Infra Insight Blog

A last-minute amendment to California Assembly Bill 294, if passed, would wreak havoc on Caltrans and local agency plans to use design-build for state highway projects (Public Contract Code section 6800 et seq.) and to enter into public-private partnerships (P3s) for highway projects (Streets and Highways Code section 143).

The language added to the bill would preclude local agencies from hiring consultants to work on the projects, stating that all work must be done through Caltrans employees or consultants under contract with Caltrans.  Project consultants are often hired well ...

Over the past 10 years, California lawmakers have made tremendous strides in providing express design-build procurement authority to pubic agencies in the state. This authority, however, has not been applied evenly across all project types or agencies.

As matters stand in 2011, much broader design-build authority exists for public buildings or vertical projects than for transportation or horizontal projects.  Within the realm of horizontal projects, projects on the state highway system are subject to a number of constraints that do not apply to other types of projects.  And the ...

Yesterday, the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority awarded a $486 million design-build contract to a Kiewit/Parsons joint venture. The contract is for the 11.5 mile extension of the Metro Gold Line light rail from the Sierra Madre Villa station in the City of Pasadena to Citrus Avenue near the boundary of the City of Azusa and the City of Glendora.  The Authority previously awarded a separate design-build contract to Skanska for the Iconic Freeway Structure within the same alignment.

The Authority made the award decision for the Foothill Extension project using ...

During the recent legislative session, TxDOT received authority under Senate Bill 1420 to develop certain projects, including, among others, the SH 99 Grand Parkway project in the Houston area, as well as the I-35E Managed Lanes project in the Dallas/Fort Worth area through a public private partnership procurement process. On June 10, 2011, TxDOT intends to issue requests for information (RFIs) to assist in formulating strategies for the development of these urgently needed projects. Copies of each RFI will be available on TxDOT's website. TxDOT is seeking RFI responses from ...

On Wednesday, the California Transportation Commission (CTC) approved the $950 million Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement Project for one of 10 state project slots available under California’s Design-Build Demonstration Program. 

The CTC’s approval authorizes the Port of Long Beach and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to deliver the project using the best-value design-build method contemplated under the program.  The Port of Long Beach and Caltrans released the request for qualifications (RFQ) for the project’s design-build contract on ...

The Port of Long Beach, one of the largest and busiest Ports in the world and a major inter-modal center for the cargo movement throughout the Western United States and beyond, has reached a major milestone in the approximately $1B plan to replace the Gerald Desmond Bridge on a design-build basis using the authority granted by California’s design-build demonstration program. As the first cable-stayed bridge ever built in California, the project is expected to be a landmark structure for the Port and surrounding communities.

On September 30, the Long Beach City Council approved the ...

The Mineta San José International Airport Terminal Area Improvement Program was selected as the Best Overall Top Project and as the best Transportation Project in Northern California for 2010 by California Construction magazine during its annual statewide competition that recognizes construction and design excellence.  The project represents the first major airport design-build project in California and includes design and construction of a new terminal, access and roadway improvements, parking facilities, tenant relocations, demolition of existing facilities, and ...

On August 30 the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to three teams vying for the Foothill Extension Phase 2A light rail alignment work. The design-build-finance project includes 11.5 miles of new track, a 25+ acre light rail maintenance facility, six stations in five cities, and multiple bridges along with the needed utilities and crossing systems. Phase 2A is anticipated to generate 7,000 jobs and $1 billion of economic output for the region during construction and will be the first Measure R rail project to break ground ...

On April 7, 2010, the California Transportation Commission (CTC) authorized the first two regional design-build projects under the state's innovative contracting authority under Senate Bill 4, SBX2 4. 

• The ExpressLane Project is a joint state/local project of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) and the Department of Transportation (Caltrans), which will be implemented by Caltrans.  The project will convert existing carpool lanes on Interstates 10 and 110 to high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes, or ExpressLanes.
  

   

• The Riverside County ...

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…  Dickens could have been describing 2009, as the P3 market continued to look strong, notwithstanding the economic downturn. Last year three significant P3 deals reached financial close in the United States: in March the I-595 in Florida, in October the Port of Miami Tunnel also in Florida, and mid-December the North Tarrant Express in Texas. All were remarkable in their own right, and cumulatively earned Nossaman the top spot in Infrastructure Journal’s league tables in the North American Transport P3 legal advisor category.

We take a look back at what made the deals remarkable and what 2010 might bring…

The Utah Department of Transportation has announced its selection of the Provo River Constructors team to deliver the Utah County I-15 Corridor Expansion (I-15 CORE). Provo River Constructors is comprised of Flour Enterprises, Inc., Ames Construction, Inc., Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction Company, Inc. and Wadsworth Brothers Construction Company, Inc. The group will expand the I-15 freeway by two lanes in both directions from Lehi Main Street to Spanish Fork Main, extend the express lane from University Parkway in Orem to Spanish Fork, rebuild and reconfigure 10 freeway ...

A recent court case upholds the concepts of innovative design and quality performance utilized by alternative delivery methods that have become necessary due to shrinking public agency budgets and the need to accelerate critical projects. The case concerned the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (Corps) use of an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Contract through a two phased proposal process for a $301 million construction project to build a series of military facilities to be performed under a series of future task orders.

An IDIQ Contract allows the procuring ...

A client recently asked our firm about delivery methodologies commonly used for mega-projects.  A recent ENR article highlights this trend towards use of alternative delivery methods, including design-build, contractor at risk and PPPs.

According to the article, the US Army Corps of Engineers is using design-build and construction management at risk (which the Army Corps calls Early Contractor Involvement (ECI)) on many projects to speed up delivery of the Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System, including the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway West Closure Complex ...

Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) officials executed a comprehensive development agreement (CDA) Tuesday October 6 with NorthGate Constructors, J.V., led by Kiewit Texas Construction L.P. (Fort Worth), and Zachry Construction Corporation (San Antonio).  NorthGate Constructors, J.V. will develop, design and construct 8.4 miles of the SH 114/121 corridor known as the DFW Connector. Construction on the $1.02 billion design/build project is expected to begin by 2010 and the project is scheduled to open to traffic in 2014.