The Route 7 Improvements are being constructed through an innovative delivery method called “design-build." Design-build closely integrates a project's design and construction to help improve costs, save time, and encourage innovative ideas and solutions through the life of a project.
Traditionally, road projects may be built through a “design-bid-build” approach, where VDOT designs, acquires needed rights-of-way, coordinates utility relocations and then solicits contractors to construct the approved design. Design, right-of-way, utilities and construction are sequential rather than overlapping.
With design-build, VDOT sets the scope of road improvements, does preliminary plans (around 30% of the design) for the job at hand, then solicits and evaluates bidders to finish design and build the project. The selected team can apply leading-edge design and construction methods with proven success to the project. With carefully-managed project phasing, work is divided into segments that allows construction to begin while design, right-of-way, or utility relocation for other areas are completed. For example, design for the Route 7 improvements is currently about 60% complete. While the remainder of design continues through 2019, construction can kick off this spring on the western end of the corridor in areas where no right-of-way is required and design work is nearing completion.
