TxDOT and LAN: Moving Texas Forward

Travis has 14 years of experience in planning, design, construction, and project management, including 11 years at TxDOT.

As San Antonio District Design Supervisor, he managed in-house PS&E projects and led teams in preliminary design, environmental review, and public involvement. He has overseen schematic refinements, PS&E, and RMCs for rural, urban, and metro projects, anticipating challenges and delivering collaborative solutions for expedited results.

Travis excels at team leadership, best practice implementation, and supporting local government projects. He was part of the district’s Transportation Alternatives team, helping municipalities secure TxDOT grant funding. He is skilled at building public and official support and identifying creative funding sources.

Project experience:

SH 16 from SL 1604 to FM 1560 – TxDOT SAT, Bexar Co: Project Manager for the PS&E design of a 1.2-mile corridor featuring median U-turns, R-cut intersections, new pedestrian facilities, and roadway urbanization with a storm sewer system. Because the project only needed ROW at the loon locations, Travis designed all other improvements, including storm sewers, utilities, and pedestrian features, to fit within the existing footprint. He proposed a center-median trunkline to reduce storm sewer costs and avoid extensive bedrock excavation, with lateral lines conveying runoff from pavement-edge inlets. Travis developed a traffic control plan capable of managing high traffic volumes while providing work space, and established construction milestones to hold the contractor accountable, especially during phases affecting the traveling public.

FM 306 from Guadalupe River East Crossing to West Crossing – TxDOT SAT, Comal Co: Project Manager leading PS&E for nearly a mile of shared-use path and pedestrian improvements to improve the safety and access for pedestrians and cyclists to the Guadalupe River. Travis conducted significant coordination with local businesses and property owners to ensure the design met their needs. Driveway designs to reduce penetration and persistent coordination were essential to ensure businesses could stay open even during weekends, which typically carries the peak pedestrian volumes.

IH 410 @ SH 151, TxDOT SAT, Bexar Co: Deputy Project Manager as well as TCP and Drainage lead for PS&E for roadway and drainage improvements and two new direct connectors for 1.5 miles on SH 151 and 6 miles of added capacity on IH 410. Travis designed storm sewer systems with significant trunklines (systems with 50+ links and nodes). He worked with the drainage lead to design upstream infrastructure with in-line detention for an existing pump station.

FM 2676 Culvert Replacement for Routine Maintenance Contract (RMC), TxDOT SAT: As PM, led PS&E for an RMC project at the request of the Area Office where the roadway pavement structure was failing at a culvert. This was a two-lane FM facility with no parallel routes and a long detour (25 mi). The existing culvert also did not have capacity to pass the water for the proposed design storm (10 yr). Another project objective was to reduce creek erosion and improve creek geometry to stabilize the roadbed and decrease steep slope hazards. Travis successfully delivered FM 2676 on an expedited schedule before full failure of the roadway would have forced its closure.

SH 27 at Fessenden Creek, TxDOT SAT, Kerrville: As PM, led PS&E of the Fessenden Creek bridge replacement. The bridge had deficient spread footing foundations, due to scour and noncompliant vertical curve geometry and bridge rail for current standards. This project had narrow ROW and equipment access challenges due to the steep sloped natural terrain. Through constructability and safety reviews, Travis developed a phased demolition plan of the T-beam structure, which was approved by the District Bridge Engineer and Area Office. He redesigned the proposed bridge width and TCP to match the demo plan, maintaining 10’ shoulders.

Alex has 19 years of experience in TxDOT roadway design, including 2 years as project manager and design lead for SAT Central Design Red Team.

He has designed urban/metro arterials dense with driveways and two-way left turn lanes to rural access- controlled interstates with freight networks, 5R criteria, and two-way frontage roads including TCP, retaining walls, bike lanes, SUPs, and innovative intersection DLTs.

He produces complex 3D models in OpenRoads, including drainage and utilities, to produce accurate limits of construction for ROW footprints and construction cost estimates.

Project experience:

US 281 Re-evaluation – TxDOT SAT District, Bexar Co: Roadway Lead and Engineer of Record for the US 281 schematic from LP 1604 to the Bexar County line. Alex led the design, modeling, and coordination for converting a signalized highway with driveways in a densely populated commercial / residential area to a freeway including direct connectors, ramps, HOV lanes, overpasses, frontage roads, retaining walls, bike lanes, and driveways. The project included coordination with several stakeholders including ARMA, CoSA, HOAs, businesses, anti-toll groups, bicycle advocacy, and the TCEQ. Environmental constraints included EARZ and karst features.

SL 368 Broadway Rehabilitation – TxDOT SAT, San Antonio: Deputy PM and Roadway Lead for the SL 368 Broadway Rehabilitation project from Roy Smith to Burr Road. This project consisted of pavement widening, base repair, milling and overlay, drainage improvements, ADA improvements, traffic signal upgrades, utility relocations, and aesthetic details. Alex led the design, production, and coordination for this accelerated schedule $13M PS&E.

IH 410 Improvements – TxDOT SAT, Bexar Co: Roadway Lead for PS&E for 3.5 miles of improvements including bike/pedestrian accommodations, pavement reconstruction, bridge improvements, retaining walls, drainage improvements, and design of four intersections. The project included an urban developed corridor with heavy traffic dense with utilities, driveways, businesses, schools, and JBSA-Lackland AFB adjacent. Expansive clay soils in the growing area cause issues with erosion, pavement failures, and poor drainage. Alex coordinated traffic control at Valley Hi bridge with JBSA-L to account for graduation every Thursday, as well as AFB logo aesthetic design for the bridge improvements.

Off-System Bridge Replacements – TxDOT PAR, Grayson Co: Roadway Lead for PS&E to replace three bridges at creek crossings with low sufficiency ratings due to issues with structural adequacy, safety, and functional obsolescence. Alex optimized bridge configurations to enhance safety and functionality within constrained project limits. He established existing conditions at each crossing including existing low chord and design criteria to meet or improve existing conditions. Alex coordinated with the drainage lead to establish the critical design water surface elevation, including free board, to be cleared by the profile while also considering cross slope grades. Alex then coordinated with the bridge lead to optimize the bridge configuration considering span lengths, hydraulic data, and geometry.

IH 45 Segment 1, TxDOT BRY, Waller Co: Roadway key staff converting 12 miles of IH 45 to undivided freeway, meeting THFN standards with ramps, overpasses, 2-way frontage, roundabouts, and direct connectors on an accelerated schedule and in constrained ROW. Alex developed TCP working with discipline key staff and stakeholders. He retained a 10’x10’ cross culvert for cattle passing. He phased large cross culverts in 3D model for lane drop off safety, ensuring positive drainage, and providing sheet pilings for erosion. Alex addressed City of Huntsville’s congestion concerns by meeting freight network standards and maintaining 10’ shoulders for hurricane evacuation route.

Soo has more than 14 years of TxDOT bridge design experience. He has performed all phases of design, from preliminary engineering to the final design of highway, including multilevel interchanges and direct connectors, rail, and pedestrian structures as well as retaining walls and other ancillary structures. He consistently finds innovative ways to provide an optimal design that focuses on safety, constructability and economy.

Additional responsibilities have included constructability reviews to identify conflicts or construction issues during the design phase, quality assurance, cost estimating, quantity takeoffs and shop drawing review. His management skills include coordinating with others disciplines and developing solutions.

Throughout his career, Soo has developed proficiency in software programs, such as OpenBridge Modeler, PGSuper, Larsa 4D, LUSAS, Midas, Descus, and other TxDOT Bridge and Geometry Programs.

Project experience:

Adams Bayou Bridge Widening on IH-10 – TxDOT, BMT: Engineer of Record for a multi-phase construction plan to widen a 360-foot, 9-span prestressed concrete I-girder bridge. Various construction alternatives were evaluated— including temporary bridge access and full closures—but phased construction was selected to maintain high ADT traffic flow and avoid lengthy, costly detours. Soo performed structural analysis of the existing beams to confirm existing beam’s capacity for additional loads such as SSCBs and future wearing surfaces. Due to limitations in using standard TxDOT precast concrete panels between existing and adjacent beams, Soo used a cast-in-place concrete deck using the existing steel reinforcement layout to maintain the structural integrity of the deck.

IH 35 NEX - IH 410 South to FM 1103, TxDOT SAT, San Antonio: Bridge Engineer for the design tasks for the 5-mile-long elevated NEX bridge project were organized into two primary teams: superstructure design and substructure design team. The superstructure team was divided further into who design concrete girder or steel girder. The substructure team was divided into groups who handle conventional reinforced concrete structure or post-tensioned concrete design. Soo was responsible for leading the steel bridge design efforts and responsible for providing technical support and guidance to the substructure design team.

IH-45, IH-59, and IH-10 Bridge Repairs – TxDOT, HOU, Houston: As Bridge Engineer, proposed a wide range of repair solutions, including both standard methods from the TxDOT Concrete Repair Manual and non-conventional repair details not covered in existing TxDOT CAD Standards. The repair detail included reconstruction, partial, or full depth construction of expansion joints, impact damaged rail, map cracking on bent cap or column, riprap settlement, MSE wall damage, damaged shear key, repair of railed FRP bent cap, beam or girder end concrete spall, WFPT repair detail, and bearing pad replacement.

SH 70 Bridge Replacement Project – TxDOT, ABL: Bridge Lead for the phased replacement of an existing T-beam bridge. The bridge had previously been widened with prestressed concrete X-beams and was ultimately replaced with TxDOT prestressed concrete I-girders through a multi-phase construction approach to maintain uninterrupted traffic flow. One of the key challenges was preserving the integrity of the existing abutments, which consisted of vertical walls supported by multiple piles. Soo developed an effective solution by locating the proposed drilled shafts behind the existing wall and implementing a series of temporary special shoring systems to prevent soil erosion beneath the existing wall and ensure structural stability.

SH 6 - SH 21 to SH 40, TxDOT BRY, College Station and Bryan: As bridge lead, Soo led a team of engineers to design aesthetic new bridges, rehabilitate of stream channel, widen the existing bridges, design sound wall, soil nail wall, tie back wall, and design a prefabricated pedestrian bridge. Bridge designs incorporated multiple superstructure types: box beams & TxDOT prestressed concrete I girder and substructure Types: inverted T bent cap, straddle bent cap, along with aesthetic columns. Additional structural elements included 9,200 lf of soil nail wall and 2,760 lf of noise wall.

Bob oversees QA/QC on TxDOT schematic and PS&E assignments. He brings more than 40 years of progressive experience in project management and design on TxDOT projects. He authored the TxDOT Preliminary Design Course Manual, and instructs it and the PS&E Package course for TxDOT.

Bob works with Project Managers to develop appropriate QA/QC Plans for each work order, including identification of the independent review team. During project execution, he leads the independent intradisciplinary & Interdisciplinary reviews and comment resolution meetings. He performs independent quality audits to ensure that all team members are following the established QA/QC plan.

Project experience:

US 79 Urban Arterial, IH 35 to 2.5 miles East, TxDOT AUS: Robert led the QA/QC team for the design related to the conversion of a 5-lane section to a 6-lane divided with turn lanes. The project included traffic analysis and the development of 3 complex interchanges. He assigned Subject Matter Experts (SME) to lead the review of each discipline (roadway, drainage, and structures). The Task Leaders worked together to conduct interdisciplinary reviews to ensure there were no conflicts or gaps in the design. Robert confirmed that back-checks were performed on updates & submitted redlines with deliverables. As QA Lead, Robert verified that the Quality Management plan was followed. Additionally, he confirmed comments and responses were addressed in the Comment Resolution Matrix.

IH 35, 7 miles through Waco – TxDOT WAC: Robert led the QA/QC team for the complex highway reconstruction for mainlanes, frontage roads, ramps and interchanges. He assigned a QA Lead to verify all deliverables were reviewed independently and to verify responses were provided to all CRM comments. He reviewed the Exhibit A for the UPRR agreement and worked with stakeholders on access needs. Robert had each discipline task leader work with a SME to review their disciplines work and review other disciplines work to ensure there were no conflicts. He utilized MicroStation, ProjectWise, & Bluebeam Studio for QC.

SH 158/SH 137 Overpass, TxDOT SJT: PM for SCH and PS&E freight network (THFN) project converting rural intersection to 4-lane divided overpass with 18.5’ vertical clearance and MSE walls to stay within narrow ROW and accommodate commercial vehicles at interchange. Bob resolved a Bridge and Utility Conflict with two 36” high pressure gas lines running diagonally through the interchange, conflicting with drill shafts, and not meeting 5’ buffer for gas lines. Bob worked with the structures staff to develop bridge spans to maximize separation of drilled shafts from the gas lines. His proactive measures saved $3M and 8 months of utility adjustment. Bob performed over-the-shoulder reviews / collaboration to drive the design forward. Under his direction, his team performed concurrent inter-discipline QC Reviews using Bluebeam Studio to reduce review times and address any redline conflicts. Bob routinely checked in with TxDOT to identify any areas of improvement needed.

South Loop 1 / MoPac Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI), TxDOT AUS: Bob was PM for notch/widening and overlay of MoPac lanes now serving as frontage roads, two miles of mainlanes, and two underpasses with DDI at Slaughter Lane and Diamond at La Crosse Avenue. Bob led constructability reviews and two TCP workshops with TxDOT, focusing on maximizing safety and accelerated construction. To mitigate contamination and flooding of Slaughter Creek, Bob worked with his drainage key staff, the District, and TCEQ to develop detention via storm sewers and 7 batch detention ponds for water quality and prevent a rise in the 100-yr water surface elevation.