U.S. 50 HOV Detail-Build Project

Client: Maryland State Highway Administration (MSHA)

Location: Prince George’s County

Services: Transportation engineering

In 2001-02, the Maryland State Highway Administration (MSHA) sought to ease congestion along ten miles of U. S. 50 in Prince George’s County, MD, by adding high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes 1.5 miles to the west and 8.5 miles to the east of I-495, the Washington, D.C., Beltway. The John Hanson Highway is a heavily traveled artery that links Annapolis and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge with the nation’s capital.

KCI Technologies teamed with Concrete General, Inc., on the $18.9 million detail-build project-only the second HOV-lane project built in Maryland (the other is along I-270 in Montgomery County) and one of the largest design-build project’s in the State’s history. The road to completing the fast-track project ahead of schedule and under budget began with using innovative mapping to prepare accurate bid quantities; acquiring digital aerial photogrammetry to develop comprehensive contract documents; and, later, delivering an innovative, environmentally sensitive design that minimized construction materials and provided 3.5 acres of stormwater management credits for the State. Along the way, KCI conducted geotechnical evaluations and surveys and created innovative plans for maintenance of traffic (MOT), highway design, sediment control, paving, traffic barriers, signage, lighting, and permitting.

The success of the U. S. 50 Detail-Build project, opened to travelers on October 22, 2002, can serve as both a milestone for the State and a benchmark for future design-build partnerships.


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