When Nathan Deal broke ground on the Georgia Department of Transportation’s (GDOT) Transform 285/400 project back in November, his shovel signaled the first of many more to come over the next four years. Barring any delays, the 10.5 mile, $800 million project will not be officially completed until mid-2020.
North Perimeter Contractors (NPC), winners of the design-build-finance project operated in coordination with GDOT, will be awarding supplier, subcontractor and consulting contracts for the foreseeable future as they meet both short and long-term demands during the key phases of the construction project. Construction and contracting firms stand to seize lucrative opportunities if they are able to provide competitive bids and meet the minimum GDOT surety bonding qualifications.
Construction Starts on New Interchange for I-285 and SR 400
Construction has already begun in earnest on the stretch of 285 straddling the current 285/400 interchange. Crews are removing trees for the collector-distributor lanes (CD lanes) that are critical to the new interchange’s more efficient designs. At the same time, contractors are performing geotechnical investigations, cleaning key drainage sources and video monitoring the area to study traffic patterns, weather and other key site factors.
Rightmost I-285 eastbound and westbound lanes are being closed nightly from 8PM to 6AM.
This work is just the start of the ambitious interchange design proposed by GDOT and NPC. In total, around 10.5 miles of CD lanes along both north-south SR 400 and east-west I-285 will be built, along with new flyover ramps at the actual interchange. The busy intersection of SR 400 and Abernathy Road will be converted into a diverging diamond interchange (DDI), and Mt. Vernon Road Bridge will be replaced completely. Additionally, pedestrian and bike traffic will have improved access across I-285 and SR 400 via construction of a shared-use path and the addition of some planned public use facilities.
North Perimeter Contractors Providing $460M in Work Covered by GDOT Surety Bonding
In total, the value of all work under NPC’s contract equals $460 million. Many key contracts have already been awarded, but many others still have yet to be fulfilled as NPC progress through the initial phase of construction.
In fact, NPC will be holding an event on April 19 for interested DBE parties, including subcontractors, consultants and suppliers. The event will take place at the Sandy Springs Branch Library, and it will cover an overview of the project, the procurement process NPC uses, the business opportunities available and the vendor registration process.
Other, similar events like these are likely to be held for all vendor types. NPC will also be opening small subcontract tasks to bids on an ongoing basis.
Any interested contracting firms should make sure to have the minimum level of needed GDOT surety bonding as well as meet the other minimum qualifications. If you would like assistance finding the needed construction bid, payment and performance bonds or any other type of construction surety bonding that will allow your company to participate in the project, then do not hesitate to contact our construction bond experts today.