VDOT awards state’s largest-ever design-build contract

Hot Springs, Virginia — The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) approved two contracts at their monthly meeting totaling $414.9 million for maintenance and construction projects in the Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) Hampton Roads and Salem districts — I-64 will be widened and a new High Rise Bridge constructed in the City of Chesapeake

A $409.6 million contract was awarded to Granite / Parsons / Corman Joint Venture of Tarrytown, N.Y., to widen about eight miles of Interstate 64 and construct a new High Rise Bridge adjacent to the existing span in the Hampton Roads District. The award is the largest design-build contract in VDOT history.

The project will widen I-64 from four to six lanes, beginning half a mile east of the Interstate 264 interchange at Bowers Hill, to one mile east of the Interstate 464 interchange. The widening will add one High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lane in each direction to the existing two general purpose lanes.

The new fixed-span High Rise Bridge will be built just south of the existing High Rise Bridge to carry the three lanes of I-64 west traffic over the Elizabeth River. The existing High Rise Bridge will continue to operate and will carry three lanes of I-64 east traffic upon completion of the project. The project will include replacement of the overpass bridge at Great Bridge Boulevard and realignment of the associated roadway. The existing bridges carrying I-64 over Military Highway, Yadkin Road and Shell Road will be widened.

The project is being paid for with a combination of funds from the Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Commission and the state’s SMART SCALE program. The project is expected to be complete in summer 2021.

It is designed to accommodate a future Phase 2 project, which will expand the corridor to a total of eight lanes and replace the existing High Rise Bridge.

Two bridges will be replaced on Route 11 over Tinker Creek in Botetourt County

A $5.3 million contract was awarded to Orders Construction Co. Inc. of St. Albans, West Virginia, to replace two aging bridges carrying Route 11 (Lee Highway) over Tinker Creek in the Salem District.

One bridge is located near Cloverdale, and the second is located just north of Route 838 (Vista Drive). The existing bridges were built in 1923 and 1932, respectively. The new structures will be wider and will provide 10-foot shoulders in both directions. The project is expected to be complete in fall 2019.