The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has selected Parsons to perform design services under a Planning and Design Limited Services Contract for the I-26/US 74/SR 108 interchange improvement project in Polk County.
The interchange project will provide ramp connections between westbound I-26 to eastbound US 74 and westbound US 74 to eastbound I-26, as well as the modernization of SR 108 from west of Old Highway 19 to the intersection of Walker Road in Columbus. Direct connections between the two major routes will relieve congestion at the intersection, where interstate through-traffic is currently forced to exit the highway and travel through roundabouts on SR 108 before entering either US 74 or I-26.
Parsons and its team members will be responsible for all final designs, including National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documentation, as well as participation in public involvement activities. The improvements to the I-26/US 74 ramps are scheduled to open prior to the Federal Equestre Internationale (FEI) World Equestrian Games, which will be held in North Carolina in September 2018.
“We will provide turnkey delivery on an accelerated schedule, which will improve safety and mobility,” said Mike Johnson, Parsons Group president. “We are excited to work with NCDOT on this project.”
The multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy was recently presented with the Operational Efficiency Project of the Year award from the California Transportation Foundation (CTF) for the I?80 SMART Corridor Project. The I-80 initiative uses Parsons’ Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) technology to maximize safety and efficiency on one of the busiest transportation corridors in the Bay Area of California. Considered one of the most sophisticated ITS deployments in the state, the I?80 SMART Corridor uses Parsons’ technology for incident management, adaptive ramp metering, system integration along the interstate and local roads, and traffic information message signs.
The Parsons-designed communications network proactively manages traffic and shares information among multiple transportation agencies and local jurisdictions. The I-80 scheme is a joint project between the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC), the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA), and the West Contra Costa Technical Advisory Committee.
Johnson commented, “Intelligent Transportation Systems are an essential part of maximizing the capacity and efficiency of the nation’s roadways. It’s the first step in creating smart cities that are responsive to the needs of citizens for greater mobility.”
