Abram Street Reopens in Downtown, Rebuild Now 50 Percent Complete

By Nina Sherer, Arlington Public Works and Transportation

Posted on June 28, 2019, June 28, 2019

The Public Works and Transportation Department is proud to announce that the transformation of Abram Street between Cooper and Collins Streets is 50 percent complete and remains on target to be completed next spring.

Since construction began in March 2018, significant changes, both above and below ground, to Abram Street between Cooper and Collins streets have been made. Some of the work completed to date includes the following:

• Relocation of more than 43,500 linear feet of conduit/cables for electricity, communication, fiber optic, traffic signals, and irrigation lines.
• Installation of 30 Americans with Disabilities Act compliant sidewalk ramps.
• Installation of 22,000 square yards of concrete for roadway and sidewalk paving.
• Installation of 3,850 linear feet of reinforced concrete pipe for stormwater system improvements.
• Installation of 6,360 linear feet of water lines and 2,300 sanitary sewer lines.
• Installation of 2,200 square yards of decorative brick pavers in the roadway and sidewalks.

Originally scheduled to be completed in seven phases, the complete closure of Abram Street, between Center and West streets, during May and June allowed a substantial portion of the roadway paving to be completed ahead of schedule. Except for a small portion of the intersection of West and Abram streets, the reopening of this section of roadway on Friday, June 28th marks the completion of all roadway paving between Cooper and Center streets.

In addition to this major achievement, the following construction milestones have also occurred.

• Drainage and paving improvements on the west side of the Abram and Cooper streets intersection were completed in December 2018.
• Improvements to the north side of the Levitt Pavilion from Pecan Street to Center Street were completed in early August 2018.
• Installation of new water and sanitary sewer lines on Abram Street between Jeffries Street and Weeks Avenue, as well as on Weeks Avenue itself was completed in July 2018.
• Installation of improved storm drain and water lines from Cooper Street to West Street was completed in July 2018.
• In September 2018, work to install new storm drains and sanitary sewer lines was completed between Jeffries and Collins Streets.
• In December 2018, the installation of new storm drains and sanitary sewer lines, as well as repaving Pecan Street was completed.

Beginning in July, the contractor will focus on the reconstruction of Abram Street from Mesquite to Collins streets. This work is expected to take six months to complete. During this time, the contractor will also continue to make improvements to the intersections of Abram and Cooper streets and Abram and West streets. The intersection improvements are expected to be completed in December 2019.

The final months of the contract will see the contractor focusing on completion of the reconstruction of the City Hall South Plaza and completion of pedestrian walkway enhancements and landscaping improvements.

To stay up-to-date on the progress of the Abram Street Rebuild, visit the Abram Street Rebuild webpage, www.arlington-tx.gov/Abram.