McDonald County I-49

Project OverviewDescripción del proyecto

The McDonald County I-49 project was the last remaining segment of ArDOT and MoDOT’s plan to connect the two states. This design created a 5-mile alternate route around the many stop lights and congestion on US Route 71 at the Missouri/Arkansas border. Commuters, freight, and recreational travelers no longer have to navigate the bottleneck that existed in the corridor.

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) let this project bid as both Bid-Build and Alternative Technical Concept (ATC) Proposal procurement methods. Emery Sapp & Sons (ESS), along with engineering partner Bartlett & West, pursued the ATC proposal method. Using estimating and design software, ESS was able to optimize the roadway profile and vertical alignment, significantly reducing the excavation scope and eliminating approximately 1 million cubic yards of earthwork on the project.

In May 2020, ESS teams began work on the 5-mile stretch of divided highway connecting Arkansas to Missouri on Interstate 49. With an extremely aggressive schedule, it required a high level of communication and a fierce equipment fleet to tackle the scope. ESS mobilized some of the largest excavation equipment made onto the site. This project team was able to move 3.6 million cubic yards of dirt and rock in just 9 months. The project also included the construction of two overpass bridges and a new interchange. With the acceptance of a value engineering (VE) proposal, structures crews were able to complete the I-49 interchange and overpass bridge 30 days ahead of schedule, allowing Route 90 to open early. Other major structures on the project include three bridge-class box culverts and 10 precast box culverts placed in deep fill areas.

Throughout the grading operation, the team utilized drone topography data to precisely quantify our earth-moving production. This technology helped ensure the project was on track to meet the schedule and the topography flight data was converted into 3D models that were used to modify the grading plans on the fly. It isn’t common for a contractor to have these design capabilities, and both MoDOT and ESS benefited from the use of this technology.

In addition, the new interstate was paved with stringless technology, moving an average of more than 3000 feet a day. The new four-lane divided highway was constructed with 237,000 square yards of concrete pavement and Interstate 49 now is a continuous stretch from Kansas City, Missouri to Fort Smith, Arkansas.