Drivers on Interstate 45 will wait longer for better connections to Loop 610 and U.S. 59 because a Woodlands-based contractor will have to be replaced.
The jobs, totaling about $102 million, were won by Tradeco Infraestructura, based in The Woodlands. The contractor is the American wing of the Mexican building giant Grupo Tradeco.
More than a year ago, the Texas Department of Transportation chose the company for three key jobs meant to relieve area congestion. The projects included two new ramps where I-45 crosses Loop 610 near Gulfgate Mall – from eastbound Loop 610 to I-45 northbound and from southbound I-45 to westbound Loop 610.
Tradeco also was the low bidder on a $28.5 million project to redesign how traffic moves from I-45 to U.S. 59 near the central business district. The project essentially moved the ramps to parallel lanes that carry northbound I-45 to downtown exits.
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As of a Dec. 8 progress report, the ramp from southbound I-45 to westbound Loop 610 was 9.3 percent complete after work began on June 23, 2014.
TxDOT spokeswoman Raquelle Lewis said work can proceed after a new contractor is chosen, which should happen in the summer.
See this Chron story from June for more about the default. Not clear what went wrong or what if anything TxDOT could have done about it. Whatever the case, it’s back to the drawing board. Better luck next time, TxDOT.