Texas 21, October 20, 2024 by Construction Equipment Guide

Central Texas 183 North Mobility Project Continues

Construction crews in Texas continue their work on the $612 million 183 North Mobility Project, a corridor encompassing U.S. 183 between S.H. 45 and MoPac, one of the most congested roadways in Texas.

“Our goal is to manage that congestion and provide a reliable route for transit and emergency response,” said Mike Sexton, the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority director of engineering. “Transit vehicles and emergency response vehicles will be able to use our tolled express lanes at no charge and provide more reliability when needed the most.

“Congestion has negative impacts on the economy, the environment and people’s quality of life, as well as safety, and this project has a goal of addressing that problem for this heavily trafficked area of Austin.”

Great Hills Constructors (GHC) serves as the project contractor.

This section of U.S. 183 was constructed in 1996 as a four- to six-lane divided highway. The corridor provides access to downtown Austin, as well as being populated with businesses, major employment centers, religious institutions, schools, parks and trails. As residential, retail and commercial growth continues in nearby communities, traffic backups are expected to worsen, with mobility further reduced.

see MOBILITY page 10

The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) put its stamp of approval in late July on financial assistance totaling just above $3 billion for 17 water and wastewater projects through the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT) program and the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. TWDB is the state agency charged with collecting and disseminating water-related data, assisting with regional water and flood planning, and preparing water and flood plans. The department administers costeffective financial assistance programs for the construction of water supply, wastewater treatment, flood mitigation and agricultural water conservation projects across the Lone Star State.

The program includes two funds: SWIFT and the State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas (SWIRFT), the latter of which issues revenue bonds through SWIFT.

Heavy Equipment Used and Rebuilt Parts

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Agricultural Tractors

2015 JOHN DEERE 6215R......................$120,000

2020 JOHN DEERE 6130M....................$115,000

(5) 2018-2021 JOHN DEERE 6120M....From $67,500

2018 JOHN DEERE 5125R......................$98,500

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2023 JOHN DEERE 5115M......................$98,500 (3) 2021-2023 JOHN DEERE 5100M....From $81,000

Artic Trucks

(2) 2019 CATERPILLAR 745............From $289,500 (2) 2019 CATERPILLAR 740GC................$439,500 (2) 2022 CATERPILLAR 725............From $395,000 (9) 2023-2024 ROKBAK RA30....................$CALL (5) 2023 ROKBAK RA40............................$CALL

Attachments

(3) CATERPILLAR LIFTS......................$2,500 Ea.

CATERPILLAR D6 ANGLE BLADE................$5,000

CATERPILLAR D8T ANGLE BLADE..............$7,500

CATERPILLAR D10T SS RIPPER..................$CALL

CATERPILLAR ANGLE BLADE....................$7,500

CATERPILLAR WINCH..............................$CALL

2018 NPK GH15 HAMMER........................$CALL 2022 NPK GH18 HAMMER........................$CALL

PACCAR PA140-316V WINCH ....................$CALL PACCAR PA110VS245 WINCH....................$5,000

Compactors - Padfoot/Smooth Drum

(2) 2007-2023 CATERPILLAR 815................$CALL

2017 CATERPILLAR CS66B....................$119,500

Crawler Loaders

(4) 2021-2024 CATERPILLAR 963....From $369,500

(4) 2017-2021 CATERPILLAR 963K....From $195,500

(2) 2024 CAT 953 LGP..............................$CALL

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(2) 2019-2020 MOROOKA MST4000VDFrom $219,500

(2) 2018 MOROOKA MST3000VD......From $159,500

(3) 2018-2019 MOROOKA MST2200VD..From $119,500

2020 MOROOKA MST660VD....................$72,500

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(2) 2023 CATERPILLAR D10T2, SU/Twin Tilt.......... ............................................From $1,675,000

2023 CATERPILLAR D9......................$1,675,000

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(2) 2020 CATERPILLAR D6..............From $295,000

(12) 2019-2024 CATERPILLAR D6 LGP..From $279,500

(2) 2019 CATERPILLAR D6XE LGP....From $249,500

2020 CATERPILLAR D6 XL....................$309,500

2016 CATERPILLAR D6T XW......................$149,500

2018 CATERPILLAR D6N XL......................$CALL

2023 CATERPILLAR D5 LGP..................$415,000

2019 CATERPILLAR D5K2XL..................$169,500

2023 CATERPILLAR D4........................$269,500

(2) 2022-2023 CATERPILLAR D3......From $179,500

2022 CATERPILLAR D2............................$CALL

2019 JOHN DEERE 700K LGP..................$139,500 2017 KOMATSU D61EXi-24....................$229,500 2021 KOMATSU D71PX-24....................$249,500 (5) 2023 KOMATSU D71PXi-24........From $445,000 Dozers - Wheel

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2019 CATERPILLAR 390FL....................$925,000 (3) 2019-2020 CATERPILLAR 374FL..From $619,500 (2) 2021-2222 CATERPILLAR 352-07........$475,000 (2) 2017-2019 CATERPILLAR 349FL..From $189,500 (4) 2021-2022 CATERPILLAR 349....From $495,000

2022 CATERPILLAR 340........................$395,000 (3) 2019 CATERPILLAR 336............From $159,500

2018 CATERPILLAR 336FL....................$209,500 (2) 2023 CATERPILLAR 330-07..........$309,500 Ea.

2020 CATERPILLAR 326-07....................$289,500

2020 CATERPILLAR 320........................$189,500

2017 CATERPILLAR 316FL....................$139,500 (2) 2018 CATERPILLAR 304E2............$49,500 Ea.

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(2) 2022 CATERPILLAR 16..................$1,275,000

2024 CATERPILLAR 14........................$765,000

(3) 2020-2024 CATERPILLAR 150....From $309,500

(2) 2008-2017 CAT 140M................From $89,500

2017 CATERPILLAR 140M3....................$239,500

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Water

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Vermeer Texas-La., Bobcat of Buda Celebrate Expansion

Vermeer Texas-Louisiana and Bobcat of Buda building

Vrermeer Texas-Louisiana and Bobcat of Buda celebrated the grand opening of its new facility in Buda, Texas, on Oct. 3.

The event marked an important milestone for the company as it expands in the South Austin area.

Located just south of Austin off Interstate 35 in Buda, the new 12,500-sq.-ft. facility sits on 6 acres, is equipped with seven service bays and offers a full range of services, including new equipment sales, rentals, parts and service. The convenient location is designed to serve contractors in the South Austin area, providing access to high-quality equipment and support services.

More than 100 customers and

employees attended the grand opening celebration. Guests were invited to tour the facility and enjoyed a complimentary lunch, which included burgers courtesy of Wholly Cow. Attendees also received Bobcat and Vermeer-branded giveaways. Additionally, the branch manager Brandon Ferguson performed the ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside the Buda Chamber of Commerce.

For more information, visit vermeertexas.com and bobcatcce.com.

 CEG

Daniel Barclay (L), a field technician, and Rob Garcia, a shop technician of Vermeer Texas-Louisiana, show the Vermeer BC1000XL wood chipper, ready for action in the field.

Representatives of Sunstate Equipment’s team (L to R) are: A.J. Bernal, tech adviser; Ariana Fowler, inside sales representative; John Harrison, line technician; Juan Olivarez, operations manager; Sam Shimek, line technician; and Ron Bourassa, parts and receiving.

(L-R): Brian Harris, chief operating officer of Vermeer Texas-Louisiana; Shane Brownlow, sales manager at Vermeer Texas-Louisiana; and Brandon Ferguson, branch manager of Vermeer Texas-Louisiana & Bobcat’s Buda operation, were on hand for the grand opening event in Buda.

The

Vermeer Texas-Louisiana and Bobcat staff, customers and the Buda Chamber of Commerce came together to celebrate the grand opening event.

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Brazoria County Reservoir Expansion Receives $747.5M

from page 1

The largest portion of the latest round of assistance, totaling $747.5 million, is going toward the Brazosport Water Supply Corp. in Brazoria County for a reservoir expansion project, the board noted in a news release. By using the SWIFT program, Brazosport Water Supply could save approximately $90 million over the life of the loan, according to TWBD, and allow the corporation to complete planning, acquisition, design and construction work for the Harris Expansion

trict facility in Denton and Collin counties is due to get $162 million.

• Coastal Water Authority in Harris County, which includes Houston, $320 million

• Palo Pinto County Municipal Water District No. 1, headquartered in Dallas, will receive $200 million to build a facility designed to also serve nearby Parker County.

• City of Denton in Denton County, $195.8 million

• City of Fort Worth in Tarrant County, $125 million

• City of Greenville in Hunt County, $90.5 million

agricultural water supplies, Corpus Christi asked for help in funding the treatment plant project.

“I commend the city of Corpus Christi for their proactive approach to ensure our families and businesses have a sustainable water supply for multiple generations,” Hinojosa said in a statement. “Converting our sea and brackish water into reusable water is just one key component to providing a reliable, sustainable water base for future economic development and jobs in the region.”

growing water needs from a burgeoning population in South Texas.

Corpus Christi supplies water to roughly 500,000 people and relies on surface water from four sources and one treatment facility that handles about 25 billion gal. of water each year, according to BorderReport.com.

Besides the Corpus Christi-McAllen area, several other South Texas communities are worried about their future water sources.

“Seawater desalination is a proven solution that will relieve water scarcity for Corpus Christi Water customers across seven counties of the [Texas Gulf] Coastal Bend.”

Muncipality of Corpus

Project, which will almost triple the storage capacity of the adjacent Harris Reservoir through an off-channel reservoir and associated infrastructure.

Dow Chemical proposed the project, according to the Galveston District of the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and plans to build the approximately 51,000-acre-ft., off-channel reservoir on a 2,500-acre site. Work will include a new intake and pump station along the Brazos River next to and west of the new reservoir site, as well as an outfall.

The USACE said that the proposed reservoir will improve the reliability of water supply during droughts for Dow’s operations and for the industrial and community users that rely on Dow’s water supply. The new facility will be used primarily as additional storage to the Harris and Brazoria reservoirs but will operate as the primary reservoir during drought conditions.

Other water supply projects approved by TWDB went to the:

• Upper Trinity Regional Water District (covering Fannin, Collin, Cooke, Dallas, Denton, Grayson, Hunt and Wise counties), $320.8 million. Additionally, a similar dis-

Christi

• Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (Guadalupe, Comal, Hays and Caldwell counties), $87.7 million

• Bistone Municipal Water Supply District in Limestone County, $16 million

Four new wastewater improvement system upgrades in Texas also will receive funds from TWDB. They are:

• The Alliance Regional Water Authority (Hays, Caldwell, Guadalupe, Comal and Bexar counties), $138 million

• The Canyon Regional Water Authority (Atascosa, Bexar, Caldwell, Comal, Guadalupe, Hays and Wilson counties), $24.9 million

• The city of Austin (Travis County), $22.1 million

• The city of Marshall (Harrison County), $11.35 million

Other construction projects that were funded this summer by TWDB included a pair of seawater desalination plants. Just above $535 million will help build a facility in Corpus Christi (Nueces County), while $10 million will help pay for a desalination plant for the Laguna Madre Water District in Cameron County.

Finally, the capital city of Austin is due to receive $25 million to assist in its effort to upgrade its water system.

The state of Texas is helping with funds for a desalination plant to be built in Corpus Christi, a state lawmaker said recently.

In late July, the Texas Water Development Board (TWBD) approved $535 million in multi-year financing for Corpus Christi’s Inner Harbor Seawater Desalination Treatment Plant, according to Democratic Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, who represents the cities of McAllen and Corpus Christi.

With many communities in South Texas concerned about future drinking water and

He added that Corpus Christi receives the money from SWIFT through the TWBD. The fund has supplied billions of dollars to Lone Star State communities for water management over the past several decades.

This also is the second low-interest loan the city has received from SWIFT for the desalination plant.

Four years ago, Corpus Christi was awarded $222 million to build what was planned to be a 20-million-gal.-per-day desalination facility. Today, though, the plant is expected to cost $758 million, and the current plans call for it to process 30 million gal. per day.

The treatment facility in Corpus Christi will produce potable water and is expected to be fully integrated into the city’s regional water system by 2028.

The city’s new Inner Harbor Seawater Desalination Treatment Plant will be at the intersection of Nueces Bay Boulevard and West Broadway Street.

“Seawater desalination is a proven solution that will relieve water scarcity for Corpus Christi Water customers across seven counties of the [Texas Gulf] Coastal Bend,” the municipality noted on its project website. “World-renowned experts continue working with Corpus Christi Water to ensure seawater intake and return flow are handled in an environmentally responsible manner.”

For instance, Laredo municipal officials project that that city could run out of water by 2044. In addition, Texas’s only sugar mill shut down in February in Santa Rosa because there was not enough water for the thirsty plants.

And Hidalgo County, on the U.S.-Mexico border, has declared a disaster due to drought, a scarcity of rain and a lack of water payments from its neighbors to the south.

According to the latest data by the International Boundary and Water Commission, Mexico owes the United States 1.75 million acre-ft. of water over a five-year cycle that ends in October 2025.

“As Texans, we tend to be reactive to address issues as they come up. But when it comes to water security, we must be proactive by implementing solutions that result in new or additional sources of water.”

Juan „Chuy‰ Hinojosa State Senator

Water Scarcity Big Concern in South Texas

BorderReport.com reported in July that Corpus Christi has pursued funding for a desalination water treatment plant for more than a decade.

Hinojosa said that the city has also worked to secure an additional reliable water source to withstand future droughts and

However, Mexico has barely paid one year’s worth of water, and experts worry the country won’t be able to pay its debt when the cycle ends.

“The future prosperity of communities throughout the Coastal Bend and the Rio Grande Valley continues to be threatened by water shortages,” Hinojosa said. “As Texans, we tend to be reactive to address issues as they come up. But when it comes to water security, we must be proactive by implementing solutions that result in new or additional sources of water.” 

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Mobility Project Aims to Manage Central Texas Congestion

This summer, a gradual traffic shift took place along the southbound and northbound U.S. 183 main lanes.

“It went very smoothly as we worked to open the fourth nontolled travel lane early in the project,” Sexton said. “Crews opened sections of the fourth lane over time. Each night of the operation, an additional 3,000-4,000 ft. of roadway shifted traffic to the inside and opened the fourth lane to motorists. The project team worked in segments beginning in early June and concluded in August.

“A plan was in place to make sure the shifting of traffic and opening the additional lane positively impacted the flow in a safe and organized way. During the shift, drivers gained a lane in the direction of travel over time. There was on-road signage present to help guide drivers, as well as an extensive outreach campaign. Feedback from the public was overwhelmingly positive about the addition of the fourth lane.”

Sexton noted the early opening of an additional non-tolled travel lane in both directions between State Highway 45 North and MoPac was a significant step for crews.

“Opening the fourth non-tolled travel lane northbound and southbound U.S. 183 has always been a goal of final project completion; however, our agency and contractor prioritized the completion of this incredible milestone early in the project, in order to help the flow of traffic as construction continues,” he said.

“This accomplishment is very rewarding and is tangible evidence of our overall commitment to improve mobility, while lessening, where possible, any potential negative impacts of construction. The Mobility Authority’s aim is to keep Central Texans moving, and we’ve made great strides in that effort with this completion.”

Preparation work on the project got under way in late 2021; however, construction began in earnest in early spring 2022. Construction is taking place 24 hours a day, seven days a week to minimize impacts to the traveling public, with most of the work occurring at night and over the weekend.

Sexton said GHC and the Mobility Authority work well together.

“GHC has been a great partner for us because their team not

only brings the high-quality craftsmanship and advanced skill necessary to construct a design-build project of this magnitude, they also share the Mobility Authority’s commitment to being a good partner in the community,” Sexton said.

“Their ability to rapidly adjust resources has been crucial to the project’s continued progress. GHC has demonstrated a remarkable capacity to add staff and bring in additional crews and subcontractors as needed, to work towards meeting interim and project milestones. This flexibility has allowed them to efficiently handle any changes or unforeseen challenges that arise, maintaining momentum and quality throughout the project.”

In addition to unprecedented inflation affecting the raw supply and materials, a large boom of infrastructure construction in the Austin area brought a huge demand on the labor force, requiring creativity in recruiting workers and retaining them.

“The project also calls for retaining walls exceeding 20 feet or higher. Some areas that require this work are tight and have made for inventive design solutions,” Seston said.

In addition to constructing as many as 35 retaining walls to facilitate outside widening of U.S. 183 and MoPac general-purpose lanes, crews are performing exterior widening of bridge decks that will be used as general-purpose lanes at the end of

construction.

Workers also are making various drainage improvements to the frontage roads between RM-620 and Loop 360 to allow for construction of the outside widening along U.S. 183. Project milestones include completed interior widening from Lakeline Mall to MoPac, outside widening caps and columns that are finished along both U.S. 183 northbound and southbound frontage roads and extensive progress made on sidewalk/driveway construction along U.S. 183.

The project requires a temporary concrete batch plant located near the project corridor. The plant runs primarily at night, as long as road paving is in progress. The outreach team has met with area businesses, making them aware of potential sound, dust and light issues at night and how the construction team is mitigating those impacts.

Ongoing construction takes place rain or shine, although inclement weather does have an impact on what work can be accomplished, based on safety concerns for crews and the traveling public.

“This year, our summer has been more mild in temperature and rainier than the past couple of years,” Sexton said. “That said, it’s still hot and dry. Hot summers require us to ramp up

A hydraulic excavator at work

A Link-Belt crane moves a large support beam.

Civil Engineering Family Tradition for Daniel Garcia

Daniel

Garcia, director of construction for the Texas Department of Transportation’s Pharr District

Daniel Garcia is the director of construction for the Texas Department of Transportation in Pharr, a position his dad once held for many years.

“Essentially, in my capacity, I oversee construction operations for the Pharr District,” Garcia said. “That includes the construction work in our three area offices. That also includes overseeing our district laboratory and that also includes overseeing our pavement section, as well.”

Garcia excels in his role, overseeing $1.5 billion in construction projects. The most rewarding part of the job, he said, is solving problems and working with his team and external partners.

Garcia’s biggest role model is his dad, Rosendo, who retired from the same position in 2010.

“So, my father, he retires as director of construction in 2010 and, seven years later, I became director of construction,” Garcia said. “Not only am I second generation TxDOT, but in the Pharr District, I’m second-generation director of construction.”

Following in those same footsteps, there is a pride that Garcia finds hard to describe.

His father’s most notable achievements were the reconstruction of the U.S. 83/U.S. 77 expressway between Mission and Brownsville and the reconstruction of a span of the Queen Isabella Causeway in 2001. A barge struck the bridge causing a large section to collapse.

“My dad, he really left a great legacy behind,” Garcia said. “He was a man of integrity. He was probably the most hard-working individual I’ve

ever met.”

And just as his father paved the way for a successful career with TxDOT, Garcia may well be on

“So, my father, he retires as director of construction ... and, seven years later, I became director of construction.

Daniel Garcia Texas Department of Transportation

the way to leaving a legacy of his own.

“Every time I go driving with my daughter Juliana, she’s always pointing out the bridges, she’s always really happy,” he said. “She’ll say, ‘Daddy are you working on that bridge? Are you building that bridge?’ So, she’s showing interest in engineering.” 

(Photo courtesy of Texas Department of Transportation.)

New 12,500-Sq.-Ft. Facility Includes Seven Service Bays

other professionals and explore the latest equipment offerings.

grand opening.

Dennis E. Nihiser (L), CEO of Dennis E. Nihiser & Associates LLC, and Charles Rhey take a moment outside the facility to connect with

Bubba Marett, service manager at the Lubbock branch, stands alongside a Vermeer RTX550 ride-on tractor equipped with a rockwheel attachment during the event.

Lucas and Patricia Hernandez of LHJ Land Services LLC display their new Bobcat hats, one of many giveaways at the grand opening event.

Jim Collins, chairman of the board of the Buda Chamber of Commerce, attended the grand opening event.

Independent contractor Jeremy Osbourn (L) and Kydeen Parvizi network during the event.

Rick Camp and Marissa Horton of Truck City Ford look at the latest Bobcat equipment available at the new facility.

(L-R): Landon McCall and Logan McCall, superintendents of Austin-based McCall Drilling, along with Tim Brown, owner of TBC Services, all use both Bobcat and Vermeer equipment in their businesses.

VERMEER from page 4

TXAPA Member, Paving Industry Contributor Steven Strain Dies at 68

Steven Strain, 68, of Abilene, Texas, who was a longtime Texas Asphalt Pavement Association (TXAPA) member and a contributor to the state’s paving industry, died on Sept. 19 after a five-year battle with cancer.

After graduating from the University of Texas with a business degree and an engineering minor, Mr. Strain returned to Abilene in 1978 to work with his father James, grandfather Vic and uncles Ernest Strain and Herman Lloyd at J.H. Strain & Sons. There he mastered skills that eventually led him to play the lead role in the highway construction business.

Following in his father’s footsteps, he began serving in leadership roles with the highway division of the Association of General Contractors, taking on an AGC area chairman job in 1984 — the

Following in his father’s footsteps, [Steven Strain] began serving in leadership roles with the highway division of the Association of General Contractors, taking on an AGC area chairman job in 1984.

youngest contractor at the time to ever hold that position.

Until his death, Mr. Strain and his brother Kent ran and grew the business; with the addition of Mr. Strain’s sons, it has become a fourgeneration family business.

Throughout his adult life, Mr. Strain served on the governing boards of numerous organizations, among them The National Exchange Club, Serenity House, St. Paul United Methodist Church, Abilene’s Better Business Bureau, First State Bank and The Expo Center. He also served years on the board at Heavenly Rest, overseeing the completion of Gerhart Hall and its dedication by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry.

Mr. Strain was born on Jan. 16, 1956, the younger brother to his sister Jayne. Ten years later, his brother and business partner Kent was born.

Mr. Strain was preceded in death by his parents Carolyn and James Strain; his godchild, Hallie Taylor; and close friends Tom Rowan, Melinda Luther, Steve Smith, Tom Niblo and Gary Goodnight. He is survived by his wife Cindy; sons Whit Strain and Ross Strain (Melissa); grandchildren Austin and Alex; sister Jayne Richardson; and brother Kent Strain.

Donations to honor Mr. Strain’s life may be sent to the Church of the Heavenly Rest, Episcopal in Abilene or to Heartlight Ministries in Hallsville, Texas, or to the charity of your choice. 

(Photo courtesy of The Hamil Family Funeral Home.)

Courtesy of the Strain family

Steven Strain

Mobility Project Scheduled to Open to Traffic in 2026

MOBILITY from page 10

dust mitigation activities and work hard to ensure our crews are staying hydrated and practicing heat safety. Freezing temperatures can also complicate our work. During the life of this project, we’ve had a couple of freezing ice and snowstorms.”

Excavators, dozers, compactors, RT cranes, loaders and 2800 pavers are among the heavy machinery being used on the project. Mostly Cat equipment is used for earthwork operations. That includes CP44 and CP 56 compactors; D1, D3 and D5 dozers; 420 and 430 backhoes; 308, 325 and 336 excavators; 938 and 972 loaders; and 150 graders.

The cranes include a Grove 65t RT and a Link-Belt 160t (RTC80160). For concrete paving, crews will use a GOMACO 2800 paver, a GOMACO Commander III paver, a Gomaco 2600 placer, a GOMACO RTP 500 placer and an E2 Systems Loader attached material placer.

Chief materials include approximately 250,000 tons of retaining wall backfill, Type C1 embankment and base material, roughly 360,000 tons of asphalt and nearly 24 million pounds of reinforcing steel.

The project is scheduled to open to traffic in 2026. Sexton said the completed work will mean a smoother, safer and more reliable commute.

“It’s incredibly gratifying to work on such a meaningful project, and I know that sentiment is shared by so many on the team. Improving mobility has far-reaching positive effects, like the environmental benefits of keeping traffic flowing, the economic benefits of reliable travel, the quality of life benefits from the time saved, or perhaps most importantly, the benefit of providing a more reliable route for transit and emergency response vehicles.”  CEG

(Photos courtesy of the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority.)

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