Magnolia Relief Route

July 18, 2023

By David Balmos, Vice President and Brad Tiemann, SR Project Manager

Relieving the gridlock.

Located in Montgomery County, the 7^th fastest growing county in the U.S., is the city of Magnolia, Texas. Well-known for its access to the Texas Piney Woods and sprawling magnolia trees, the city is nestled in the southwest part of the county and is situated along the heavily traveled FM 1488.

For years, the community has been managing severe congestion, safety issues and significant delays at the intersection of FM 1488 and FM 1774. As the city of Magnolia and the surrounding areas continue to experience record growth, the congestion has only worsened. Not only is traffic a concern, but vehicles heading east-west along the corridor need to travel over a railroad, creating another complication.

Solutions to the bottleneck.

Many ideas have been vetted to alleviate the traffic – most of them resulting in substantial impacts to the historic downtown Magnolia. To ensure the community keeps its economic footing, a bypass around the town was proposed. The $114 million Magnolia Relief Route will include five miles of new four-lane roadways that will extend west from FM 1488, cross over a Union Pacific Railroad track, and connect with the Texas 249 tollway.

Accelerating the timeline.

The project has been on the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) list for nearly a decade. To accelerate the timeline, WSB is delivering the project through 3D digital delivery. Digital delivery results in efficiencies, and speed that would not be possible through traditional design delivery methods. The timeline from schematic design to final will take less than eight months which will then allow the county and city to have plans finalized when funds become available.

Toll revenue and project funding.

The project will partly be funded through toll revenue from Texas 249, a state-operated toll road. FM 1488 will connect to Texas 249. In Texas, any new facility that brings traffic to the toll road is eligible to be funded out of the toll revenue. Additionally, $10 million was earmarked by Montgomery County as part of the required match in the 2015 road bond. The project is anticipated to be bid in 2024.

Services Provided

Design
Environmental Services
Cost Estimates
Union Pacific Railroad Permitting & Coordination
Surveying
Drainage Studies

By the Numbers

5 miles of new roadway
$114 million project
8 month accelerated timeline
Eliminates 15,000 vehicles each day from crossing the Union Pacific Railroad at-grade crossing.

As Vice President, David will be responsible for driving business and working across many markets in the region including the department of transportation, toll road authorities, county government agencies, transit authorities, port authorities and local municipalities. In addition, David will support projects in the private sector, working closely with land developers, commercial interests, oil and gas and pipeline transport.

Brad is a Senior Project Manager with 30 years of engineering experience in the design, construction and maintenance of transportation facilities. He has led the development, preparation and plan review (QA/QC) of more than 100 separate PS&E packages including urban arterials, municipal streets, rural highways and bridges. He has considerable experience with maintenance and construction for transportation facilities in Texas, and as a recent TxDOT retiree, Brad has a strong understanding of the Texas transportation system.

Our Approach to Digital Delivery

Introducing Digital Plus

The future of project delivery

Beyond paperless

For many years, the AEC industry has been embracing advancements in the way we deliver projects. Paperless plans were the first step in this process. Fast forwarding to today, paperless plans have evolved one step further. People often refer to any digital plan set as paperless, but at WSB, we take our designs one step beyond paperless by creating 100% models. 100% models mean the entire project is created and designed in 3D.

100% models house data and design information from the entire project lifecycle, leaving owners and contractors with an accurate, detailed, data-based model to support asset management needs well into the future.

The development of DigitalPlus

WSB is committed to leading our industry in the use of cutting-edge tools to work smarter. As a firm, we’ve been at the leading edge of digital delivery efforts for many years. Our approach is unique and one that has been internationally recognized as a best practice in digital project delivery. To help tell this story, we created DigitalPlus.

DigitalPlus is the future of digital delivery. Through a combination of cutting-edge tools, expertise and a commitment to innovation, we are shaping the way our industry delivers projects. We believe in advanced project delivery, and we know how to apply the right technology and expertise to support our infrastructure needs. Through DigitalPlus, we are setting new standards, developing best practices and changing our industry’s approach to multidimensional digital design.

Why DigitalPlus

As engineers, we are motivated by the opportunities to design infrastructure projects that support our communities. The infrastructure around us has a significant impact on our daily lives. From drafting plan sets to public meetings, we live in the details and embrace the full process. We also embrace the advancements in our industry and how we can leverage technology to deliver better projects for our clients.

The benefits

Improve Quality
Sustainability
Enhanced Scheduling
Better Managed Risk
Relationship Management (Contractors | Owners)
Improve Cost
Increase Collaboration and Communication

What is DigitalPlus

A combination of expertise and cutting-edge tools.

Data Collection

Data is the foundation of any good project. We use several traditional data collection methods to gather data points that help paint a picture of the world around us. Good data is vital to the DigitalPlus process.

3D Design

Designing in 3D allows us to develop the project while providing a complete and accurate picture of the final product, significantly improving project outcomes.

4D / 5D

4D/5D modeling improves accuracy and efficiency by adding time and cost functions into design. The true power lies in the way a model can be used during preliminary design, final design and throughout construction.

Asset Management

Asset Management is the collection of an agency’s infrastructure assets and includes a plan for managing assets over the infrastructure’s lifespan. Through digital twins, assets can be managed virtually and accurately.

Utility Coordination

Digital delivery aids utility coordination by translating utility information into a 3D environment that can be compared with the design to identity and mitigate conflicts.

Visualization

Real-time 3D visualization has completely transformed site-specific review and public engagement efforts. Visualizations allow for active participation regardless of project scope and size.

Traffic Operations

Through simulation technology and trip-origin destination data, roadway designs are now guided by real-time and historical mobility movement data.

Integrated Project Delivery

A process, rather than a project that all starts with an idea. Through a combination of expertise and cutting-edge tools, land developers and owners identify opportunities and challenges before a project begins.

Machine Control Modeling

Using 3D models and GPS data, machine control modeling allows earthwork machinery to be accurately positioned. Design surfaces, grades and alignments are directly imported into construction equipment, resulting in increased accuracy and timelines.

To learn more, visit: www.wsbdigitalplus.com

The engineering behind snow drifts

By DJ Sosa, Sr Project Manager, WSB

During long winter months, managing and improving infrastructure that is affected by snowfall becomes a top priority. Snow, combined with wind, creates dangerous conditions. Meteorologists have a system that predicts snowfall events and wind patterns, but many people don’t know the science behind snowdrift prevention. To help prevent dangerous driving conditions, engineers model and analyze snow drifts on roadways to determine how they’re impacted by winter weather. Today, snow drift challenges are solved by combining snow drift models with historical data to pin-point snow drift spots and create a more focused solution to mitigate the drift problem.

The benefits of a well-designed ditch

The width and depth of a ditch that borders a roadway can work to a commuter’s advantage and can reduce agency owners’ snowplow maintenance. Well-designed ditches prevent snow from blowing onto a roadway. Historical data and snow drift models help to determine the proper location and size of a ditch. Ditches are designed best when existing topography and right-of-way are both considered to create a well-balanced solution.

Living and structural snow fences

Snow fences became a leading solution to combating snowdrifts and keeping roads open after record snowfall and disastrous blizzards pounded the Midwest in the 1990s. Since then, roads that were often closed due to impassable snowdrifts are now kept open with a little help from nature and modern materials.

There are two types of snow fences – living and structural. A living snow fence is a group of trees or bushes planted strategically to catch drifting snow. The line of trees or shrubs prevents the snow from reaching sections of roads that tend to become blocked during or after storms, creating an effective barrier and increasing driver safety.

When living snow fences aren’t suited for a site, a structural snow fence is another option to consider. This is the preferred method when soil is too compacted, or the area doesn’t allow for shrubbery or trees due to maintenance complications.

The diagram below shows how a snow fence prevents snow from drifting.

Engineers automatically design roads for drainage, but snow should receive the same attention – particularly in states that experience winter weather for half the year. As you navigate your way through winter driving conditions, take notice of what surrounds you. The line of trees or the ditch next to you may just be helping keep the roadway clear.

DJ has been a quality manager and a senior project manager in transportation, both in preliminary and final design, for over 14 years. Prior to joining WSB, DJ was a design engineer and project manager for the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and has managed or been part of a wide range of designbid- build transportation projects.

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