Expanding and Improving a Major North-South Route

Engineering firm WSB was contracted by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) to convert a three-mile section of Highway 169 (TH 169) that runs through Elk River, Minnesota into a freeway. The heavily trafficked north-south corridor required safety upgrades to reduce traffic accidents and improve pedestrian and vehicle accessibility. The TH 169 Redefine Elk River Project will enhance the highway’s overall infrastructure by transforming four traffic intersections into interchanges, adjusting interchange entrances, replacing a bridge, and upgrading all underground utilities. However, WSB needed an efficient way to manage the complex project.

Meeting all Collaborative, Financial Requirements

Specially funded through Minnesota’s Corridors of Commerce program, MnDOT had to ensure that the construction budget did not exceed USD 130 million. To eliminate inaccuracies that could cause construction delays and increase costs, WSB was required to deliver the design under the construction manager/general contractor (CMGC) method. With this project delivery method, a contractor is hired as a consultant during design to pinpoint potential construction conflicts and price out alternative design scenarios. The arrangement required WSB to establish a collaborative design platform. Furthermore, WSB wanted to use the TH 169 Redefine Elk River Project to enhance their 3D modeling processes and deliver a fully paperless design for the first time.