CEI Services for TxDOT El Paso and Odessa Districts

JMT (formerly ECM International) has provided construction engineering and inspection (CEI) services for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) throughout the agency’s El Paso and Odessa Districts on a wide variety of projects ranging from simple rehabilitations to complex interchanges. Several of the projects in the Odessa District focused on serving the Midland community and the energy sector located within the vicinity of Midland and Odessa. JMT’s CEI services include providing weekly progress reports, payment applications, document control, change orders, TxDOT and contractor coordination, traffic control, night inspections, and inspecting to the strict TxDOT requirements. Example work includes:

RM 652 Full Depth Pavement Rehabilitation, El Paso District – Rehabilitation of RM 652 was intended to accommodate and sustain the increased volume of heavy load traffic resulting from the West Texas region’s oil industry. The project replaced the existing storm drain structures, including reinforced concrete boxes and concrete pipes, and elevated segments of the roadbed through flood zones. The roadway widening and rehabilitation consisted of milling the existing asphalt and replacement with 10 inches of emulsified asphalt treated base and a 1-inch thin overlay Stone Matrix Asphalt Rubber – Type F (SMAR-F) mixture riding surface. Rehabilitating an old pavement by pulverizing and stabilizing the existing pavement is referred to as full depth reclamation (FDR). The project was constructed in nominal, one-mile phases and was adjusted as needed depending on the terrain conditions.

BI-20 Existing Roadways Rehabilitation and Safety Improvements, Odessa District – The $11 million rehabilitation of a six-mile urban section extends from Fairgrounds Road to I-20. The project improvements are designed to rehabilitate the roadway section frequented by the heavy-load traffic resulting from the oil industry in the region. The project features an FDR approach, where the existing roadway materials are chemically and mechanically stabilized with the use of cement and asphalt emulsion materials, thus generating an emulsified flexible roadbed mix. The roadway section encompasses 12 inches of the emulsion-treated base with a two-course seal coat and a final layer of a 1.5-inch layer of SMAR-F. The implementation of 12 inches of FDR is new in the region and is an experimental depth being monitored by the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI). Additionally, the project includes roadway safety improvements consisting of new concrete directional islands, repair of culvert crossing structures, installation and retrofit of rail structures, metal beam guard fence, striping, electrical conduit installation, and installation of small road signs and traffic signals.

FM 2119 Roadway Rehabilitation, Odessa District – The $62 million project consisted of the full-depth rehabilitation of a 40-mile corridor along FM 2119 in Reeves and Culberson counties at Pecos, TX. The roadway was rehabilitated with full-depth emulsion treatment of eight inches of existing asphalt roadway. The new paving consisted of a two-cast seal coat, and two-inch SMAR-F final paving layer. Additionally, approximately 90 culvert structures (bridge and non-bridge class) were installed to accommodate the existing drainage patterns. JMT led the CEI effort including acceptance inspections, documentation of work activities, and construction material testing. Additionally, cost and schedule management services were provided during construction.

US 285 Rehabilitation and Widening, Odessa District – The $47 million project reconfigured US 285 from a two-lane divided highway to a “super 2” highway between Orla and Pecos, TX, an 11-mile-long highway heavily congested and widely used by the energy sector. To accommodate the new roadway configuration, the existing Four Mile Draw Bridge was replaced. JMT led the CEI effort including acceptance inspections, documentation of work activities, and construction material testing. JMT assisted TxDOT in assessing and coordinating the analysis of a drill shaft foundation that was deemed “questionable” from the results of the thermal integrity profile testing. The prompt analysis and coordination ensured the project stayed on schedule.