Wagman Heavy Civil Project

Intercounty Connector, Contract A

  • Location

    Montgomery County, MD, near Rockville, MD

  • Duration

    Fall 2007 – July 2011

  • Joint Venture Partner

    Corman Construction, Inc.
    Granite Construction, Inc.

This was a $464 million highway Design-Build Project. The Intercounty Connector included interchanges with MD 355, the Metro Access Spur Road and MD Route 97 Georgia Avenue. The project also included widening and rehabilitation I-370, which included five bridges, one over a railroad, and paving overlay.

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 – Contract A was the first 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

  • ICC A was the first large design-build highway project in Maryland
  • Includes 18 bridges with 271,000 SF of bridge deck
  • Steel piles: 25,000 LF
  • Noise walls: 300,000 SF
  • Retaining walls: 52,000 SF
  • Drainage pipe: 55,000 LF
  • Utility relocation: 6,000 LF
  • Excavation: 2,500,000 CY
  • Asphalt Paving: 500,000 tons
  • Project sites cross the Upper and North Branches of the Rock Creek Watershed and the Upper Rock Creek Special Protection Area
  • The Maryland State Highway Administration incorporated grooving services into the project specifications for this high profile project.
  • Green Build projectWagman installed box culverts up to 16 feet x 40 feet to allow large mammals such as deer to pass under the highway and eliminate contact with motorists
  • Green Build projectWagman relocated over 100 box turtles prior to clearing and grubbing
  • 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

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

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

  • 2012 - Alliant Build America Award - Associated General Contractors of America (ACG)

  • 2011 - Northeast Region’s Best Overall Project (Transportation) - Engineering News Record, Northeast Region (ENR Northeast)

  • 2011 - President’s Award for Highways - American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

  • 2010 - Intercounty Safety Award - EFCO