due to traffic demand not warranting construction just as the original design plans were finalized. When the project resumed in 2019, EHRA was prepared to mobilize with updated designs modified to adhere to current standards. At this stage, the Toll Road Authority requested inclusion of an auxiliary lane between Bellaire Blvd. and Peek Road as additional scope. EHRA strategically repurposed existing pavement to reduce costs associated with procuring additional materials for the ramps.
During the final design phase, EHRA discovered an underground abandoned pipeline that could potentially conflict with the bridge foundations. With limited documentation from the pipeline company and our discovery of the depth of the pipeline, probing was not a cost-effective solution. To address this unexpected complication, EHRA developed alternate bridge foundation designs, effectively preventing possible delays to project completion.
EHRA submitted final design plans that were approved in mid-2021. Subsequently, in Fall 2021, the long-awaited construction phase kicked off. Project Manager and Structures Practice Area Leader, Sivaji Senapathi stated, “One of the most exciting things about working on this project is that it is considered to be one of the last projects to finalize the entire Segment D portion of the Grand Parkway Toll Road.” The completion of this $12.5 Million project will bookend nearly a decade of dedicated planning and engineering efforts. EHRA is proud to have contributed to this monumental project that will positively impact millions of commuters and elevate the mobility and safety of Houstonians far into the future.