US 77 Reconstruction

Huitt-Zollars was the Lead Designer for this $74 million Design-Build project for the Texas Department of Transportation.  This project upgraded the existing non-controlled access facility to interstate highway standards.  The highway is now designated as Interstate Highway 69. This eight-mile project included expanding the freeway to four lanes and improving the existing US Highway 77 to serve as continuous frontage roads. Huitt-Zollars also designed 14 new bridges, widened existing bridges over existing outfall channels, and constructed over 9,900 linear feet of retaining walls. The project involved extensive construction through the City of Bishop which necessitated extensive coordination and community outreach meetings with the City, Bishop Independent School District, and numerous businesses along the corridor. The image of the local high school’s mascot, The Badger, was cast in the retaining walls for the overpasses in the City. In addition, a new interchange was added to improve mobility and accommodate access to the historic King Ranch. Numerous utility conflicts were avoided by modifying the roadway design to eliminate costs and potential delays to the project.