The Forney City Council met on Tuesday, October 16, 2012 and voted to approve a contract with H.W. Lochner, Inc. The contract calls for Lochner to provide “environmental clearance, schematic and engineering, and design services for the U.S. 80 south side ramp improvements between FM 460 and FM 740.” The contract fees were approved for an amount not to exceed $153,482.06.
The Forney City Council met on Tuesday, October 16, 2012 and voted to approve a contract with H.W. Lochner, Inc. The contract calls for Lochner to provide “environmental clearance, schematic and engineering, and design services for the U.S. 80 south side ramp improvements between FM 460 and FM 740.” The contract fees were approved for an amount not to exceed $153,482.06.
The geometric schematic provided by Lochner, Inc. will also include the north side of Highway 80 between 460 and 740 because part of the funding for the road improvements will come from the federal government. According to Assistant City Manager Gina Nash, the exact amount provided by the federal government is not known at this time because there are a number of safety programs and improved mobility plans that the government may choose to use for their part of the funding.
The TxDOT budget won't be approved until January 2013 and any potential 2013 TxDOT money towards the project won't be approved until June 2013. The City of Forney will also be seeking out additional funding opportunities for what is known as the “Liberty Hill” project.
City working to fix dangerous Forney highway entrance ramp
The short entrance ramp from FM 460 onto eastbound U.S. 80 has been on the radar of Forney residents for many years. It has been the scene of a number of accidents, 21 total in the last three years. Mayor Darren Rozell told Nash that he supports the short term solution to get TxDOT to put up signage warning motorists of the short entrance ramp. He is also in favor of fixing that entrance ramp permanently. The Council voted unanimously to approved the Lochner contract which will cover the first two phases of the four phase project. The first two phases will likely take two years to complete. Construction on the project would be slated for 2015.
