Road construction can be inconvenient, disruptive, and frustrating but the result benefits the community in many ways! Haltom City Public Works crews and the contractors we hire work hard to minimize the number of disruptions as much as possible, and it is in the best interest of everyone to complete the project as efficiently as possible. The City includes penalties in construction contracts for which a contractor can be charged a fine for delays beyond the time allotted for a project. Two of the most frequent questions asked during the construction phase of a project are:
Why does construction take so long?
Major construction projects are extremely complex and require an incredible amount of work. And, while all that work is taking place, traffic still must be able to reasonably move through a construction zone. If the project involves the replacement of a water or wastewater line, existing lines must remain in service while new lines are constructed.
Complex projects are typically done in phases. In some situations, it may seem like a specific road has been under construction for a considerable amount of time. In reality, different phases have been under construction. An example of this would be that most street projects involve the replacement of the water mains, wastewater mains, and drainage improvements. The initial phase of the project would be to install these underground utilities. Once in place, the roadway can be reconstructed. To ensure long-term pavement performance, the contractor must adequately prepare the roadway subgrade. The contractor may place the initial layer of the roadway surface on the newly constructed area while they are working on the next phase, then apply the final surface layer once all the phases of the project are complete. Another factor that causes extended timelines are delays.
What can cause a delay?
All kinds of things can and do go wrong during construction. There are many factors that can have an impact on the timeline of the project such as the weather, labor shortages, material delivery delays, easement acquisitions or changes, and especially surprises underground.
Construction crews may find surprise utilities while digging such as telephone lines, fiberoptic lines, gas lines, electric lines, or a geological feature. Once these utilities are discovered, the city must work with the proper agencies to address those lines. This can cause delays as they coordinate scheduling with other utility groups.
Why is there no work being done?
One of the most common complaints is it seems there is often not any work being done on a specific project. This generally is not the case. Oftentimes, there is work being done you simply don’t see, such as underground or nearby-but-out-of-view drainage or utility work, or work on a nearby section of the same project that must be completed first due to sequencing. Construction projects are very dynamic and there are times when work sites are dormant because of legitimate circumstances:
- Inclement weather or its after-effects. Besides the obvious effects of rain, cold weather can also delay a project as asphalt and concrete often cannot be laid or poured in cold temperatures.
- Work cannot continue until concrete, or pavement has cured.
- Some elements of the project need to be completed before others, which means some sections go dormant in the meantime.
- The contractor is waiting on a delayed utility adjustment or material delivery.
- A required crew or piece of equipment is working another section of the project or a different project.
- Something was discovered on the work site that was unexpected that requires the contractor to wait while an engineering change is designed and approved.
How can you get involved?
You may be surprised to know that you, as a resident, a business owner, or a visitor of Haltom City, can get involved! As a Haltom City stakeholder, there are several ways you can be an asset in roadwork and other construction projects throughout Haltom City: be informed and give us feedback.
The Haltom City Public Works Department is now offering a SMS text notification service to keep residents informed about upcoming and ongoing projects that may affect their daily lives, including road construction, road closures, water line repairs, and other critical infrastructure projects and updates. The notification service isn't location-specific, so when you sign up, you'll receive updates about any construction projects that may affect traffic or water services across the entire city. Signing up for the service is quick and easy. Simply text HCPW to 888777. Message and data rates apply, and you may opt out at any time.
While the City makes every effort to know where City crews and contractors are working at all times, City staff isn’t able to be in all places at once. If you have a safety concern, a question, or would like to know more about a specific project, please reach out to us at pwengineering@haltomcitytx.com or 817-834-9036.
