The Florida Transportation Builders Association (FTBA) recognized DRMP with the FTBA Construction Project of the Year award for providing engineering services to resurface, restore, and rehabilitate a portion of SR 597/Dale Mabry Highway – one of the busiest corridors in Hillsborough County, Fla.
DRMP provided construction support services for the project in coordination with the prime contractor, Preferred Materials, and the Construction, Engineering, and Inspection (CEI) consultant, K-Factor.
This project serves as a strong example of how effective planning and a capable contractor can contribute to the smooth and successful delivery of a project. While unforeseen issues are common in most construction efforts, this project experienced minimal disruptions and virtually no change orders due to the quality of the plans and the performance of the contractor.
This was the second consecutive project DRMP worked on with Preferred Materials. Prior to this project, the firm had just completed a similar road improvement in Pinellas County, Fla., for SR 595 (Seminole Boulevard) with Preferred Materials, which went equally as smoothly.
State Road 597 is a heavily traveled six-lane urban corridor located in the Carrollwood area of north Tampa, carrying an average of 70,000 vehicles per day. The successful design and construction of a project of this scale and complexity - while meeting the expectations of a diverse group of stakeholders - highlights the significance of this effort and contributes to its recognition as an award-worthy achievement.
Improving Safety
The design of this project benefits the community by providing a safe means of cooperative transportation for motorists, cyclists, runners, and walkers.
DRMP’s services involved providing milling and resurfacing design for approximately 4.3 miles along SR 597/Dale Mabry Highway from North of South Village Drive/West Fletcher Avenue to South of Van Dyke Road.
The project included replacing damaged sidewalks, upgrading ADA deficiencies, drainage, and designing essential traffic safety improvements. It also involved a major redesign and upgrade to the Bearss Avenue intersection, which helped improve the intersection’s traffic operations by increasing pedestrian safety and driver awareness. Additional services included roadway design, signalization design, lighting, signing/pavement markings, pavement design, utility relocation/coordination and services during construction.
To improve pedestrian safety, the DRMP team created a larger shoulder for bicyclists to travel on and fixed the ramps and crosswalks, as well as added pedestrian signals. DRMP's upgraded drainage design will now prevent major flooding that was happening at the Bearss Avenue intersection.
DRMP’s design also will help ease traffic congestion with new signing, marking, and asphalt pavement.
Smooth Collaboration
DRMP began designing this project in October 2019 and completed it in October 2021. Construction started in November of 2021 and ended ahead of schedule last month.
DRMP provided day-to-day coordination with the contractor and served as the liaison with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District 7 to help ensure a smooth project delivery. The team played a key role in keeping all parties informed of progress, managing RFIs (requests for information) and design reviews, and maintaining strong responsiveness to both the contractor and FDOT. Preferred Materials, K-Factor, and District 7 all expressed appreciation for the team's support and responsiveness, which contributed to the project's momentum. DRMP’s Tampa, Fla., design team also supported construction efforts with timely reviews, rapid responses, and the flexibility to meet in the field on short notice.
The Maintenance of Traffic (MOT) for this project was highly complex, presenting significant challenges in managing construction impacts on the public. A primary focus throughout the duration of the project was to minimize disruptions to the traveling public and maintain safe, efficient traffic flow.
Improving the Bearss Avenue intersection was a major component of this project, which required a strong MOT design to keep motorists safe. DRMP closed an entire lane that served as a free-flow lane. That closure meant people had to use through lanes for a right-turn movement. Prior to construction, motorists did not have to wait for vehicles to turn right.
There also were some intersection closures, as well as some pedestrian detours in the busiest areas, which can frustrate motorists. To minimize frustration, Preferred Materials did a combination of night work, offered timely solutions to challenges in real-time, creative problem solving on unforeseen day-to-day obstacles, and had great communication.
The success of this project can be attributed to the exceptional teamwork of all parties involved. K-Factor's outstanding performance in CEI played a crucial role in ensuring the smooth progression of the project. While no project is without its challenges, this one came remarkably close to achieving an ideal outcome, thanks to the quality of the plans and the contractor’s execution.
