Progress continues on the Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT) $72.78 million FM 1518 Expansion Project, which is a reconstruction of Farm-to-Market 1518 between Interstate 10 and Farm-to-Market 78 in Bexar County.
When completed by SER Construction Partners LLC in 2028, FM 1518 will feature two 11-ft. lanes in each direction with a raised 34-ft.-wide raised center median.
Additional work includes installing a 10-ft.-wide shared-use path on the east side, a 6-ft.-wide sidewalk on the west side and upgraded utilities and improved drainage.
Construction began in April 2024. The project is financed by TxDOT and federal funds.
"[The project] is designed to increase mobility and safety along 5.6 miles of the corridor," according to the project web page. "[The benefits include] increased connectivity, separating opposing lanes of traffic and integrating bike and pedestrian access with the construction of sidewalk and shared-use path accommodations."
This is a four-phase project. Phase I covers utility work throughout the corridor and work on the FM 78 and FM 1518 intersection. Phase II includes work between Lisa Meadows and I-10 and widening the bridge at Woman Hollering Creek. Phase III focuses on the area between Lisa Meadows and Aztec Lane, and Phase IV deals with sidewalks, the median and final paving.
The project was designed by Jacobs.
Challenges Abound
"Some of the key challenges we've faced during construction involve discrepancies between what is shown in the design plans and what actually exists in the field," said Jesse Chapa, SER Construction's project manager. "In some cases, design details may have been unintentionally omitted, or what is shown on paper does not physically fit or align as intended once construction begins.
"Another common challenge occurs when existing utilities have not been relocated prior to our scheduled work. When that happens, we must develop alternate construction approaches that still meet design intent and safety requirements. These alternate solutions are then sent to the design engineer (Jacobs) for review, redesign and stamping before the revised plans are returned to us for implementation."
Halfway Mark Nears
SER Construction Partners crews have completed 44 percent of the project.
TxDOT's Aug. 8 update newsletter noted that, "Work completed as part of the FM 1518 Expansion Project includes the installation of gas lines and sewer and wastewater line upgrades between Schaefer Road and I-10."
"Construction efforts on the new FM 1518 lanes have been primarily concentrated on the southern portion of the project between Trainer Hale Road and I-10, where the new northbound FM 1518 lanes are partially complete," according to TxDOT. "Between Woman Hollering Creek and Trainer Hale, crews are continuing to make progress on building the new northbound lanes. In early summer, work began to widen the Woman Hollering Creek Bridge, and crews poured the first slab of the expanded bridge in late July. Construction of the new roadway between Lower Seguin Road and I-10 is expected to be complete in summer 2026. After that, crews will focus on building the new roadway between Lower Seguin Road and Lisa Meadows."
Future work includes traffic signal upgrades at the intersections of FM 1518 and FM 78, Schaefer Road and Lower Seguin Road. Bridge widening also will occur on FM 78 over Cibolo Creek to expand the left turn from FM 78 onto FM 1518 to a dual left-turn lane for improved traffic flow and signal efficiency.
The widening operation is under way and, according to TxDOT, SER Construction is using a low-profile drill rig to drill bridge piers under live power lines.
The new traffic lanes are asphalt-based.
"The excavation for the new lanes primarily consists of clay soils with intermittent limestone layers," Chapa said. "The material is generally stiff to moderately hard, requiring typical excavation methods with localized areas of harder material that may require additional effort or equipment. Once the existing ground is prepared and cut to the required grade, Type C embankment material will be placed and compacted to the specified density."
After the embankment is placed and graded, the subgrade will be treated with lime to a depth of 8 in. The lime stabilization improves the bearing capacity and reduces the plasticity of the clay soils, ensuring a more uniform and durable base. Following stabilization, an 8-in. flex base layer TYD GR1-2 will be placed and compacted, serving as the primary structural layer beneath the pavement.
The final pavement structure will consist of two asphalt courses — a base course of hot-mix asphalt, 4-in. Type B, PG 64-22, and a surface course of hot-mix asphalt, 2 in. SP-C SAC-B PG76-22, serving as the wearing surface and providing ride quality and skid resistance.
Average production is approximately 1,500-2,500 linear ft. per day per lane, assuming a 12-ft. lane width and two 2-in. lifts.
"Under ideal conditions — good weather, continuous plant supply, long straight runs — crews can sometimes achieve up to 3,000-3,500 linear feet per-lane per-day," Chapa said.
Equipment used for the road work includes Cat 308E, 335, 336 and 349 and Link Belt 245x4L excavators; Cat 926M and 930 front-end loaders; tandem and long trailer trucks; Volvo Bayshore TR150 drill rigs; bucket trucks; a Wirtgen W210Fi rotomill; Roadtec RP-195 asphalt paving machines; Cat 140M and NorAm 65E road graders; Cat CP433E, CS323C, CP56 and CS56 rollers; bore machines; Bobcat S300 and S750 skid steer loaders; Schwing 17M to 65M concrete pump trucks; and concrete mixers with standard transit mixer rear discharge.
Median Work Complicated
The raised 34-ft. wide center median presents its own challenges.
"Medians often include inlets, median drains and cross-slope transitions that tie into existing pavement," Chapa said. "If not timed correctly, open median sections can trap water or create slope instability. Ensuring grade continuity and temporary drainage control between phases is a common challenge. … Limited space can slow productivity, especially when placing curb, median barrier or surface paving."
Chapa said that when the median is paved or poured in separate phases, achieving smooth tie-ins and proper alignment between the new and existing pavement edges is critical.
"Crews must follow survey control points and elevation checks to ensure cross-slopes and barrier offsets are correct," he said. "The median often comes late in the phasing sequence after inside lanes are open to traffic.
Equipment-wise, Cat 336 and 349 excavators will be used for ditch, culvert and utility excavation; Cat D6 to D8 dozers for bulk earthmoving, shaping embankments and backfilling; scrapers and loaders for mass excavation and hauling short distances; Cat 140M motor graders for fine grading subgrade and base; and Cat CP56 or CS56 compactors for soil and embankment compaction.
Topsoil is the primary material in the raised median.
Meantime, TxDOT is working with the city of Schertz to upgrade city water lines and CPS Gas lines.
For the widening of the bridge at Woman Hollering Creek, SER Construction is using a slab deck structure and implementing a scour repair of the Cibolo Creek Bridge.
"When performing a bridge widening, the work typically begins with the installation of new drilled shafts, followed by the construction of columns, bent caps and abutments to support the new bridge section," Chapa said. "While the structural components are being formed and poured, the existing bridge deck is saw-cut along the planned construction joint to expose the existing reinforcing steel. EFCO pan forms are then set in place, new reinforcing steel is tied into the exposed bars, and the bridge deck slab is poured in sections to ensure proper integration with the existing structure and maintain structural balance."
For the bridge work, operators are using Cat and Link-Belt excavators; Cat D4 dozers; Cat 930 loaders; Volvo Bayshore TR150s; Schwing 17M to 65M pump trucks; and a Mack 2,000-gal. water truck.
On typical days, 35 to 50 people are working on site.
Subcontractors include RailPros for railroad flagging, EZ Bel for electrical work, Texas Environmental for erosion control, Beaird Drilling for drill shafts, Badeco for gas line utilities, TexOp for milling, Dependable Fence for fencing, C&C Trucking, G&D Directional for boring, Montalvo Bridge Systems for rebar and tying, D&R Roadway Construction for flatwork and Rangeline Tapping for tapping and sleeve waterline.
Maintenance Crucial
Mechanics are on top of the main wear and tear items.
"Buckets, blades and rippers take the most abuse," Chapa said." Cutting edges, teeth and side cutters wear down from scraping, ripping or working in abrasive material. Frequent replacement is normal on graders, excavators and loaders. Constant movement and vibration loosen or wear pins and bushings in booms, arms and buckets.
High-pressure joints need greasing daily to prevent metal-to-metal wear. Hoses, seals, pumps and cylinders degrade under heat and pressure. Contamination causes premature failure. Regular filter changes and clean hydraulic oil are critical.
"On the electrical side, connectors, sensors, wiring harnesses and switches suffer from vibration, heat and moisture," Chapa said. "Dust infiltration can cause erratic operation or failure in automated grade-control or GPS systems. Cracks can form in frames, welds and booms from repeated stress and overloading. This is common in older dozers, excavators or cranes subjected to heavy, uneven loads."
Engine and drivetrain components also are impacted.
"Radiators and coolers clog with dust and debris, reducing efficiency," Chapa said. "Fans and belts wear out from vibration or misalignment. This is especially critical in hot Texas climates during long summer workdays. Haul trucks, rollers and graders experience brake and steering wear from constant starts, stops and tight turning. Bearings in drums, idlers or wheels fail from poor lubrication or contamination."
Repairs are dealt with promptly.
"Any of these repairs can generally take a few hours to complete; however, the more in-depth repairs could take a few days depending on the magnitude of the repairs," Chapa said. "We do have an on-site mechanic full time." CEG
