Wagman Heavy Civil Project

Intercounty Connector, Contract B

  • Location

    Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties, MD, between Rockville and Beltsville, MD

  • Duration

    Limited Notice to Proceed (NTP) in July 2008
    Full NTP January 2009 - November 2011

  • Joint Venture Partner

    Kiewit Southern Co.
    Corman Construction, Inc.

This was a $570 million highway Design-Build Project and extended from MD 97 to MD 29. Contract B involved seven miles of new controlled access, six-lane, tolled roadway and two interchanges. The new highway created interchanges with MD 650 New Hampshire Avenue and MD 182 Layhill Road. The work included mainline ramps, cross roads, utility relocations, bridges, retaining walls, and more.

The Intercounty Connector project was an extremely environmentally and community sensitive project and extensive measures were planned by the design-build team to minimize the environmental impact of this project. ICC – Contact B was the second of 5 contracts planned to create the $1.5 Billion 18.8 mile Intercounty Connector that ultimately connected the I-270 corridor in Montgomery County, MD to the I-95/US1 corridor in Prince George’s County, MD.

Key Challenges & Project Details

  • Includes 14 bridges with 650,000 SF of bridge deck
  • Steel Piles: 60,000 LF
  • Bridge Caisson Installation: 4,000 LF
  • Noise walls: 350,000 SF
  • Retaining walls: 80,000 SF
  • Drainage pipe: 55,000 LF
  • Utility relocation: 4000 LF
  • Excavation: 2,000,000 CY
  • Project sites cross the Northwest Branch Watershed, Upper Paint Branch Watershed and the Upper Paint Branch Special Protection Area
  • ICC-B has over 600,000 square feet of Bridge Deck
  • The Maryland State Highway Administration incorporated grooving services into the project specifications for this high profile project.
  • Green Build projectOver 1000 trees were harvested with root ball attached to be installed in a future stream stabilization contract.
  • Green Build projectWagman relocated over 200 box turtles! Any worker who found a live box turtle received a turtle sticker for their hard hat.
  • Green Build projectUnderground storm water management basins
  • Green Build projectTurtle relocation
  • Green Build projectTree harvesting
  • Green Build projectEnvironmental Manager & Environmental Compliance Crews (crews dedicated to protecting the environment)
  • Green Build projectCulverts designed for fish passage
  • Green Build projectElectro-shocking of fish to relocate them from the work zone
  • Green Build project8-ft high right of way fence to protect deer, smaller opening fences at the base of right of way fence to keep smaller animals out
  • Green Build projectRe-forestation areas, invasive species program and plantings
  • Green Build projectIntercounty Connector has received national recognition for their environmental stewardship on this project.

Project Fun Facts

  • Known as America’s Greenest Highway

Project Recognition

  • 2013 - Award of Excellence, Partnering Silver Award – Maryland Quality Initiative (MDQI)

  • 2012 - National Design-Build Award - Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA)

  • 2012 - Exemplary Ecosystem Initiatives Award - Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

  • 2012 - Alliance Award - Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance

  • 2012 - Globe Award for Environmental Excellence - American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA)

  • 2012 - Best Transportation Project - Engineering News Record (ENR)