August 2019
Northwest Corridor Express Lanes Wins DBIA Award
ATLANTA – The Design Build Institute of America (DBIA) has awarded the Northwest Corridor Express Lanes project with the prestigious National Award of Merit (Transportation). The $834 million public-private partnership ($654 million construction value) was led by Northwest Express Roadbuilders, a joint venture between Archer Western Construction and Hubbard Construction, and the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT).
Serving Metro Atlanta, the Northwest Corridor project adds 29.7 miles of reversible, managed express lanes along I-75/575 in Cobb and Cherokee counties. The largest road project in Georgia state history, the massive undertaking saw over 1.2 million cubic yards of excavation, 1.4 million square feet of sound wall installation, and over 328,000 square yards of new concrete paving.
As managing partner, Archer Western was responsible for overseeing utility relocation, earthwork, drainage, retaining walls, concrete and asphalt paving, steel and concrete girder bridges, ITS and tolling.
The DBIA cited the distinctiveness of the project delivery—this was the first public-private partnership project in GDOT history—and its size as determining factors for the award. In a statement, the DBIA also mentioned the challenging location in Atlanta’s high traffic metro area.
DBIA stated the project has had a positive impact on the community and region, reducing one-way commute times by as much as 45 minutes and spurring the growth of the local economy.