Overview

The IH 35 4B project was a 7-mile, $341 million, complete ROW-to-ROW reconstruction of IH 35 in the heart of Texas. Considered the largest design-bid-build project in the state, TxDOT’s goals for the project included improving safety and mobility, adding capacity and reducing congestion, enhancing aesthetics, and incorporating Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technology. In addition, the project aimed to improve access and connectivity to pedestrian and bike facilities in the cities of Waco and Bellmead. This project entailed the reconstruction and widening of 84-lane miles of concrete pavement, 22 bridges, and 420,000 square feet of retaining walls. Additionally, 55 major water and wastewater utilities, including 13 bores across IH 35 were relocated.

BGE was the prime consultant for construction management and inspection services for this important project. With an accelerated pace of construction, BGE successfully managed challenges with a clear communication strategy and a battle-tested team of problem solvers. BGE’s utility subject matter experts provided countless solutions to complex utility relocation issues and successfully helped the client reach 95 percent completion of relocations within the first year of construction.

Stakeholder communications and engagement were also key components of the project. Over 200 stakeholders required regular updates on tasks such as reconstructing 100 driveways, widening mainlines, demolishing 24 bridges, and building new interchanges, U-turns, and bicycle access.  BGE’s state-of-the-art technology, SPYGLASS™, played a pivotal role in identifying construction phases and communicating them to the general public.

SPYGLASS™ allowed the contractor to see beyond 2D plans. During inspections, BGE’s team updated work progress on mobile devices, allowing the implementation team to review and proactively address traffic control plan (TCP) issues. We prioritized utility relocations by examining phasing and used SPYGLASS™ for mapping alternative scenarios when timely relocation was uncertain. By providing instant access to information for the public and partners, we improved mobility and safety, allowing engineering and construction teams to focus on their tasks and avoid delays.

As one team, TxDOT, BGE, CD&P, and the Texas A&M Transportation Institute conducted over 500 public outreach events and over 30,000 emails, texts, and phone calls. Our public information outreach efforts provided project information to over 7 million users.

The IH 35 4B project was completed 7 months ahead of the 4-year schedule with no delays.

BGE received the following awards for this project:

• 2024 American Public Works Association’s Texas Chapter (TX-APWA) Project of the Year for Transportation
• 2023 Western Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (WASHTO) Award for Operations Excellence in the Large Projects category
• 2023 Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) We Build Texas Award
  2023 Roads & Bridges Magazine “Top 10 Road Projects in America” (No. 8)
• 2024 American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Texas Engineering Excellence Award Silver Medal in the Transportation category
• 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Texas Section Award of Merit