Contracts worth $675 million have been awarded for two major freeway projects in Texas.
Fluor had the winning bid of $547.6 million for adding two high-occupancy vehicle lanes in each direction for the I-35 Capital Express South project in Austin.
And Webber has been awarded the $127 million contract to widen part of the Dallas North Tollway from three lanes to four in each direction.
I-35 Capital Express South
The project will add the new non-tolled HOV lanes for 9 miles on I-35 from SH 71 to SH 45 Southeast at Austin on one of the state’s most congested roadways, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. The project also includes building intersection bypass lanes and improving biking and walking paths along frontage roads.
The HOV lanes are designed to provide a less congested route to the adjacent general lanes during peak periods for vehicles with passengers, TxDOT says. Construction is scheduled to start late this year and be completed in 2027.
Express South is one of three projects for I-35 through Austin. The North project would add one non-tolled lane in each direction from SH 45 North to U.S. 290 East, and the Central project would add two non-tolled managed lanes in each direction from U.S. 290 to SH 71.
Construction of the North project has an estimated cost of $400 million and is expected to start this year, according to TxDOT. Construction of the Central project is estimated to cost $4.9 billion and is expected to start in 2025.
Dallas North Tollway
Webber, which is a U.S. subsidiary of international firm Ferrovial, will widen about 9 miles of a section of the Dallas North Tollway, with one toll lane added in each direction.
The project also involves widening 22 bridges, upgrading overpasses and building new ramps.
The goal is to alleviate congestion in north Dallas and improve connections to the tollway through Collin, Denton and Grayson counties.
Construction is scheduled to begin in September and take 40 months, Ferrovial says. The contract was awarded by the North Texas Tollway Authority.