TxDOT awarded a statewide indefinite deliverable contract for bridge engineering to Binkley & Barfield | DCCM for bridge engineering services. For work authorization no. 1, Binkley & Barfield | DCCM was awarded a project in Brazoria County to prepare plans, specifications, and estimates for bridges at three intersections along SH 288. The project required the design of new overpass structures at the intersection of SH 288 at CR 57 and CR 64, the widening of an existing structure at SH 288 and CR 56, and two frontage road creek-crossing bridges. The structural designs ranged from TxDOT standard multi-column TxGirders for stream crossing, green ribbon overpasses with U-beams and inverted tees with skews, to modified details with TxGirders. The designs dealt with utility conflicts, wetland and stream impacts, skews, and embankment settlement mitigation. We provided bridge layout plan sheets for each bridge and a comparative cost analysis. The team set bridge spans and limits for optimum beam design and vertical clearance.

CR 57

• Constructed new location CR 57 cross-street bridge (Binkley & Barfield | DCCM)
• Added ramps
• Added auxiliary lanes
• Constructed two frontage road bridges

CR 64

• Constructed new location CR 64 cross-street bridge (Binkley & Barfield | DCCM)
• Added ramps
• Added auxiliary lanes

CR 56

• Widened the existing CR 56 bridge (another consultant)
• Added frontage roads
• Added auxiliary lanes

Design aspects of the project included survey, geotechnical, bridge design, roadway, drainage, environmental, and subsurface utility engineering. As prime provider of the project, Binkley & Barfield | DCCM held an e-mail version of the design concept conference prior to the 30% submittal. The project milestones were 30%, 60%, 90%, 95%, 100%, and final. Binkley & Barfield | DCCM’s engineers coordinated closely with the adjacent segment engineers to assure continuity of design across segment lines. Binkley & Barfield | DCCM presented several typical section options to TxDOT prior to beginning the design to ensure TxDOT needs were prioritized. The chosen roadway section included a 16-foot median, four 12-foot lanes, two 12-foot shoulders, and a 5-foot, 6-inch sidewalk with C223 rail. The overall roadway width is 103 feet. The project included the conversion of two-way frontage roads into one-way operations.

The Binkley & Barfield | DCCM team used Atlas 14 to determine the width of the floodplain for the frontage road bridges over West Fork Chocolate Bayou at CR 57