HEIDENREICH LANE, HAYS COUNTY, TEXAS

OTHON provided design for the reconstruction of 1.82 miles of Heidenreich Lane.  The roadway was identified for upgrades as part of the Hays County Bond Program, in part due to its proximity to the rapidly expanding suburbs of Austin. Reconstruction was complicated by the roadway’s rural location with few alternative routes available for use as detours. In addition, the elevation of a new 3-span bridge over Plum Creek needed to be raised sufficiently to eliminate a low-water crossing without extending the bridge, which would require more right-of-way.  OTHON developed a construction sequencing plan that closed the entire roadway to allow for reconstruction of the roadway and bridge in seven months. 

Drainage was also a challenge due to the size of the drainage area, which extends west of lH 35 and conveys flows from various upstream sources. To determine the representative impact of upstream development, as-built plans were reviewed to ascertain design flow for the bridge over Plum Creek. OTHON conducted hydrologic and hydraulic analyses of the Plum Creek and Bunton Branch watersheds to aid in preparation of the design of the Plum Creek bridge and a multiple-box culvert crossing Bunton Branch.

The project also featured new asphalt concrete pavement, side ditches, bridge-class culverts, traffic safety devices, and utility relocation. Safety improvements included adjusting horizontal/vertical alignments to accommodate a higher design speed and adding a left-turn lane at a major intersection crossing Bunton Branch.

Completion Date: 2004
Total Construction Cost: $2,400,000
Owner: Hays County