DOTD, Parsons Brinckerhoff get recognition during ARTBA award event

Transportation construction organizations from Maine to New Mexico were recognized at the American Road & Transportation Builders Association Transportation Development Foundation's (ARTBA-TDF) sixth annual "PRIDE Awards" luncheon, held in April during the association's "Federal Issues Program" in Washington, D.C.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development and Parson Brinckerhoff received an honorable mention for their joint public affairs outreach aimed at building support for the $4 billion statewide Transportation Infrastructure Model for Economic Development (TIMED) program.

Established by the ARTBA Board of Directors in October 1999, the PRIDE Awards honor "excellence in community relations and public education that enhance the image of the U.S. transportation construction industry."

Better Roads and Roads & Bridges magazines sponsored this year's awards competition. An independent panel of public relations professionals and construction industry journalists selected the winners.

Mississippi River Bridge project in St. Francisville advances

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development recently announced the three short-listed teams for the design-build Mississippi River Bridge at St. Francisville/New Roads.

"Selection of the three short-listed teams is a significant milestone in the design-build process for the new Mississippi River Bridge," said DOTD Secretary Johnny Bradberry. "We are on target for selecting the final team by the end of the year."

The three short-listed teams are:

• American Bridge/Bilfinger Berger JV, a joint venture of American Bridge Co. and Bilfinger Berger Civil Inc. with designer URS Corporation
  
• Audubon Bridge Constructors JV, a joint venture of Flatiron Constructors Inc., Granite Construction Co. and Parsons Transportation Group (PTG) with designers Parsons Transportation Group and Buckland & Taylor LTD
  
• MRB Constructors, a joint venture of Traylor Bros. Inc., Massman Construction Co. and Gilbert Southern Corp. with designer HNTB Corporation.

"Legislation that passed in 2004 allowed DOTD to utilize design-build on the new Mississippi River Bridge project and we are pleased with the response and interest in this project from such notable engineering and construction firms," Bradberry said.

The three short-listed teams are now required to prepare proposals for the bridge project. DOTD will then review the proposals and select a final team based on pre-set criteria. The winning team is scheduled to begin work on the project in early 2006.

The new Mississippi River Bridge will be built just south of the existing ferry crossing between Point Coupee and West Feliciana parishes, about 40 miles north of Baton Rouge. The bridge will be a cable stay bridge, similar to the Luling Bridge in St. Charles Parish. Approaches will be constructed to tie the bridge into LA 10 in Point Coupee Parish and US 61 in West Feliciana Parish.

The $200 million project is scheduled for completion by December 2010.