How BGE Helped Transform I-35 Through Waco
In the heart of Texas, where more than 140,000 vehicles pass daily, Interstate 35 serves as a vital artery connecting not just cities, but economies across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. For the City of Waco, this stretch of highway was more than a transportation corridor—it was a gateway to opportunity, growth, and community revitalization. When it came time to rebuild seven miles of this critical infrastructure, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) turned to BGE, Inc. to lead the way.
What followed wasn’t just a construction project. It was a complex, multi-year transformation guided by innovation, grit, and community-minded engineering.
A high-stakes undertaking
At $350 million, the I-35 Waco 4B project was the largest design-bid-build effort in Texas at the time. It called for the complete reconstruction of I-35 from 12th Street to North Loop 340—a vital and congested stretch. With stakes high and the community watching, BGE stepped in as the prime consultant for construction management, engineering, and inspection services. The scope? Widen 84 lane miles of concrete, replace 24 bridges, reconstruct 18, and protect or relocate more than 55 major utilities. Add in pedestrian infrastructure, multimodal access, and new interchanges, and it was clear this was no ordinary road job.
From day one, BGE knew success would depend on more than meeting technical specs. It would take proactive problem-solving, genuine collaboration, and a commitment to making Waco better—not just more drivable.
Delivering through disruption
Like most modern megaprojects, Waco 4B didn’t unfold in a vacuum. A global pandemic, a statewide cybersecurity attack, and material shortages created significant turbulence. But rather than derail progress, these events revealed the strength of BGE’s planning, communication, and leadership.
BGE processed over 400 change orders without adding a single contract day. The result? The project was delivered seven months ahead of the original five-year schedule. That kind of outcome doesn’t happen by accident, but through relentless coordination and dedication to quality and accountability.
Innovation in Action: SPYGLASS™
One of the standout tools in BGE’s arsenal was its proprietary SPYGLASS™ technology. Originally designed as a GIS- and web-based platform for data visualization, SPYGLASS became a critical asset in keeping the project team and the public informed.
SPYGLASS allowed BGE to map construction phases, coordinate utility relocations, and share real-time progress with over 200 stakeholders and thousands of community members. More than a dashboard, it was a bridge between planners, contractors, and the people of Waco. When driveways closed, bridges came down, or routes shifted, SPYGLASS made it easier for residents and travelers to adapt, reducing confusion and frustration along the way.
Collaboration That Mattered
Throughout the project, BGE maintained a steadfast focus on minimizing disruption, especially for local businesses. At Collin Street Bakery, a historic and beloved Waco institution, nearly half of the year’s revenue comes during the holiday season. Knowing this, BGE carefully tailored traffic control phases and expedited construction around the bakery to ensure holiday access was maintained. It was a small gesture in the scheme of a massive project, but a powerful example of how thoughtful engineering can support economic resilience.
Partnerships also extended to key institutions like Baylor University and the City of Waco, as well as the trucking industry and local planning organizations. Over 500 public outreach events and more than 30,000 communications helped build trust and understanding between the construction team and the public during the years of dust, detours, and disruption.
Thinking Beyond the Blueprint
Even with the best-laid plans, challenges emerged—none more daunting than the demolition and reconstruction of the Brazos River bridge. The original plan relied on multiple 549,000-pound cranes on barges, a solution that posed safety and environmental risks.
Working with contractor Webber, BGE helped craft a safer and more efficient approach: securing barges around existing columns with custom-made wooden templates, then using an adjacent frontage road bridge to lower girders onto barges. This innovation cut the demolition timeline in half, protected the river, and ensured the safety of workers and waterway users alike from paddleboarders to collegiate rowers.
A Catalyst for Revitalization
Infrastructure projects rarely end at the pavement. In Waco, finishing the I-35 rebuild early gave the city a green light to fast-track revitalization efforts, especially in historically underserved areas like East Waco.
One major design pivot, the 11th and 12th Street “flip the stack” changes, reconnected downtown with East Waco and opened the door for private development. Hotels, mixed-use spaces, and new restaurants followed, demonstrating how a well-executed highway project can fuel broader urban renewal.
Engineering Excellence: Learning What’s Possible
For BGE, the Waco 4B project wasn’t just about concrete and steel—it was about showing what’s possible when engineering excellence meets community stewardship. From the first public meeting to the final punch list, the firm leaned into its values: safety, sustainability, and collaboration. The result was a highway that’s not just bigger and better, but smarter, safer, and more connected to the people it serves.
In many ways, the project redefined what a major infrastructure rebuild can look like in Texas and beyond. For TxDOT, the City of Waco, local businesses, and travelers, the success of Waco 4B is more than a milestone. It’s a promise kept.
About BGE, Inc.
For 50 years, BGE, Inc. has served public and private clients as a full-service, multidiscipline engineering consulting firm with integrated capabilities. BGE delivers a broad range of advisory services, technical expertise and innovative, sustainable solutions to support local, regional and national communities as they shape the future of infrastructure. Backed by five decades of civil engineering leadership, BGE helps our client partners solve their most critical challenges Explore our consulting services and solutions: https://www.bgeinc.com/