ORLANDO—Flatiron and Zachry Construction just won a contract to build the Interstate 85/Interstate 385 Interchange project in Greenville, SC. The deal is worth $231 million.

The South Carolina Department of Transportation-sponsored design-build project will reconfigure the interchange at Interstate 85 and Interstate 385. The project is the state's third-largest transportation infrastructure initiative in over a decade.

The goal is to improve traffic operations and safety for about 194,000 vehicles per day. Construction is slated to begin in late fall 2015 and scheduled for completion in 2018.

“This is the third major transportation infrastructure project Flatiron has secured in the Southeast in the past year,” says Javier Sevilla, COO of Flatiron and head of the company's civil division. “We look forward to successfully completing this vital project as we continue to expand our presence in the region.”

The infrastructure project will replace existing loop ramps with direct-connect, high-level flyover bridges and includes construction of a new collector-distributor roadway along Interstates 85 and 385.The project will also reconfigure and replace existing ramps, construct additional lanes along Interstate 85 and Interstate 385, and resurface and rehabilitate Interstate 85. Crews will design and construct 12 new bridges, rehabilitate two existing bridges, and construct retaining walls.

Experience-wise, this looks like a strong team. Civil Engineering Consultant Services is the primary designer, along with Stantec, TYLin, and Mead and Hunt as major subconsultants. Flatiron finished building the Arthur Ravenel Bridge over the Cooper River in Charleston in 2005, and Carolina Bays Parkway in Myrtle Beach in 2002. Zachary completed the Interstate 20 widening project in Richland County in 2014 and is currently working on Interstate 40/Interstate 77 in Iredell County, North Carolina.

Further south, Skanska is working on the biggest public-private partnership in the US—the Interstate 4 Ultimate. Fred Hames, general manager and executive vice president of Florida at Skanska, tells GlobeSt.com the reconfiguration of Interstate 4 is an effort to improve the quality of life and the safety of residents, while giving Central Florida a competitive edge when it comes to attracting new businesses and economic growth to the region.

“Florida is unique because it has several different geographic hubs, including South Florida, Orlando, Tampa, Gainesville, and Jacksonville,” Hames says. “The state understands the importance of connecting these populations and business centers, and that's ultimately why the I-4 project won approval.”

Instant Insights /

Southeast Sees Massive Infrastructure Projects

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