Teichert Construction is leading Caltrans' San Benito Route 156 Project, facing challenges like soil stabilization and on-schedule progress. The teamwork and effort of their crew are crucial for the successful completion, aiming for a fall 2025 finish to improve traffic flow and safety in the area.
Photo courtesy of Teichert
Teichert Construction is on pace for a fall 2025 completion of the $130.7 million San Benito Route 156 Project, which consists of constructing approximately 5 mi. of four-lane at-grade expressway.
The California Department of Transportation's (Caltrans) $130.7 million San Benito Route 156 Project, being constructed by Teichert Construction near the city of Hollister in San Benito County, is moving forward at a solid pace for a fall 2025 finish.
The work, which began in August 2022, is constructing approximately 5 new mi. of four-lane at-grade expressway from the Alameda in San Juan Bautista to Business Route 156 near Hollister.
Photo courtesy of Teichert
A 30-ft. median will divide and separate the four new highway lanes, creating a much safer traffic environment in this corridor. To provide safe ingress to and crossing of SR 156 at Bixby Road, along with egress from the highway, construction of a new roundabout at the Bixby Road intersection is underway.
Teichert operators are using a GOMACO 2800 and GOMACO Commander III for concrete paving.
At this point, Teichert has completed the following elements: structures work (two bridges and retaining wall), the majority of the earthwork, drainage systems and continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP). The remaining work is focusing on constructing the Union Road intersection, finishing Stage 1 and switching traffic onto the Stage 2 alignment, completing CRCP, rehabilitating the existing HWY 156, installing guard rail/barriers and completing all erosion control, striping and signage for final configuration.
Project Challenges
Contracting crews have faced their fair share of challenges on this project.
"One challenge we had was the existing soil under the new highway alignment," said Teichert Project Manager Nathaniel Gonzalez. "It was determined some of the soil was unsuitable and was ultimately stabilized mixing lime into the grade. Work is on track with the current schedule. This is mostly day operations, but some night operations have been required. Caltrans has been a great partner on this project and a ‘project first' mentality has been established between both parties when encountering challenges."
The construction of the stretch of highway is proceeding well.
"The plan of attack is to complete Stage 1 so we can switch traffic onto the new highway alignment while we finish Stage 2 of the project," said Gonzalez. "The majority of the new roadway is concrete [CRCP] and small portions of asphalt. The existing highway will be rehabilitated with asphalt. The new alignment will be four-lane divided highway with a dirt median and high tension cable barrier dividing EB/WB traffic."
Bryan Mendes, Teichert's project engineer, noted that the construction is moving from one end to the other.
"The new alignment is a greenfield portion of work that goes through farm fields harvested just weeks before construction started," he said. "The new alignment is elevated compared to OG so fill material was placed throughout the new alignment. Majority of the fill material came from a hill we cut into for a new county road alignment on the site. The soil varies from clay to silty sand throughout the site, and is all being reused on-site."
Roughly 90 percent of the excavation has been completed.
The site prep and paving operation consists of grading, concrete paving, drainage installation, asphalt paving, erosion control, striping and signage.
Photo courtesy of Teichert
"Drainage systems and irrigation crossings were installed," said Mendes.
The new concrete section is subgrade enhancement fabric, with 1.35 ft. of aggregate subbase, 0.25 ft. of asphalt and 0.90 ft. of CRCP.
"Teichert is batching our own concrete with our mobile batch plant we have set up on the site," said Gonzalez. "Super dumps are then used to transport the concrete to the grade where the concrete is being placed. The concrete is cured and ready to accept traffic once it hits a specified strength requirement, not based on time. Grading and concrete paving are ongoing now."
Gonzelez is assisted by Brent Edelman and Jordan Nuque.
"Team dynamic is great, everyone does their part and has a sense of excitement for the project we are building," said Gonzalez. "Crews have been giving a tremendous effort on this project. We have all stayed positive and ready to tackle the next task at hand."
There are roughly 40 to 50 Teichert and subcontractor employees on-site. The subcontractors are MCM Construction, CMC Commercial Metals, Central Striping, Darrel Varni Electric, Oliviera Fence, JJ Nguyen, Farwest Safety, Coral Construction, Austin Enterprises, KRC Safety and Tyrell Resources
Excavation operations should generate 270,000 cu. yds. of earth and rock.
New materials include 62,000 cu. yds. of concrete, 78,000 tons of asphalt, as well as 10,000 linear ft. of various sizes of pipe.
Construction of a new road, from excavation to paving operations, can take its toll on equipment.
"We are experiencing typical wear and tear, but issues can be repaired quickly with on-site mechanics or vendor mechanics," said Gonzalez. "The Teichert Asset Group handles all maintenance of our equipment and all pieces have a maintenance schedule that is followed strictly."
Teichert purchases and rents equipment from various dealerships.
"The Teichert Asset Group and dispatch maintain a great relationship with rental companies and dealers we use," said Gonzalez.
Project Background
"San Benito Route 156, an Interregional Strategic Corridor, provides a key east-west link between the cities of Hollister and San Juan Bautista, as well as the Central Coast and the Central Valley," said Jim Shivers, a Caltrans District 5 Public Information Officer. "The project will reduce peak hour traffic congestion and save millions in vehicle operating and costs related to traffic incidents. This project will fill a ‘gap' in the expressway system and provide a continuous expressway system from the connection at U.S .101 to the city of Hollister. This is a key goods movement corridor that carries freight throughout California and the nation."
The project includes a roundabout at the intersection of State Route 156 and Bixby Road.
Photo courtesy of Teichert
The key to this project is that it represents a major investment in this region and will allow us to use future allocations on other regional projects in the future.
The project is expected to save $34.6 million in accident and vehicle operating costs over 20 years, reduce congestion delay by 1,902 hours daily, 694,257 hours yearly and provide a $102.8 million return on investment over 20 years.
Planning for the project goes back to 2018 with the start of environmental studies. The design and right-of-way purchases were completed in October 2020.
The environmental studies cost $4.7 million, design $9.7 million, ROW purchases $26.6 million and construction $89.7 million.
The new stretch of highway is being built on a green field and former farm land.
The work is having an impact on local traffic. In August, Caltrans will be temporarily closing a short section of Union Road in Hollister for approximately eight weeks, between San Juan Hollister Road and SR 156.
"This closure is necessary to reconstruct the intersection of Union Road and SR 156, to align with the expanded SR 156 and improve access to and from the highway," stated a project update. "Additionally, following the anticipated reopening of Union Road in late summer, two exciting milestones will be met, as traffic on SR 156 will be shifted onto the new highway just south of the existing roadway and a new roundabout will be in operation at Bixby Road."
The closure of Mitchell Road at Route 156 will last for eight weeks. CEG
Irwin Rapoport
A journalist who started his career at a weekly community newspaper, Irwin Rapoport has written about construction and architecture for more than 15 years, as well as a variety of other subjects, such as recycling, environmental issues, business supply chains, property development, pulp and paper, agriculture, solar power and energy, and education. Getting the story right and illustrating the hard work and professionalism that goes into completing road, bridge, and building projects is important to him. A key element of his construction articles is to provide readers with an opportunity to see how general contractors and departments of transportation complete their projects and address challenges so that lessons learned can be shared with a wider audience.
Rapoport has a BA in History and a Minor in Political Science from Concordia University. His hobbies include hiking, birding, cycling, reading, going to concerts and plays, hanging out with friends and family, and architecture. He is keen to one day write an MA thesis on military and economic planning by the Great Powers prior to the start of the First World War.
Read more from Irwin Rapoport here.
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