Westpark Tollway to be closed for repairs - poor drainage

Five years after it opened the Westpark Tollway in Houston has to have major repairs to remedy drainage problems in depressed segments. The most serious problems in the tight 2x2 lane expressway are where it dives deep under the Southwest Freeway, US59 about 4km (2.5 miles) from its eastern or downtown end.  This portion will have to be fully closed both directions for some weeks while excavations are made for new drainage and reconstructuon of the pavement.

During construction all traffic will go on or off at US59 instead of being able to connect directly with I-610.

There's also a problem in a  depressed section at Dairy Ashford in the western portion of the tollroad alongside a water detention basin. The pavement here is perpetually wet and has serious cracks in it.

Westpark Tollway is entirely concrete.

The Houston area is notoriously difficult for underground construction. The soils are a clay 'gumbo' and the natural water level - the watertable - is never far below the surface.

Lisa Castaneda, HCTRA engineer is quoted as saying that geotechnical investigations of what was done wrong during construction 2001 to 2004 have been inconclusive, so they are not able to hold designers or builders accountable for the problems.

Cost of rebuilding is estimated at about $5m. The expenditure was authorized at the board meeting last week.

BACKGROUND: The Westpark Tollway of 2x2 lanes runs a total of 30km (19 miles) through Harris and Fort Bend counties heading west off the I-610 Loop in the Galleria area. Going west it runs alongside the US59 to its south for a couple of miles then where the US59 turns southwest the Westpark Tollway dives under it to continue its westward orientation across the Sam Houston Tollway Beltway 8 and TX6 as far as Grand Parkway TX99 in the Katy area.

It was built in portion of a railroad right of way ceded by the Metro transit agency in less than 30m (100ft) width. It has limited shoulders and zero landscaping. It opened in May 2004 to Highway 6 (TX6). It was subsequently extended to the Grand Parkway (TX99).

23km (14 miles) are located in Harris County and 8km (5 miles) in adjoining Ft Bend County, but all is operated by HCTRA.

The Westpark Tollway was the first full all-electronic tollroad in the US (several all-electronic toll lanes projects opened from 1995 on.)

HCTRA owns 166km (103 miles) of tollroad and manages 182km (113 miles) for a total of 930 lane-km (578 lane-miles). It does around a million toll transactions/day and grosses $480m/year in toll revenues.

TOLLROADSnews 2009-02-15