TxDOT cancels 281 Toll Road contract with (Cintra) Zachry
Toll road contract canceled for studies
03/25/2006
San Antonio Express-News
Copyright 2006
The Texas Department of Transportation has canceled an $84 million contract with Zachry Construction Corp. for the construction of toll lanes on U.S 281 north of Loop 1604, pending the outcome of additional environmental studies.
The agency said Friday that if no significant environmental findings emerge from the new study and the project's design does not change, it will be re-bid by the summer of 2007, with construction beginning that fall.
It would be completed in 2010 instead of 2008 as previously planned, at an additional cost of $8 million.
If the study determines that a full Environmental Impact Statement needs to be conducted, it could take up to five years to make a final decision on the project, delaying completion on the Loop 1604 to Stone Oak Parkway section from 2014 to 2019, TxDOT said in a statement.
"Based upon the possible timeline scenarios and the associated uncertainty that currently exists, it is deemed to be in the public's best financial interest to cancel the existing project and re-bid at a later date rather than pay a contractor stand-by time," said TxDOT project engineer Frank Holzmann.
TxDOT was forced to reopen previous environmental studies in response to a lawsuit filed by two groups opposed to the project, which was scheduled to begin in January.
The past findings will be combined with any new data in a single environmental document for the corridor, from Loop 1604 to Borgfeld Road.
The agency has hired a consultant for the new study, which will cost about $800,000 and take at least a year to complete.
Public meetings to discuss the environmental reassessments will be held Wednesday at Reagan High School and Thursday at Bush Middle School.
Both meetings will begin with an open house at 6 p.m. followed by a presentation at 7 p.m.
© 2006 San Antonio Express-News: www.mysanantonio.com
03/25/2006
San Antonio Express-News
Copyright 2006
The Texas Department of Transportation has canceled an $84 million contract with Zachry Construction Corp. for the construction of toll lanes on U.S 281 north of Loop 1604, pending the outcome of additional environmental studies.
The agency said Friday that if no significant environmental findings emerge from the new study and the project's design does not change, it will be re-bid by the summer of 2007, with construction beginning that fall.
It would be completed in 2010 instead of 2008 as previously planned, at an additional cost of $8 million.
If the study determines that a full Environmental Impact Statement needs to be conducted, it could take up to five years to make a final decision on the project, delaying completion on the Loop 1604 to Stone Oak Parkway section from 2014 to 2019, TxDOT said in a statement.
"Based upon the possible timeline scenarios and the associated uncertainty that currently exists, it is deemed to be in the public's best financial interest to cancel the existing project and re-bid at a later date rather than pay a contractor stand-by time," said TxDOT project engineer Frank Holzmann.
TxDOT was forced to reopen previous environmental studies in response to a lawsuit filed by two groups opposed to the project, which was scheduled to begin in January.
The past findings will be combined with any new data in a single environmental document for the corridor, from Loop 1604 to Borgfeld Road.
The agency has hired a consultant for the new study, which will cost about $800,000 and take at least a year to complete.
Public meetings to discuss the environmental reassessments will be held Wednesday at Reagan High School and Thursday at Bush Middle School.
Both meetings will begin with an open house at 6 p.m. followed by a presentation at 7 p.m.
© 2006 San Antonio Express-News:
posted by Porkus Maximus Tex: at Saturday, March 25, 2006
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