Is the City of San Angelo Going to Concrete Southwest Blvd. Over the Red Arroyo?

SAN ANGELO – The San Angelo City Council on Tuesday could approve a change order to the construction project on Southwest Blvd. at Red Arroyo by McDonald's to concrete the roadway instead of using asphalt paving.  

That stretch of city street has been problematic for decades because of the shifting soil along the Red Arroyo.  In wet times, the moisture allows the soil to shift and asphalt paving breaks down rapidly under those conditions.  

Here is what the City Council is considering during Tuesday's regular meeting: 

"Staff requests Council approval of Change Order #2 for the Southwest Boulevard Rehabilitation Project. Change Order #2 will amend the paving material from Green Meadow Drive to the W. Loop 306 Frontage Road from hot mix asphalt to concrete.

Southwest Blvd from Green Meadow Drive to Loop 306 has historically seen road failures due to the unstable soils and base material in that area. Additionally, the water that overtopped the road during rain events further deteriorated the existing asphalt.

Because of the known issues, Staff requested the contracted Engineering Firm to design this section of road with reinforced concrete paving to help insure the roadway against future failures. At some point during the design process, the requested concrete paving was changed to hot mix asphalt and was bid and contracted as such.

Staff still supports enhancing the paving material in this section of road as was originally requested. The concrete paving will provide a more robust road and reduce the likelihood of failure as well as future maintenance costs. Change Order #2 will revert the paving material back to reinforced concrete and increase the current contract by $381,942.12."

The city council meets at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday morning in council chambers at the McNease Convention Center.  The meeting is open to the public.