NEWS — Council hears update on water, wastewater, streets, drainage projects

By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times

City Public Works Director Greg Velazquez gave members of the Del Rio City Council
an update on the progress of ongoing and planned city projects during their most recent
meeting last week.

Carranza Park detention pond

Velazquez began his presentation with the Carranza Park detention pond, noting it is a
piece of the city’s master drainage improvements plan.

“The intent of the pond is to alleviate flooding downstream of the Carranza Park by
detaining storm runoff,” Velazquez said.

He said DO RITE Engineering LLC designed the detention pond in July 2023, and the
construction bid was awarded to Bega Paving after a second round of bids was received
by the city in June 2024. Work on site began in February, and the duration of the project
is 240 calendar days.

Velazquez said the pond, approximately three acres in size, is expected to accept runoff
from 13 th ,14 th and 15 th Streets, as well as from Sage Drive.
“Once completed, this project will benefit the city by alleviating flooding downstream of
the Carranza Park by detaining stormwater runoff,” Velazquez said.

Griner and Strickland Streets project

The next project Velazquez presented was the pavement mill and overlay of Griner and
Strickland Streets.

Velazquez told the council, “Griner and Strickland Streets have experienced multiple
overlays through the years, and just to give you an idea, there’s some areas on Griner that
have a foot of overlay, (and there has been) continuous pavement deterioration due to
traffic and previous utility relocations. These streets have limited pedestrian access and
lack curb and ADA-compliant facilities like sidewalks and ramps.”

Velazquez said work on the streets was started May 27, and the contracted duration of
the work is 180 calendar days. He said the construction contract was awarded to Bega
Paving. He said the project should be completed by Thanksgiving.

Velazquez said, “I have an additional update on the Griner/Strickland paving. Griner was
milled about a month-and-a-half ago from Nicholson to Academy Street. That has been
milled, and they’re working right now on curb, gutter and sidewalk. I requested that
while they move to the international bridge for the mill and overlay, that I wanted,
because we’re getting phone calls from our constituents, that street, from Nicholson to
Academy, paved, and they’re going to try to complete that by the first week of August, to
at least have that area paved.

“Then once they’re completed with the international bridge, move on to the continuation
of that project,” Velazquez added.

Mayor Al Arreola asked, “Are we doing any infrastructure there (on Griner and
Strickland)?”

“The infrastructure has been completed. All water, wastewater and gas has been
completed,” Velazquez replied.

Velazquez said the purpose of the project “is to provide a mill and overlay of Griner and
Strickland Streets within the existing curb limits and to add 2,195 square yards of ADA-
compliant sidewalks and ramps on one side of the roadway and also 9,781 linear feet of
concrete curb along both Griner and Strickland.”

“The benefits: This project will rehabilitate the existing pavement with hot mix asphalt,
which will give you a life span of about 25 years, and provide continuous ADA sidewalks
along Griner and Strickland Streets which will be a benefit to the pedestrians along these
routes,” Velazquez said.

International bridge project

Velazquez next spoke about the international bridge project.

He said the project includes resurfacing the international bridge by replacing the top two
inches of asphalt pavement. The project includes about 3,800 feet from the international
boundary line to the main exit marker. Additional work will include maintenance on the
bridge’s armored joints, new striping and installing a crash cushion.

“The project will increase public safety by performing needed maintenance to the
roadway, bridge structure and pavement markings,” Velazquez said.

He showed the council a schematic of the traffic control plan for the bridge during the
five different phases of construction.

Velazquez said crews will be working on the bridge from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday
through Thursday. He said although the project started a week behind schedule, the target
completion date for all work remains Sept. 27.

Velazquez said he has coordinated with officials in Ciudad Acuña, including its mayor,
and with CBP.

San Felipe drainage improvement

Velazquez then turned his attention to planned drainage improvements in the San Felipe
area.

“The purpose of this project is to help alleviate the flooding to the residential homes in
the surrounding neighborhood by improving the drainage flow path. AG3 has analyzed
several drainage areas, both around the project site and upstream of the project, to
determine what can be done to help with the flooding,” Velazquez told the council.

He said the planned improvements include the reconstruction of Bean Street, Hernandez
Street and Chapoy Street, Contreras Street, Rodriguez Street, Vitela Street, Aguirre Street
and Viesca Street.

“Streets will either have an inverted crown or have a new curb and gutter system installed
to help channelize the drainage and prevent it from reaching the adjacent homes. The
streets will direct water to a planned detention pond along Vitela Street where it will
outfall to an existing channel,” he added.

New detention pond

Velazquez said the city is in the process of acquiring property for the construction of the
detention pond off Vitela and noted that the acquisition process has proved a challenge
for the project. The current plans are for a 2.1-acre detention pond, with a possibility of
increasing the size of that pond to five acres.

Velazquez said he hopes to be able to advertise for bids for the project in 2026.

Velazquez moved on to speak about a major water line replacement project for the city’s
north side.

“This is the water line replacement Phase II, and includes an area from Bedell to 10 th
Street to 17 th Street, from Bedell to Veterans and Airport Boulevard. Estimated cost of the
project is $18 million,” Velazquez said.

He noted the design of the project is 100 percent complete, and the Texas Water
Development Board is currently reviewing the design.
“We hope to go out for bids August through September, and then the selection committee
(will review the bids) from September to October and hopefully get bid authorization in
October, and construction will be from January 2026 through January 2028,” Velazquez
said.

Silverlake Wastewater Treatment Plant

Velazquez also spoke about $4 million in improvements planned for the city’s Silverlake
Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Velazquez said the design for oxidation ditch improvements are complete, with final
review of the design by the Texas Water Development Board expected between July and
September. He said the city hopes to go out for bids on the project in September and
October, review those bids in October and November, with bid authorization from
November to February 2026, and construction planned from February 2026 through June
2028.

Northside trunkline wastewater project

Velazquez also reviewed an even more extensive wastewater project, the first phase of
the north side trunkline.

He said the design for this project is at 90 percent complete, and once the design is at 100
percent, it will go to the Texas Water Development Board for review, a process
Velazquez said may be completed in October. He said Union Pacific Railroad will
conduct its own review of the design, which should be completed in November.
Velazquez said the city will likely advertise for bids on the project between November
and January 2026, with construction to begin in January 2026 and last through February
of 2027.

“I want to emphasize this trunkline is only for Phase I. This will start at the Silverlake
Waste Water Treatment Plant up to Owens Drive. You’re looking at a total of 6,700
linear feet. We will begin on the second phase right after that,” Velazquez told the
council.

“And funding on Phase II has not been acquired,” City Manager Shawna Burkhart added.

He also reviewed streets projects being done in-house.

Velazquez said work on Summit Lane was completed on July 21, and crews will begin
working on Losoya Street on Wednesday (July 23).

Texas Military Value Revolving Loan Fund projects

Velazquez also reviewed state funding that has been approved for city projects, including
applications for loans from the Texas Military Value Revolving Loan Fund of
$1,896,401.50 for the East Springs containment wall and $15,043,406 for the water
treatment plant.

Velazquez said the city’s application for those funds was approved on June 23. He said
next steps include financial review and closing with the Texas Public Finance Authority,
which is expected to take 120 days.

He said the city has also applied for SWIFT funds from the Texas Water Development
Board, including $12,695,000 for the new municipal well and $3,455,000 for the water
treatment plant.

Velazquez said the city has some other funding opportunities which it will pursue,
including the Texas Water Development Board Flood Infrastructure Fund for a variety of
local flood mitigation projects.

Highland Park Subdivision

Finally, Velazquez gave an update on work in the Highland Park Subdivision. He said the
project design is about 75 percent complete and hopes to have 100 percent completion on
the design in August and go out for bids for construction of those streets in September.

Council members asked a number of questions about several of the projects, including
drainage on Griner and Strickland, the width of Griner once a sidewalk is constructed and
the San Felipe area drainage plan.

Councilwoman Ernestina “Tina” Martinez asked when construction is expected to start
on the San Felipe drainage project.

Velazquez said once the project is at 100 percent design, he would be able to provide the
council with a more accurate timeline.

Councilwoman Carmen Gutierrez asked about stormwater runoff mitigation near the new
elementary school on the city’s north side, and Velazquez said work on that project may
begin in 2029-2030.

The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com .