HDR named general engineering consultant for South Mountain Freeway P3

Phoenix — The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) awarded HDR the General Engineering Consultant contract for the South Mountain Freeway Project. This $1.8 billion project is the first highway project procured under Arizona’s public-private-partnership statute, and ADOT’s first design-build-maintain project.

Services provided by HDR include assisting with procurement, design and construction administration processes, including multidiscipline design oversight, resolution of claims and disputes, project management and risk analysis.

The largest, most complex construction project in ADOT history, the South Mountain Freeway is expected to create 30,000 jobs. Once constructed, the 22-mile freeway is expected to bring even more permanent jobs and generate another $2 billion of investment in the Valley. The program completes the system approved by voters in the 1985 Maricopa Association of Governments’ Regional Freeway Program.

The new freeway will begin at the existing I-10 and Loop 202 Santan Freeway interchange. It will improve regional mobility, adding three general-purpose lanes and one High Occupancy Vehicle, or carpool, lane in each direction. This new freeway will connect the east and west valleys through southwest Phoenix, and turn north to connect Interstate 10 near 59th Avenue in the West Valley. Estimated completion date is in 2020.

Ken Smith, HDR’s project manager, said, “We’re honored to be able to help ADOT deliver the first P3 and design-build-maintain project in the state. The entire region will benefit from having this last piece of the freeway in place.” 

For more details visit the ADOT South Mountain Freeway Project website at https://azdot.gov/projects/phoenix-metro-area/loop-202-south-mountain-freeway.