Modernizing a critical north-south corridor
The Hardy Toll Road, originally opened in 1988, serves as a critical north-south corridor connecting Downtown Houston to rapidly expanding areas in north Harris County. By the early 2010s, sustained population growth and increased commuter demand began to exceed the corridor's original design capacity, leading to congestion, reduced travel reliability, and increased strain on aging infrastructure.
In response, HCTRA initiated a comprehensive widening program beginning in 2014, representing the first major upgrade to the corridor in nearly three decades. The program included expansion of mainlanes, widening of multiple bridge structures, and system upgrades to support all-electronic tolling. The project, a capacity improvement initiative, aimed to improve mobility and modernize a corridor that plays a vital role in Houston's transportation network.
Geotechnical exploration across multiple corridor segments
ATL provided a geotechnical exploration program, delivering the subsurface data and analysis required to support roadway widening, pavement design, embankment design, and bridge foundation systems recommendations across multiple segments of the corridor.
Existing embankments, originally designed decades earlier, required evaluation for compatibility with new widening sections to ensure consistent performance and minimize differential settlement. Bridge widening efforts required assessment of existing foundation systems and their interaction with new structural elements. In some locations, modifications or extensions to foundations had to account for both existing load conditions and new demands, all within constrained right-of-way and given the need to maintain traffic operations throughout construction.
This project reinforces our team's strong track record with Harris County Toll Road Authority on major toll road infrastructure improvements across the Greater Houston region.
