CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — On Tuesday, Corpus Christi City Council approved two road construction contracts.
One project, a $3.2 million project, will focus on Wildcat Dr. in Calallen, from Teague Ln. to FM 624.
“It’s going to be largely reconstructing what’s there, but fixing the problems with it,” said Jeff Edmonds, the Director of Engineering Services for the City of Corpus Christi.
The project will include new asphalt pavement, new curbs, gutters, signage, lighting, and more.
The other project will focus on Waldron Rd. in Flour Bluff, from South Padre Island Dr. to Purdue Rd.
“It’s going to be selective, targeted concrete repairs on that project,” Edmonds said.
The Flour Bluff project, a $2.3 million project, will replace worn or damaged concrete panels in the road, and install new driveways, curbs, gutters, and more, as well as improving utilities, including stormwater and wastewater.
Rosezetta Adams, the owner of Andrews Flowers on Waldron Rd., is excited for the city improving stormwater utilities, and hopes it will improve drainage on the road.
“When it rains really heavy out here, it’s an issue, because there’s water on both sides, which actually covers the road all the way, and you have to drive down the middle, and there are parts here, all the way to the freeway where you just don’t want to drive it, everybody just drives in the left-hand lane,” Adams said.
The two construction projects are the first from the Bond 2020 program to be awarded construction contracts. All 22 projects from Bond 2020 in the design, bid, and construction phases.
“There’s going to be a steady stream of projects that are coming to council, these are just the first two street projects on the Bond 2020 program that have gone to construction,” Edmonds said.
While it has been two years for these construction projects to get contracts approved, Edmonds said there is a lot that goes into a project getting contract approval, and this is actually a relatively quick timeframe for a project to get to the construction phase.
“After the bond passes, we have to procure a design engineer and produce design documents, bid documents, and put it out for construction bids, give them time to prepare their bids, open the bids, get those agenda items through, and awarded by council,” he said. “So, that’s what has taken place up to this point, and council just awarded those projects this week.”
Both projects are scheduled to start next month. Wildcat Dr. should be completed by next June, Waldron Rd. is anticipated to be completed next fall.
