Lamar Levee Railroad Closure Gates
SALIENT FEATURES
Field Investigations
Storm Damage Reduction
Railroad Closure Structure
T-Wall Design
Foundation Design
Structural Concrete and Steel Design
Structural Analysis
Construction Cost: $113M+
CLIENT
US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Forth Worth District
LOCATION:
Dallas, Texas
BACKGROUND
The Trinity River is a 700-plus tributary which runs through Dallas, Texas. Due to flood events in the early 20th century, which resulted in the loss of lives and damage to properties, the original levee system and pump stations were constructed in the 1920’s. In the 1950’s and 60’s the US Army Corps of Engineers undertook the reconstruction and expansion of the system, referred to as the Dallas Floodway Extension (DFE). The DFE project included the Lamar Levee, which would close a gap in the levee system by connecting the Dallas Floodway East Levee with the Rochester Levee.
In the 2000’s, the hydraulic capacity of the system was reassessed, and it was found that the existing system was no longer providing the design SPF+2 level of protection. In 2018 funding was authorized to raise the levee to ensure that the 800-year design flood level plus 2 feet could once again be protected without overtopping.
PROJECT FEATURE
The improvements to the system include the following:
Approximately 16,000 feet of new earthen levee.
Five interior earthen drainage sumps.
Four levee outfall crossings.
Five separate floodwalls.
One drainage line relocation.
One roadway and two railroad crossing closure structures.
Other ancillary structures such as reinforced concrete pipes and boxes.
RELEVANT SERVICES
infraTECH as a teaming partner to FCC JV, was responsible for the design of two new railroad closure structures and adjacent T-walls. infraTECH coordinated with both UPRR and BNSFRR to ensure the operational requirements of the gates were met by the design.
As FNI PM for the DFE Lamar Levee project, I work with infraTECH routinely on design coordination and design development from initial schematics to the current design phase. The infraTECH team completes assigned tasks on schedule with high quality engineering products that meet USACE criteria. infraTECH completed their deliverables ahead of the due date and addressed all government review comments. infraTECH continues to be a reliable team member that produces high quality work. We are pleased with their performance and quality deliverables to date.
Brad Endres, PE,
FCC JV Program Manager