STV selected as lead designer for Fayetteville Outer Loop

Charlotte, N.C. — STV will serve as the lead designer for the $129.7 million Fayetteville Outer Loop initiative as part of the design-build team led by the Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Inc.,/Branch Civil Inc., joint venture.

The purpose of this project is to extend the Future I-295 – Fayetteville Outer Loop to improve traffic capacity, increase mobility and safety within the region, and to complete the congressionally approved Strategic Highway Corridor Network (STRATNET) route around Fayetteville, N.C.

The 6.1-mile-long project comprises a four-lane divided highway on a new location, with three interchanges and 14 bridges. It will complete the last leg of the future I-295, a 39-mile circumferential loop freeway connecting Fayetteville and Fort Bragg, N.C. Balfour Beatty/Branch Civil and STV received the highest technical score for the “best value” procurement from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT).

“Balfour Beatty/Branch Civil and STV developed a number of innovative solutions for the NCDOT that will support getting this critical roadway designed and built as quickly and as cost effectively as possible, while also providing a significant amount of added value for the owner and future motorists,” said Adam Freeman, P.E., STV’s project manager.

STV’s design included implementation of an innovative conveyor system over I-95 that will eliminate more than 140,000 construction trucks from highly traveled roadways, significantly improving safety for motorists. Additionally, the plan reduces construction and environmental impacts to more than 96 acres of right-of-way.

To enhance operational safety for drivers, the design integrates roundabouts at two of the diamond interchanges at Parkton and Blackbridge Road along with a major trumpet interchange at I-95. To take into account poor soil conditions within the project corridor, STV’s design implements ground modifications including wick drains, and introduces surcharge to reduce settlement periods and long-term maintenance. The design also used a number of two-staged mechanically stabilized earth walls.

The construction of this section of the Fayetteville Outer Loop is scheduled to be completed in July 2021, allowing the state to expedite the opening of the entire project.

In addition to the Fayetteville Outer Loop initiative, in recent years, STV’s design engineers have supported a number of significant highway/bridge design-build projects in North Carolina. These include the I-485/I-85 “Turbine” Interchange outside Charlotte, and the I-85 Bridge over the Yadkin River between Charlotte and Greensboro. STV was the lead designer on both projects with Lane Construction Corp. serving as the contractor on I-485/I-85 and Flatiron Construction/Lane serving as the contractor for the Yadkin River Bridge.