Following the clearance of two major engineering design contracts, the Coastal Texas Project is moving forward after years of delays. Plans for enormous floodgates and coastal barrier systems to safeguard the Texas Gulf Coast can resume under the accords.
This month, officials approved two engineering design contracts to restart construction for the Coastal Texas Project, one of the most significant coastal resilience projects in U.S. history.
The Gulf Coast Protection District accepted contracts with Jacobs and HDR to design critical components of the $34 billion Coastal Texas Project on Dec. 2.
A district news release states that Jacobs will design the enormous floodgate system, while HDR will design the beaches and dunes. These clearances allow engineering work to resume after years of planning and funding delays.
The agreements do not set a cash value for design work. The design phase will negotiate and fund assignments independently.
Gulf Coast Protection District Communications Director Heather Betancourth said each work will have a future dollar amount.
After government cooperation and task authorizations, Betancourth said the design may begin in 2026.
Once built, the flood gate system for the 2-mile-wide river between Galveston Island and the Bolivar Peninsula will be the world's largest. The system reduces storm surge threats in Houston-Galveston, home to the nation's largest port complex and several petrochemical industries.
A large-scale beach and dune system reinforces natural coastal barriers along the Bolivar Peninsula and West Galveston Island, as well as the gates. These features absorb storm energy and decrease flooding during hurricanes and major storms.
State leaders described the contract approvals as a significant milestone for the project, which has been under consideration for more than a decade since Hurricane Ike in 2008.
In the statement, Texas General Land Office Commissioner Dawn Buckingham said, “We can no longer wait to implement this long-term resiliency strategy, aimed at safeguarding the largest port and petrochemical complex in the nation.
Congress signed the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 in December, authorizing the Coastal Texas Project. Previous Community Impact reporting stated that the authorization permitted the U.S. The authorization allowed the U.S. The authorization enabled the U.S. The authorization allowed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to begin construction.
Local leaders said the recently granted contracts show renewed momentum for a project vital to Texas's coast, economy, and energy infrastructure. Construction deadlines depend on finance and government permits.
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