Harborside & I-45 Intersection Modification — Port of Galveston Infrastructure Engineering
Galveston · Galveston County · Texas
Infrastructure & Traffic Engineering
Clearing a turn for an oversized wind turbine blade convoy
JRH Engineering designed and implemented a rapid intersection reconfiguration at the Harborside and I-45 junction in Galveston, Texas, to allow oversized wind turbine blades to complete a critical turn through the Port of Galveston. The existing infrastructure — traffic signal boxes, poles, and storm sewer — blocked the turning radius required for the blade convoy. JRH fast-tracked approvals through three agencies simultaneously and delivered a solution that kept the port delivery schedule intact.
AT A GLANCE
Site civil design
Stabilized crushed concrete installed to expand the turning surface to accommodate the wind turbine blade convoy dimensions.
Existing storm sewer reinforced to handle the new surface load from the expanded turning area.
Traffic signal boxes relocated to clear the required turning path — executed without interrupting port operations.
Traffic control planning
Full traffic control plan developed for two phases: construction of the intersection modification and the actual blade movement operation.
Traffic control sequencing designed to minimize disruption to port and public traffic during both phases.
Signal relocation coordinated with the City of Galveston to maintain intersection safety throughout construction.
Permitting and agency coordination
Three-agency simultaneous approval: Port of Galveston, City of Galveston, and TxDOT.
Fast-tracked review process aligned with the port delivery schedule — sequential permitting was not an option given the timeline.
All construction and operational traffic control plans approved before the blade convoy move date.
The Challenge — wind turbine blades do not wait
The Port of Galveston had a scheduled delivery, and the convoy could not make the turn at Harborside and I-45 without modifications to the intersection. Traffic signal infrastructure, poles, and the existing storm sewer were all in the way — and the fix needed to be designed, permitted, and built before the blades arrived.
JRH’s Approach — solve all three blockers at once
JRH identified the three elements blocking the turn — the turning surface area, the storm sewer capacity under the expanded surface, and the signal box positions — and designed solutions for all three simultaneously. Crushed concrete expanded the turning radius. Storm sewer reinforcement handled the new load. Signal boxes were relocated. All three approvals were pursued at the same time, and a full traffic control plan covered both the construction phase and the blade movement itself.
The Results
01
Port delivery schedule maintained — the intersection was reconfigured and permitted before the wind turbine blade convoy arrived.
02
Three-agency approval from the Port of Galveston, City of Galveston and TxDOT completed simultaneously — no sequential delays.
03
Full traffic control plan developed for both construction and convoy operation phases.
04
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the main engineering challenge on the Harborside & I-45 intersection project?
An oversized wind turbine blade convoy needed to complete a critical turn through the Port of Galveston, but existing traffic signal infrastructure, poles, and storm sewer blocked the required turning radius.
How did JRH Engineering solved the intersection reconfiguration under a tight deadline?
JRH expanded the turning surface with stabilized crushed concrete, reinforced the existing storm sewer to handle the new surface load, relocated traffic signal boxes, and pursued Port of Galveston, City of Galveston, and TxDOT approvals simultaneously.
What were the results of the Harborside & I-45 intersection project?
JRH kept the port's delivery schedule intact by completing the reconfiguration and permitting before the convoy arrived, secured three-agency approval simultaneously, and developed a full traffic control plan covering both construction and the convoy move.