Intercounty Connector, Contract B Intercounty Connector, Contract B Intercounty Connector, Contract B Intercounty Connector, Contract B

Intercounty Connector, Contract B

Silver Spring, Maryland

The Intercounty Connector-Contract B (ICC-B) project was one the largest design-build projects ever undertaken by the state of Maryland. Constructing the seven-mile segment involved six lanes of new toll road within a right-of-way that included some of the most-environmentally sensitive and heavily populated areas in the Baltimore/Washington corridor.

Some of the environmental challenges include redundant erosion, sediment controls and environmental design, as well as construction and inspection teams, and specialized construction methods in constricted work areas to minimize any environmental footprints.

Along with 10 bridge structures, nearly 2 million cubic yards of grading work was completed. Throughout this heavily phased process, erosion and sediment controls were installed, maintained and often redundant to one another. In the special protection areas, it was a common requirement to have a super silt fence side-by-side, oversized ponds and parallel berms. To maintain the 7 miles of controls, 600 hours per week were spent stabilizing material, patching fences, cleaning outlet structures and gabion baskets and rebuilding earth berms.

Kiewit led the design-build team to receive an “A” (Excellent) rating from the Maryland Department of the Environment. The new link is a state-ofthe-art, multi-modal east-west highway that limits access and accommodates the movement of passengers and goods. In 2007 it was regarded as one of the most environmentally progressive projects under construction described as the most environmentally sensitive construction project Maryland has ever built.

Community outreach was an essential part of the ICC-B team’s success. Initial resistance to the project from neighboring communities challenged the team to develop an effective public information plan that demonstrated a sincere interest and strong commitment to nearby residents. The project donated over $2.5 million in topsoil to a nearby community, power washed homes, filled in a swimming pool for a senior center, and donated gently-used sheds and equipment.