US 281 Segment 1 Schematic and Environmental Assessment

CobbFendley is responsible for the preparation of schematic, alignment alternatives, and environmental assessment documents for seven miles of US 281 from FM 490 to SH 186/FM 1017 in Hidalgo County, Texas. The project is located north of Edinburg and is fast becoming an urbanized corridor with existing and projected land use comprised of a combination of commercial retail, light industries, and residential communities utilizing US 281 as a major north-south access controlled transportation system within the Hidalgo County. The project involves conversion of the existing 4-lane divided rural highway to an interstate freeway standard as part of future I69C. The planned facility will consist of building an ultimate 6-lane freeway with continuous 2-lane one-way frontage roads. There are three overpasses planned at Laguna Seca Road, Red Gate Road, and Los Venados Drive. CobbFendley is also managing Environmental Assessment document report (EA 2) for contiguous segments 2 and 3, which are currently under schematic design by others, for a total corridor length of approximately 50 miles.

CobbFendley, in collaboration with TxDOT staff, presented the proposed alternative alignments including a best-fit alignment, typical section, environmental constraint map, and right-of-way widening impacts on adjacent property owners in a formal public meeting. CobbFendley developed the preferred alignment alternative based on the public input and finalized the schematic. The construction cost for this project including the right-of-way acquisition is estimated at $77 million.