Skip to main content

IRF awards Parsons for its East End Crossing work in the US

The International Road Federation (IRF) has awarded its Global Road Achievement Award for project finance and economics to Parsons for the East End Crossing of the Ohio River Bridges Project. Parsons, which served as the technical advisor for the implementation of a public-private partnership (PPP), received the award for achievements in cost savings and accelerated project delivery. This was done through the PPP procurement process for the development, design, construction, financing, operation and m
August 7, 2015 Read time: 3 mins
East End Crossing Bridge (artist impression)
The International Road Federation (IRF) has awarded its Global Road Achievement Award for project finance and economics to 3220 Parsons for the East End Crossing of the Ohio River Bridges Project.

Parsons, which served as the technical advisor for the implementation of a public-private partnership (PPP), received the award for achievements in cost savings and accelerated project delivery.

This was done through the PPP procurement process for the development, design, construction, financing, operation and maintenance of the cable-stayed bridge, the Indiana state approach and a portion of the Kentucky state approach.

The IRF, a non-government, not-for-profit membership organisation in Washington, DC, encourages and promotes development and maintenance of better, safer and more sustainable roads and road networks around the world.
 
A statement from Parsons noted that the P3 East End Crossing project will save $228 million in construction costs over the original estimate and will be completed, on an accelerated schedule, 242 days prior to the Indiana Finance Authority’s (IFA’s) timeline in its Request for Proposal.

In addition, the project will be completed eight years sooner than what would be likely under a traditional design-bid-build method of project delivery. At $677 million, the project finance plan includes the largest issuance to date of private activity bonds for a transportation P3 project.

“The East End Crossing is a ground-breaking P3 project within the Louisville-Southern Indiana region and a major part of the project’s success was the coordination among all of the stakeholders, including other contractors, state transportation agencies and the public,” said Todd Wager, Parsons group president.

“We’re proud to partner once again with 2855 Indiana Department of Transportation and IFA and help achieve this P3 procurement in less than 13 months from start to financial close. It’s a rare achievement for a transportation procurement of this size,” he said.
 
The Ohio River Bridges project involves the design and construction of two bridges – the East End Crossing and the Downtown Crossing -- over the Ohio River to connect the states of Kentucky and Indiana in the Louisville-Southern Indiana metropolitan area. It also involves more than 100 highway bridges, a 518m hard-rock tunnel and over 100 right-of-way acquisitions.

The East End Crossing, being built by the Indiana Department of Transportation, will connect Prospect, a neighbourhood of the city Louisville in Kentucky state, and the town of Utica, in Indiana state. The bridge will complete a highway loop around the Louisville-Southern Indiana metropolitan area. The East End Crossing and another crossing, the Downtown Crossing, are expected to be substantially completed by the end of 2016, according to Parsons.

The Downtown Crossing, being built by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, will increase capacity and improve safety on the existing I-65 crossing between downtown Louisville and the city of Jeffersonville in Indiana.

Parsons is currently providing an engineering technical team and construction management for the East End Crossing. In addition, Parsons was recently named tolling system advisor for the Ohio River Bridges Project. The company will oversee the toll system integrator and toll operator and advise on toll implementation policy and marketing services to Kentucky and Indiana states.

When finished, the two Ohio River bridges and the adjacent Kennedy Memorial Bridge will feature an all-electronic toll open-road collection system.
 
Parsons and The Ohio River Bridges Project were also recognised by the IRF in 2009 with the Global Road Achievement Award for programme management.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Norway’s E10 project is officially underway
    August 7, 2023
    Hålogalandsvegen/Skanska will finance, build, maintain and operate a section of the E10 Hålogalandsvegen and Highway 85 Tjeldsund–Gullesfjordbotn–Langvassbukt north of the Arctic Circle.
  • The IRF Road Safety Challenge aims to cut the rate of deaths and injuries for Africa
    May 15, 2015
    With the IRF Road Safety Challenge launched in Addis Ababa in early March, IRF reiterates its strong commitment towards making the recommendations for the Decade of Action a reality worldwide In its commitment to act as a catalyst in raising awareness and in promoting immediate practical actions, IRF has brought together Ministers from all over Africa under the auspices of the African Union, the World Bank and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). An IRF Africa Chapter under the requ
  • Steering the way to greener road infrastructure
    February 14, 2012
    While international diplomatic negotiations on how to tackle climate change are faltering, the International Road Federation (IRF) is taking action and leading the way to meet calls for greener transport systems
  • Ohio awards roads advisory contract to KPMG
    April 27, 2012
    KPMG, LLP is to advise Ohio on how best to use funds from the Ohio Turnpike to offset shrinking funds to maintain and expand the state's highways. This contract was awarded jointly by the Ohio Office of Budget and Management (OBM) and Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT).