ORLANDO, Fla. – The I-75 at Big Bend Road Interchange project in Hillsborough County, located in Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District 7, has been honored with the 2025 Florida Transportation Builders’ Association (FTBA) Best in Construction Award in the Interchange Category. The award was announced at FTBA’s annual convention, held July 31–August 3, at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando.
DRMP served as the prime consultant providing Construction, Engineering, and Inspection (CEI) services throughout the project. This included project administration, roadway and bridge inspection, utility oversight, and materials sampling and testing.
Throughout the 3 1/2-year project, DRMP’s CEI team played a key role in its successful delivery. Innovative methods such as crash mapping were used to identify and resolve high-risk areas in collaboration with the design-build team. The team also oversaw implementation of one of FDOT’s first voluntary acceleration plans, demonstrating technical leadership in a complex construction environment.
To address increasing traffic demands in the fast-growing South County area, FDOT partnered with Hillsborough County to reconstruct the I-75 interchange at CR 672 (Big Bend Road), Exit 246. The design-build project delivered key infrastructure improvements, including new entrance and exit ramps, expanded turn lanes, enhanced traffic signals, and the widening of Big Bend Road from four to six lanes between Covington Garden Drive and Simmons Loop. The project also modernized pedestrian, bicycle, and transit facilities, and included the reconstruction of the Old Big Bend Road and Big Bend Road bridges.
Managing contractor operations that ran day and night six days a week posed significant logistical challenges. DRMP met these demands by staggering shifts, rotating weekend coverage, and cycling inspectors between night and day assignments every three months, ensuring effective oversight without overburdening staff.
Coordination was key to the project’s success. DRMP collaborated extensively with stakeholders including Hillsborough County departments (Water Resources, Traffic Operations, Public Works, TTC Permits, and the School Board), FDOT District 7 teams (ITS, Structures, and Materials), as well as the Spurlino Family YMCA, St. Joseph’s Hospital, local homeowners associations, and nearby businesses.
“Having the opportunity to contribute to a project that received the 2025 FTBA Best in Construction Award is a tremendous honor and a testament to the dedication, expertise, and collaborative spirit of our entire CEI team,” said DRMP Construction Services Area Leader Brian Crowl, PE. “We are proud to have worked alongside FDOT District 7, Skanska USA Civil Southeast, and Dewberry. Together, we overcame challenges, stayed mission-focused, and delivered a high-quality result we can all be proud of.”
About DRMP
DRMP is a multi-discipline firm serving clients in the public, private and industrial sectors in the development of infrastructure and has been in business since 1977. DRMP currently employs 700 professionals in 23 office locations spread strategically across our service area. Today, DRMP is ranked among Engineering News-Record’s “Top 500 Design Firms” in the United States. For more information, please visit www.drmp.com.
