Burt Morey at the Gateway Project site. |
Today is an exciting day as it’s the launch of a new feature
we like to call “Five for Friday” where we pose five questions to a key
transportation stakeholder. Today’s
feature is on KDOT’s own, Burt Morey, who serves as the project director for
the Johnson County Gateway Project.
What is the Johnson County Gateway Project?
“It’s an improvement of the I-435/I-35/K-10 interchange in
Johnson County. More than 230,000 travel
through this interchange daily making it one of the most congested areas in the
state. And it’s expected to grow to over
380,000 by 2040, which is why improvements are needed.”
What is unique about
this project?
“This is the first-ever design build project in Kansas. The Kansas Legislature has authorized KDOT to
complete one highway project by using this alternative delivery tool. Traditionally separate contracts are issued
for the design and for the construction of a project. With a design-build
project, a single contract is issued for both design and construction of the
project.”
What’s the benefit of
design-build?
“The benefit of this approach is that you combine the skills
of designers and contractors at a project’s onset, which can result in faster
project delivery, more efficient use of materials and resources.”
Who’s going to build the
Gateway Project and how much will it cost?
“On Jan. 10, we selected Gateway Interchange Constructors to
build the project for $288 million. GIC
is a joint venture led by Kansas City, Mo.-based Clarkson Construction Co. They
are partnered with Kiewit Infrastructure Co., which has national design-build
experience on large scale projects such as T-REX in Denver. “
Given the size of
this project and that it’s the first-ever design build project, that must make
for a pretty extensive process to get this underway. How do you think it’s going so far?
“It’s going very well.
We put together a great team to oversee the development of this
project. Everyone has been very
supportive and has worked together well.
We’re pleased that we’ve been able to meet all of our deadlines and keep
this project right on schedule. I’m
confident that we’ll continue to be successful as we enter the next phase of
the process.”
The Gateway Project is scheduled to be completed in
2017. You can keep track of how progress
is going with the Gateway Project by visiting the project website at jocogateway.com
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