Following the completion of road construction on West San Antonio Street between Academy Avenue and Walnut Avenue in Spring of 2020, the roadway has experienced a number of pavement failures, including rutting, bumps, and other irregularities that are not typical of a recently completed roadway.
Those issues prompted the City of New Braunfels to evaluate the cause of the failures, including a reevaluation of the design plans, materials, and construction. This process included hiring an outside engineering firm which determined that the main cause of the failures is due to the type of base material that was used for the project and how that base material was applied. The original design of the project was selected for its cost savings and efficiencies, but that selection, along with how the design was applied, led to a less robust, less durable roadway for the number and weight of vehicles that use the road.
In order to correct the issues, the City has considered a number of options, including potential litigation. However, City officials have determined that the most cost-effective and time sensitive way to move forward is to rebuild the roadway using a re-engineered pavement section. The engineering work is planned to begin soon with construction to follow. City officials will evaluate design and construction options with the goal of minimizing impacts to residents and businesses where feasible.
Meanwhile, drivers on West San Antonio Street can expect to see City road construction crews milling and overlaying several patches of the roadway between Academy Avenue and Walnut Avenue beginning in October. That work is only expected to take a few days with intermittent lane closures for short durations. More details about those repairs will be released as that schedule is finalized. For more information on Street Maintenance and repairs in New Braunfels, visit www.newbraunfels.gov/streets.