The International Road Federation selected the UDOT 3500 South Urban Arterial Project as the 2010 Global Road Achievement Award (GRAA) winner in the construction methodology category. This category was for projects that demonstrated significant achievements in construction to enhance quality, timeliness, cost effectiveness, safety, and efficiency for road development.
During the first phase of the urban arterial reconstruction, there were two lanes of traffic in each direction but the work zone was confined and inefficient. During the second phase of the project, UDOT elected to employ an innovative strategy using a reversible lane with moveable barrier technology to keep two lanes open in the peak direction at all times, using a total of only three lanes. This allowed the contractor to create a larger, more efficient work zone, which improved productivity and accelerated construction.
An evaluation of the project commissioned by UDOT reported that construction was completed seven months early. This resulted in major savings in time-related overhead for the contractor, and approximately $1.4m in user delay cost savings for the agency and the motoring public. The UDOT report conservatively estimated the total benefits of using the reversible lane with moveable barrier at approximately $2.4m, with an additional accident cost savings of $1m, and a benefit to cost ratio of 4:1. The report also stated that if all benefits were considered, the moveable barrier installation would have a benefit to cost ratio of greater than 10:1.
The GRAA award was accepted on behalf of UDOT by Randy Park, chief engineer, and by Chris Sanders, president of Barrier Systems. Sanders stated, “Receiving this award from a global organisation like the International Road Federation is a tremendous honour. The Global Road Achievement Award raises international awareness of how technology and innovative strategies like moveable barrier can accelerate construction, mitigate traffic congestion and improve safety for workers and motorists.”
The International Road Federation’s GRAA program is a worldwide competition to identify and honour excellence, innovation, and exceptional achievement in 12 vital road and transport sector categories.
A copy of the UDOT report is available on the Barrier Systems website.
