About Us
Our success is based upon our commitment to listen to and understand our clients' goals, then develop practical, innovative and timely solutions that produce positive results.
Our Heritage
Texas Transportation
Hall of Honor 2002
Under the leadership of Wesley E. Freise, P.E., W.P. Engineering Consultants, Inc. provides a broad range of planning, design, construction and maintenance-related services to the transportation industry. These services include specialized consulting for toll road planning, financing, revenue collection, operations and maintenance, and construction management and inspection.
Mr. Freise has been an industry leader for three decades. In 1985 he became Executive Director of the Harris County Toll Road Authority and served in that capacity for 15 years. He most recently served on the board of the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association.
Mr. Freise has had “hands-on” involvement in every aspect of toll road development. Built at a total cost in excess of $1 billion, the 85-mile Harris County system was implemented ahead of schedule and below estimated cost under Mr. Freise's leadership. Mr. Freise oversaw and directed bond financing for construction, operation and maintenance of the system, and revenues received were more than adequate to meet debt service obligations as well as provide a surplus to ensure the agency’s future financial stability.
Mr. Freise has had “hands-on” involvement in every aspect of toll road development while Executive Director of HCTRA.
The Harris County tollroads, supported entirely by user revenues, are used by over 1 million vehicles daily and offer Harris County citizens an alternative to growing mobility problems. Segments of the system have been recognized by national professional organizations as outstanding civil engineering projects for being among the safest toll roads in the nation and effectively utilizing innovative toll concepts.
As Executive Director of the Harris County Toll Road Authority, Mr. Freise won acclaim from the American Society of Civil Engineers for his multi-directional interchange design of the Sam Houston Tollway at I-10. He initiated and successfully negotiated numerous agreements to facilitate construction of the roads, and he implementd innovative financial programs to get the roads built. One such agreement among the FHWA, TxDOT and Harris County provided $90 million in federal funds for tollroad construction as a result of the 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act. The Sam Houston Tollway was among the first projects to be granted funds under this Act and the first to start construction. Most recently, Mr. Freise assisted with the negotiations of a tri-party agreement among Harris County, TxDOT and FHWA for the IH-10 (Katy Tollway) pilot project under the TEA 21 Interstate Reconstruction Act.