Lake Ralph Hall Bridge Replacement and Roadway Relocations | $94M | PDB     

Ladonia, Texas

The Lake Ralph Hall Bridge Replacement and Roadway Relocations project represented a pivotal step in advancing Texas’ largest water infrastructure initiative in nearly 30 years. Managed under a progressive design-build (PDB) delivery model, this project laid the groundwork for the creation of Lake Ralph Hall and its associated Leon Hurse Dam, which will supply approximately 35 million gallons of water per day to North Texas communities. Spearheaded by the Upper Trinity Regional Water District (UTRWD), this infrastructure project involved constructing two major bridges, relocating roadways, and addressing substantial utility adjustments to accommodate the reservoir’s 7,600-acre footprint. Flatiron led preconstruction and construction efforts, optimizing designs to reduce costs by $10 Million and accelerating the schedule by four months. The scope of work included realigning 3 miles of SH 34, relocating 2.7 miles of FM 1550, as well as constructing a 6,000-foot bridge over the North Sulphur River and a 600-foot bridge at Merrill Creek. Additional efforts included terminating county roads impacted by the reservoir, demolishing four bridges, and implementing drainage improvements. Early procurement packages secured critical materials such as precast girders, minimizing schedule risks and addressing volatile market conditions. The project addressed challenges such as floodplain access, weather delays, and stakeholder coordination by employing innovative solutions, including the creation of an “all-weather” access road to maintain productivity during adverse conditions. Collaborative risk management reduced identified risks from $4.5 Million to $1.5 Million, ensuring cost certainty with less than a 2% variance from 30% design to final construction guaranteed maximum price (CGMP). The project also shortened permitting and design review times by engaging TxDOT early in the process, saving six months.