RELEASE:

CONTACT:

IMMEDIATE

Mary Suman cell (757) 342-4716 ()
Tiffany.Elliott@VDOT.Virginia.gov
Tiffany Elliott (757) 925-1660

HRO-0506

March 2, 2005

SCHEDULE RELEASED FOR I-64 COLISEUM CENTRAL PROJECT IN HAMPTON
VDOT and contractor work together to develop realistic schedule that sets milestones

Project Website | Project Milestones | Fact Sheet
HAMPTON – The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in partnership with contractor E.V. Williams, Inc. released a schedule today for all remaining construction on the I-64 Coliseum Central Highway Improvement Project in Hampton. The schedule is the result of a four-month review process between VDOT and E.V. Williams.

The new completion date of the project is August 1, 2006. Critical project milestones such as new ramps and flyovers will be completed sooner. The schedule factors in both actual construction time as well as potential delays caused by inclement weather.

“This is the first real schedule in the history of the project that commits to a set end-date and interim milestones,” said Hampton Roads District Administrator Dennis Heuer. “This updated schedule reflects additional work we’ve asked E.V. Williams (the contractor) to do, beyond what was included in the contract, and it provides a realistic timeframe for completing the project.”

The schedule also sets dates for the following project milestones:
Access to I-64 east from Magruder Bridge – May 5, 2005
Open I-64 west to three lanes from Cunningham Drive – July 7, 2005
Power to new lights along mainline I-64 and ramps – October 27, 2005
“Including milestones in the updated schedule is a positive step forward for the job,” said Project Manager Tom Druhot, P.E. “This information will help us do a better job letting motorists know what changes they can expect and when to expect them.”

The schedule review was conducted over a four-month period in partnership between VDOT and E.V. Williams. “We are committed to finishing this project as quickly and efficiently as possible,” said E.V. Williams’ President, Tom Partridge. “We analyzed every element of this schedule before finalizing it and are confident that the project will be complete by August 1, 2006.”

As required by Gov. Mark Warner’s financial reforms for large construction projects, VDOT and E.V. Williams are developing a detailed financial plan that will include a final budget for the project. The I-64 project will be managed to a budget and a schedule like other major projects in the state, including the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, the Springfield Interchange and the Pinners Point Interchange.

Among the extra work requested of E.V. Williams was the unpredicted removal of thousands of feet of clay and soft soils throughout the project site. The poor soil would not have been able to support the weight of the new road and had to be replaced with more suitable material. Significant amounts of sheet piling were also added in areas where excavation operations were adjacent to active travel lanes and environmental control devices were placed near environmentally sensitive wetlands to protect them from project run-off.

In addition to the revised schedule, VDOT also announced plans to improve public outreach to help keep motorists informed and ease congestion through the work zone during construction. The outreach includes a dedicated project website located at www.i64info.com, weekly construction updates in the local paper, and a series of traffic solutions to reduce congestion through the project.

For detailed schedule information and additional project information, please visit the project website at www.i64info.com.

Page last modified: Wednesday, March 02, 2005