Urban is pleased to announce that the Pennsylvania Turnpike/Interstate 95 Interchange Project was recognized with a Project of the Year award by the Mid-Atlantic chapter of the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA). The project was honored in the “Mega Project over $100 million” category at the chapter’s awards banquet held at the Union League in Philadelphia.

“We would like to congratulate the Turnpike Commission, PennDOT, and the firms involved in the successful completion of this dynamic interchange project,” said Jerry O’Neill, PE, CCM, senior vice president and general manager for transportation construction services at Urban. “This is an important project for Southeast Pennsylvania that will provide more efficient travel for motorists, less congestion to surrounding communities, and growth in the region. We are very proud of our construction management staff who have spent many years working diligently on this project.”

Urban served as the construction manager for the interchange, which will have far-reaching impacts. For more than 60 years, transportation officials looked to find ways to connect I-95 with the Pennsylvania Turnpike, completing the 1,900-mile roadway from Florida to Maine. This discontinuity – or “missing link” – not only created confusion for the motoring public traveling between the cities of Philadelphia and New York, but also increased congestion on local arterial roadways. After a lengthy design period, the Federal Highway Administration approved a high-speed direct interchange with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission designated as the lead agency to design and build a new interchange as a part of a three-stage $1.3 billion project.

Throughout the recent four-year construction period – with costs of over $260 million – the project team successfully managed and administered contract work with the contractors; governmental and local agencies; utilities; and the residential community on a daily basis. They communicated and coordinated planning to implement over 15 traffic switches, seven detours/stoppages, and over 50 lane closures. The Pennsylvania Turnpike/I-95 Interchange Project opened on September 22, 2018. The following major accomplishments were achieved by the completion of the interchange:

• It maximized the efficiency of promoting an economic boost for businesses and jobs.
• It substantially increased the ability to transport products along the I-95 corridor.
• It significantly reduced the traffic congestion on local, state, and township roads.
• It allows the traveling public to benefit from a streamlined non-stop connection and the extension of the Intelligent Transportation System between the Pennsylvania Turnpike and I-95.

The annual Construction Management Project Achievement Awards program hosted by CMAA Mid-Atlantic recognizes outstanding achievement in the practice of construction management. The awards program is designed to recognize and promote professionalism and excellence in the management of the construction process. Awards are given to construction management practitioners for projects and programs that reflect this mission.

Check out video from the Pennsylvania Turnpike/Interstate 95 Interchange Project's ribbon cutting below: