RELEASE: CONTACT:

IMMEDIATE Joan Morris 703-383-2465 joan.morris@virginiadot.org Ryan Hall 703-383-2055

NOVA-NR04-22 May 25, 2004

VDOT Announces Design-Build for Fairfax County Parkway’s Missing Link

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) today announced the final section of the Fairfax County Parkway, from Rolling Road to Fullerton Road, will be constructed under a design-build contract, allowing a construction contract to be awarded in mid-2005, 15 months ahead of schedule.

“A design-build method gives the contractor greater flexibility to utilize innovative processes to accelerate the schedule," said Christopher Reed, VDOT program manager for the project.

This summer, VDOT will advertise a Request for Qualifications from interested contractors and work with the Federal Highway Administration to develop a Request for Proposal for qualified contractors. Candidates will submit a proposal in early 2005 and construction could begin in late 2005 or early 2006.

The project was designed to improve mobility between major growth centers in Fairfax County, relieve congestion on existing roadways and link growing residential areas more directly with new employment centers in the county. Traffic studies project that in the year 2030 nearly 12,500 vehicles will be diverted from Backlick Road.

The 1.5-mile project through the western and southern portions of Fort Belvoir’s Engineer Proving Ground will include bridges over Accontink Creek and interchanges at Rolling Road, on the Engineer Proving Ground access road and at Fullerton Road.




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