A sampling of some of Virginia’s major road projects
Published
HAMPTON ROADS
I-64 High-Rise Bridge and road widening
The I-64 Southside Widening and High-Rise Bridge project is valued at $409.8 million, making it the largest design-build contract in the Virginia Department of Transportation’s history. The contractor on the project is a joint venture involving three companies called Granite-Parsons-Corman. The project will widen nearly nine miles of Interstate 64 in Chesapeake and construct a new high-rise bridge over the Elizabeth River. The first phase of the project is slated to be completed in July 2021. Once the project is finished, the existing bridge will carry only I-64 East traffic. The new bridge will carry I-64 West traffic toward Virginia Beach. 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.
NORTHERN VIRGINIA
I-66 outside the Beltway
Work continues on this public/private project for a 22.5-mile stretch of I-66 from I-495 to near Route 29 in Gainesville. Under a 50-year agreement with Virginia, I-66 Express Mobility Partners is required to pay $800 million for transit service in the corridor and $350 million for other projects to improve the I-66 corridor. I-66 Express Mobility Partners is a consortium of Cintra, Meridiam Infrastructure, John Laing Group Plc and APG. The design-build contractor for the project is FAM Construction, a joint venture of Ferrovial Agroman US and Allan Meyers. I-66 Express Mobility Partners awarded Virginia with a $579 million concession payment, which includes $500 million to fund additional corridor improvements. The groundbreaking for the project was in November 2017. New express lanes are scheduled to open in late 2022.
RICHMOND REGION
I-64 widening in Henrico and New Kent counties
The purpose of this $54 million project is to improve safety and traffic flow as well as increase vehicle capacity. Corman-Branch, a joint venture, is the contractor. Construction began in 2017 and is scheduled to be completed in 2019. Plans call for the widening of a four-mile section of I-64 in Henrico and New Kent counties. The project will extend between the Interstate 295 interchange located at mile marker 200 and the Bottoms Bridge/Quinton interchange at mile marker 205. The existing bridge over the Chickahominy River will also be widened.