Awarded for Outstanding Achievement in a Multi-Phase Construction Project
The Woodrow Wilson Bridge Project received the 2009 Construction Management Association of America Project Achievement Award in the Program Management/Program Phase, Infrastructure category. The Project Achievement Awards recognize instances in which professional construction or program management has made a significant contribution to the successful completion of a challenging project or program.
Judges considered quality management, cost management, schedule management, complexity, innovation and creativity, and customer service and satisfaction in determining the award recipient. Parsons Brinckerhoff, URS and RK&K were the joint venture partners that provided the program and construction management services. The award was presented Tuesday night at CMAA’s National Conference & Trade Show in Orlando, Florida.
The Woodrow Wilson Bridge carries I-95/I-495 over the Potomac River just east of Washington, D.C. The new bridge was expanded to 10 “local” and “thru” lanes, eliminating one of the most congested bottlenecks in the nation. Travelers now experience much briefer and safer trips, which also conserve fuel and reduce emissions. An additional two lanes (now used as wide safety shoulders) are available for future use, which could include rail or bus transit or high occupancy vehicles. The bridge also has a dedicated bike and pedestrian path that connects Alexandria, Virginia and Prince George’s County, Maryland.
The $2.5 billion project linking Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia is the product of innovative design and construction methods, which contributed to the project’s on-time and on-budget performance. One example of innovative construction was utilizing a portion of the old bridge as a platform to help erect the new bridge, accelerating project delivery as well as eliminating the need to dredge five acres of the sensitive Potomac River environment.
While making substantial improvements to the transportation network and surrounding communities, the Wilson Bridge Project also went to great lengths to protect the environment, mitigate unavoidable impacts and in some cases enhance natural resources. The project restored streams for fish spawning, developed an innovative yet inexpensive “bubble-curtain” system to eliminate fish mortality during pile driving and created five artificial reefs in the Chesapeake Bay. It also went to great lengths to preserve the habitat of two resident bald eagles, with project efforts capturing international media attention.
The Woodrow Wilson Bridge Project is in its last phases of construction. The new bridge and interchanges at Maryland 210, Interstate 295 and Route 1 are either entirely or substantially complete, while the Telegraph Road Interchange is 44 percent finished and on track to finish in 2013.
The Woodrow Wilson Bridge Project is jointly sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration, the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration and the District of Columbia Department of Transportation.
