Pulice Construction Inc.'s work on the Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT) Interstate 10 from Farm-to-Market 2434 to U.S. 90 (Alleyton Road South) project in Colorado County is advancing steadily.
The construction, which began in October 2024, is widening and reconstructing a 6-mi. stretch of the highway, and will improve safety, traffic flow and connectivity by permitting vehicles to bypass the city of Columbus.
The project, which has been in the planning stages since 2018, is financed by federal statewide connectivity funds (80 percent) and state money (20 percent) and is expected to wrap up by Jan. 1, 2029. The initiative represents Segment II of the I-10 from State Highway 71 to Farm-to-Market 2761 project and includes the U.S. 90 to SH 71 in Columbus project limits.
Pulice Construction photo
The existing roadway consists of four main lanes with two-lane, two-way frontage roads and a flush grassy median with a cable barrier system.
The key project elements include widening the main lanes to three 12-ft. lanes in each direction with 12-ft. inside and outside shoulders; converting the frontage roads to two-lane, one-way roads; replacing the median with a single-slope concrete barrier for enhanced safety; and constructing a new bridge on a new alignment over the Colorado River, along with 28 additional relief and overpass bridges.
A Pulice web page said that "these improvements are designed to support safer travel, accommodate future traffic growth and enhance overall roadway efficiency along this critical stretch of I-10 in Texas."
In 2018, the average daily traffic count for I-10 within the project limits was 43,310, and it is projected to rise to 70,700 vehicles per day by 2040.
Lucea'n Kuykendall, a TxDOT Yoakum District spokesperson, attributed the increase in vehicle counts locally and regionally to an "increase in the number of people that are moving to Texas. A hurricane evacuation route is needed, as this is a major roadway leaving a highly populated area."
In addition, a TxDOT environmental report highlighted the safety issues.
"According to traffic crash rates obtained from the Texas Department of Public Safety (TDPS), I-10 is experiencing a substantial number of accidents," it said. "The segment of I-10 from FM 2434 to U.S. 90 had 750 total reported crashes between 2016 and 2020. The proposed realignment of the Colorado River Bridge would provide a safer facility by reducing curve radiuses east and west of the bridge, increasing sight distances and providing improved exit ramp access to Business State Highway 71."
Pulice Construction photo
It added that the segment's crash rate is three times higher than the state's average crash rate and that it averages two crashes per week. Seven fatal crashes occurred between 2017 and 2020, with 17 serious injury crashes occurring between 2016 and 2020.
Consor Engineering of Houston designed the project in collaboration with the TxDOT Yoakum District Design Section.
"Crossing the railroad east of Columbus at a steep skew angle of almost 43 degrees and crossing the Colorado River due to its width and flood depth [were among the design challenges]," Kuykendall said.
50-Year Lifespan
The lifespan of the new lanes and bridge is 50 years.
The bridge design has several advantages.
"Standard prestressed concrete beams for spans up to 140 ft. were designed due to contractor familiarity, making construction more efficient and cost-effective," Kuykendall said. "Continuous steel plate girders were designed across the river due to much longer spans needed, using three spans of 252 ft., 314 ft. and 252 ft. … for 818 ft. of the 1,418 ft. bridge. The steel plate girders are 10 ft. tall. The bridge crossing the new U.S. 90 intersection with I-10 — combined with the new bridge over the railroad — will be 2,268 ft. long."
Pulice Construction photo
The mainlines are concrete with a flexible base, and the frontage roads are an asphalt-concrete pavement.
TxDOT bought approximately 84.54 acres of additional right-of-way that included the demolition of four ancillary structures and three nonresidential buildings.
Thus far, Pulice Construction has completed the following elements: grading work between Alleyton Road and U.S. Business 71; drilling shafts, columns and caps, along with some bridge decks; utility relocations; and the opening of major mainline detours that free up the next phase of construction.
2026's Plan
This year's efforts will focus on constructing the eastbound I-10 mainlines between U.S. Business 71 and FM 2434 and finishing the section between Alleyton Road and Ratliff Creek.
Dealing with traffic is a constant issue.
"[In order to] work around live traffic on a major highway," said Vicente Gomez, Pulice's area manager, "a new traffic control design was developed to reduce the number of traffic switches and also to avoid as much as possible working in the median. Work is progressing as per schedule, with 30 percent completed."
Crews are putting in both day and night shifts. Night shifts occur when lane closures are required.
Gomez said the traffic control strategy allowed Pulice to create sufficiently sized workspaces.
The widening and reconstruction of I-10 started on the eastbound side. Traffic was detoured to the westbound lanes and, when crews reach the project limit at year's end, traffic will be switched to the new lanes.
Pulice Construction photo
"The work began in the green field section between the Union Pacific Railroad tracks and the Colorado River," Gomez said. "Then we built the detour over the westbound lanes. … The project is very big and spread out; having excavation, site prep and paving/placement crews working at the same time is needed."
On average days, concrete crews place 300 ft. of concrete pavement, which takes five to seven days to cure, and asphalt paving crews can cover approximately 500 ft.
For the earthwork, operators are using a combination of mostly Cat and John Deere excavators, dozers, graders and compactors; for the paving/placement operations, they are employing rollers, pavers, placers and curing machines. Liebherr cranes pitch in for the bridge work.
Making Changes
The conversion of the frontage roads from two-lane, two-way roads to two-lane, one-way roads is being done in phases.
Crews are reconstructing those lanes, following a similar process to that used on the mainlines.
The replacement of the existing median with a single-slope concrete barrier for enhanced safety is ongoing. The concrete barrier is being cast in place. The dimensions are 42-in. tall and 24-in. wide over 23,000 linear ft.
Pulice is constructing a 1,480-ft.-long, seven-span concrete and steel girder bridge with four lanes in each direction over the Colorado River on a new alignment.
Crews are working on both sides, following a plan that has them place berms in the river drill shafts; place columns, caps, a 314-ft.-long middle span, 70-ton concrete and steel girders and other prefabricated elements; and construct and pour the deck.
"The challenges include changes in water flow elevation, soft ground and a long middle span," said Gomez, who noted that the bridge should be completed by August.
Pulice Construction photo
"Our first focus is the greenfield area bridges, while opening detours to allow the demolition and construction of the existing mainline bridges over UPRR and the Colorado River; intersections like Alleyton Road and Business 71; interchange with SH71; and over frontage roads. The lengths range from the 2,268-ft.-long UPRR bridge to the 170-ft long Colorado River Relief 3 bridge at U.S. 90."
Pulice's management team includes experienced project managers, engineers, superintendents and foremen.
"[Key members] of the team have worked together in previous jobs," Gomez said. "This makes it easier to coordinate the work and bring in new members. The field team leaders and office staff coordinate the activities in a very efficient way."
Typical days have 200 Pulice and subcontractor personnel on site Monday through Saturday. Major subcontractors include Clear Cut (earthwork), AH-Beck (drill shafts) and Durwood Greene (asphalt paving).
About 700,000 cu. yds. were excavated and used for embankments. Up to 1 million cu. yds. of additional material may be brought in to finish the embankment work.
Main wear-and-tear items include cutting edges for dozers and blades, which are repaired by on-site mechanics who also handle routine maintenance.
Pulice said it buys and rents equipment from dealerships such as Doggett Equipment Services, United Rentals, Mustang, Regional Traffic Services, Texas First, Holt CAT, NPE and Sunbelt Rentals. CEG
