intercounty connector contract b

Construction on the eighteen miles of the six-lane, multimodal Intercounty Connector (ICC) variable toll highway began in 2007 and was fully completed in 2014. With the successful completion of similar highway and ITS projects in Colorado, Florida, and Massachusetts, MEC was selected to complete the ICC Contract B (ICCB) segment of the five-phase ICC design-build project.

Coordinating with the construction manager, an integrated schedule was developed that prioritized the critical elements of the ITS work, including the fiber optic backbone and the infrastructure work at the toll gantries. MEC worked closely with Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) representatives through the design process and reviewing construction methods. As a result,  MEC was the first contractor in Maryland to use vibratory plowing as an installation method for inner duct, saving both time and money for the project. 

Contract B entailed MEC outfitting seven miles of road running from MD 97 to US 29 with the fiber optic backbone, dynamic message signs, CCTV poles and cameras, travel time signs, Intelligent Transportation Systems devices (ITS), and highway lighting. 

The ICC was first conceptualized in the 1950s by the National Capital Planning Commission, but planning didn’t get off the ground until the 1970s, with final environmental studies completed in 2006. By 2007, SHA and MDTA had all needed approvals to move the project forward. The ICC connects the communities between I-270/I370 and I-95/US1. The SHA and MDTA saw that residents living in the cities of Montgomery County and northwestern Prince George’s County were hindered by the lack of a continuous, high-capacity transportation system. Transportation safety concerns also arose due to inadequate emergency evacuation routes.