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I-494 Design-Build Reconstruction

2007 ACEC Honor Award

2007 National Achievement Award
from the National Partnership for Highway Quality (NPHQ)

Interstate 494 (I-494) is a principal arterial roadway that plays a key role in the metropolitan highway system. The pavement in the I-494 corridor had reached the end of its design life, and needed replacement. Several bridges in the corridor needed either deck or total structure replacement. Adding an additional lane in each direction would help relieve congestion along the busy corridor.

Based on its experience with design-build project delivery, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) recognized that developing an innovative, systematic approach to design-build that clearly defined project requirements, provided a method for identifying gaps between Mn/DOT expectations and the contractor’s performance, and followed up with a tool for compliance verification would, taken as whole, provide a model that could benefit other states’ Departments of Transportation. The highly complex reconstruction of I-494, requiring an aggressive two-year schedule, would be the first project completed utilizing this Design-Build Best Value approach. Virtually every aspect of the project was integrated into the approach, from office filing and procurement to design, materials testing, safety, and public information management.

Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc. (SEH®) and HNTB served as the Design-Build Verification Consultants to provide quality oversight by measuring the contractor’s performance goals against Mn/DOT’s expectations. The project was completed as scheduled and on budget, maximized traffic flow during construction while minimizing impact to traffic, achieved high quality standards for design and construction, and maintained positive relationships with stakeholders and communities.