A contractor for the project was chosen in August of 2000 and the expected completion date is February of 2004 — a period of less than four years, according to McDonnell.
“Some of the new lanes are already in use,” he said. “We wouldn’t have even had a shovel in the ground at this point if we had used the traditional design-bid-build process. We’d be looking at a project timeline of 10-12 years, including at least four or five years just for the design.”
Inflation alone can add significantly to the costs of projects that are drawn out over an extended period of time.
The company that was chosen for the job, Modern Continental, has been responsible for both the design and construction of the project, which has enabled it to introduce efficiencies. Using one company also eliminates the considerable amount of time it can take to coordinate the efforts of two independent entities.
To hold down costs and speed up construction, localities agreed to forego making design changes — an on-ramp here, a new interchange there — that are traditionally part of the road-building process.
Before it could seek private sector bidders for the highway expansion, MassHighway had to receive authority from the state legislature. The seven communities affected by the project strongly supported it and helped expedite the approval process by contacting their legislators.
MassHighway is now evaluating the Route 3 North project, and despite having to learn some lessons along the way, so far it likes what it sees, McDonnell said.
MassHighway will probably use design-build for one or two more projects, and then the legislature can decide if it wants to give the department the authority to use this innovative method without special legislative approval.
For more information on the project, click here, or e-mail Mary Carrier, the spokesperson for the project, or call her at 978-589-1750.
[ Go to Top ]