Infra Insight Blog

On May 8th, 2013, the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) approved a $632 million dollar design-build contract for the SR-91 Corridor Improvement Project.  The design-builder is a joint venture between Atkinson Contractors, LP and Walsh Construction Company.  URS is the team’s lead designer.

RCTC had previously pre-qualified 4 teams for the project and issued the RFP on July 26, 2012:  The 4 pre-qualified teams were:  Atkinson/Walsh, a joint venture; Flatiron/Skanska/Rados, a joint venture; Shimmick/Obayashi/FNF, a joint venture; and Kiewit Infrastructure West.

RCTC’s selection of the Atkinson/Walsh joint venture was the culmination of a best value procurement and evaluation of proposals received from the four prequalified proposers.  The best value selection criteria included the combination of a net present value price score and a technical proposal score as well as an adjustment to the price score based on completion schedule.  Atkinson/Walsh’s design and construction price is $140 million lower than RCTC’s engineer’s estimate.  In addition, all proposers proposed a schedule duration of 1218 days, 10 months earlier than the outside completion deadline set by RCTC.

The project is being developed under California’s Design-Build Demonstration Program authorized by legislation passed in 2009.  The project will widen State Route 91 with the addition of new freeway lanes, toll/express lanes extending the existing SR-91 express lanes into Riverside County, expanded freeway-to-freeway connectors and better access to and from the freeway at congested locations.  The toll lanes will connect to the existing SR-91 Express Lanes operated by Orange County Transportation Authority and provide drivers with a seamless tolled express lane from I-15 to SR-55.  RCTC is developing the project in cooperation with Caltrans.  Upon completion of the project, RCTC will operate and maintain the toll facilities for a period of 50 years.

The project will be financed through a combination of toll revenue bonds, sales tax bonds and an approximately $416 million dollar TIFIA loan from USDOT.