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CDC votes to fund $26,600 study of erosion and drainage options at FM 2499 pedestrian tunnel
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Summary
The Highland Village CDC approved a $26,600 funding agreement to hire SPI Engineering to evaluate four options for erosion control and drainage improvements at the FM 2499 pedestrian tunnel, with staff to coordinate with TxDOT and return with renderings and cost estimates.
The Highland Village Community Development Corporation voted April 13 to fund a $26,600 engineering and landscape architecture study to evaluate erosion and drainage solutions at the pedestrian tunnel on FM 2499. The study, proposed by staff, will develop four conceptual options with probable costs and renderings and will include coordination with the Texas Department of Transportation.
Staff (Staff member S6) told the board the study will identify the most cost-effective alternative and present conceptual landscape renderings and cost estimates to the board and council. “The cost of these services is $26,600 and the funding will come from the Highland Village CDC budget,” S6 said.
Board members debated the scope of the four options. Committee member S2 argued the original 2014 design should not be an option because it had failed in practice: “We shouldn’t be studying something that we literally have 12 years of data of failure,” S2 said. Staff and other members countered that including the 2014 plan allows a cost-comparison and that the design had performed for several years before deterioration, weather events and maintenance lapses affected the site.
S6 and technical staff (S7) explained the study will examine options ranging from restoring the original design with revised irrigation, to a xeriscape-style replanting, to stabilization with retaining walls and riprap. S7 said the study will verify existing drainage conditions, confirm whether TxDOT’s inlet capacity is sufficient, and identify needed stabilization and drainage improvements. Once under contract, staff estimated the study would take about 180 days and will require surveying.
The board voted on a motion by S2 to approve the funding agreement to contract with SPI Engineering; the motion received a second (not clearly recorded in the transcript) and the chair announced the motion passed following a voice vote.
Next steps: staff will return with the four options, conceptual renderings and probable cost estimates for board and council review. Any construction or landscape work would require a future budget appropriation once an option is selected.
