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Pearland council hears plea to fast-track 150-foot mechanical concrete pilot on Knapp Road
Summary
A Century Road Solutions representative urged Pearland council to approve a 150-foot pilot on Knapp Road under an existing MOU; council members expressed support but staff said outstanding engineering documentation and geotechnical backup must be provided before city authorization.
John Koontz, a partner to Mike Getz, told the City Council the company that holds a patent on “mechanical concrete” has agreed under an MOU to bear base-course materials and construction costs for a 150-foot Knapp Road pilot and asked council to fast-track work, saying the city “has little or no risk” under the agreement. Koontz said his colleague Mike Yates is overseeing mechanical concrete installations elsewhere and that a licensee recently completed work for Harris County.
Council members returned frequently to the Knapp Road proposal during the meeting. Several members said they remain supportive of a limited test. “Two years is a long time to wait for a 150-foot test,” one council member said, urging staff to proceed if the MOU conditions are met.
Staff and engineering personnel cautioned that the city needs more supporting documentation before authorizing installation. Lorenzo Wingate, director of engineering and public works, said staff has asked the company for signed engineering specifications and geotechnical evidence that the product will perform under Pearland conditions. Harris County, Wingate said, is conducting its own small pilot projects but those efforts have not produced the full set of design data the city requests.
Council members and staff agreed on a constrained path forward: the existing MOU covers only the 150-foot test and council indicated it would support a limited pilot if the contractor supplies the requested engineering and as-built documentation and allows city oversight during installation. Staff said it will continue to seek sealed engineering letters, geotechnical backup and a clear specification for cylinder and tire placement; council emphasized that any broader use would require separate approval.
The meeting did not include a vote on the pilot; council asked staff to continue negotiations, compile outstanding technical questions in writing and return with either an authorization recommendation or a summary memo of unresolved risks.
