2019 acec of florida outstanding project awards (opa) program … · 2020-05-05 · page 2 of 6...

of 6

2019 ACEC OF FLORIDA OUTSTANDING PROJECT AWARDS (OPA) PROGRAM

PROJECT NOMINATION FORM

A. District: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 TPK C.O.

B. Nomination Category: (Select only one category)

Outstanding Major Project Outstanding PD&E/Planning Project

Outstanding Design‐Build or CM at Risk Project Outstanding Environmental Project

Outstanding Roadway Project Outstanding Special Project

Outstanding Bridge Project

C. General Description of Project:

Project Name (Name as to appear on plaque): I‐275 Bus on Shoulder Pilot Project

FDOT FM#:437245‐1 Project Description (150 characters): Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) ‐

Premium Transit Feasibilty Study

Project Narrative (500 char.): FDOT and PSTA conducted a study to assess the feasibility of Bus on Shoulder

(BOS) operations on a five mile segment of I‐275. The project will provide a low‐cost innovative solution

to allow buses to bypass congestion when traffic speed drops below 35 mph. BOS will improve

connectivity and travel time reliability between Downtown St. Petersburg and Downtown Tampa while

increasing transit ridership. Lessons learned from this study will be used to finalize the FDOT BOS

Statewide Guidance.

D. Project Team: (Fill in all that apply; add major contributing sub consultants as needed)

1. Complete this section for Major Projects, Minor Projects or Special Projects only

(50 characters max for firm names and 30 characters for person names)

a. Design Consultants:

Prime Consultant (Name as to appear on plaque): HDR, Inc.

of 6

Consultant Project Mgr.: Santanu Roy Email Address: [email protected]

Phone Number: (407) 222‐9971 Physical Address: 315 E. Robinson Street #400, Orlando, FL

32801

Subconsultant: Discipline: Technical Lead:


b. CEI Consultants:

Prime Consultant (Name as to appear on plaque):

Sr. Project Engr.:

Subconsultant: Technical Lead:


c. FDOT Design Project Mgr.: Ming Gao, Gabrielle Matthews

d. FDOT Construction Project Engr./Admin.:

2. Complete this section for Design‐Build, CM at‐Risk or P3 Projects only

(Include all that apply. 75 characters max for each item)

a. Concessionaire:

b. Prime Contractor:

c. Design Consultants:


Consultant Project Mgr.: Email Address:

Phone Number: Physical Address:



d. FDOT Design Project Manager:

e. FDOT Program Management Consultant: Technical Lead:

of 6

f. FDOT CEI Consultants:


Sr. Project Engr.:



E. Project Completion Date: May 2018

F. Detailed Project Information (Address all applicable award criteria):

(750 characters max for each item)

1. Complexity of Project: The purpose of the BOS project is to improve connectivity and increase transit

ridership between St. Petersburg and Tampa. The improvement of the quality, reliability, and efficiency

of transit service will support the mobility needs of an expanding population and employment base in

the region. This innovative project maximizes the use of existing infrastructure and offers a cost

effective alternative to expensive premium transit modes. This pilot effort is the first attempt to run

buses on interstate shoulders in Florida. The complexities evolved around developing new design

criteria and concept of operations as well as garnering support from multiple stakeholders (FDOT, PSTA,

FHP, local law enforcement, FHWA, and other agencies).

2. Scheduling Challenges: The scheduling challenges involved extensive coordination with many

stakeholders, both internal and external to FDOT (Transit, Design, Traffic Operations, PSTA, Pinellas

County, City of St. Petersburg, Forward Pinellas, law enforcement agencies, etc.). The BOS Team

identified the issues in the corridor, discussed different alternatives, developed a Concept of Operations

that all parties can implement, and established an implementation timeline. A low bid RFP will be

released in a few months and the project is expected to open in 2020.

3. Innovative Technical Concepts: Innovation is at the heart of this project. It provides a low cost,

innovative transportation solution to better connect two major cities while improving transit service. It

provides an early win for the Tampa Bay region which has been struggling to implement highly

expensive intercity premium transit service. In addition, innovative technical elements of the project

include analyzing existing congestion patterns using National Performance Management Research Data

Set (NPMRDS), establishing multi‐agency operating protocols including incident management, and

developing unique design features involving new signage, replacing rumble strips with profiled

thermoplastic line, refuge areas for broken vehicles, ramp metering, etc.

4. Cost savings: The project is a low cost solution to improve regional connection between St.

Petersburg and Tampa. It takes advantage of the existing infrastructure to add a dedicated transit lane

for use when speed drops below 35 mph. The construction cost of the project is approximately $2.5M,

of 6

which is a small fraction of the cost of premium transit modes like BRT and LRT. In addition, the project

is expected to generate an additional $305,123 in fare revenue for PSTA.

5. Public Involvement/Support: The project has received unanimous support from all stakeholders

including PSTA, Forward Pinellas, Pinellas County, City of St. Petersburg, FHWA, FHP and others. A public

outreach and education campaign will be developed and implemented prior to and during the initial

deployment of the BOS project. This effort will involve broadcast and print media, online information, as

well as a wide variety of targeted strategies to reach people in the communities most likely to use the

facility.

6. Minimization of Negative Impacts: The project is expected to have negligible negative impacts to

traffic operations, safety and environmental conditions. Project construction to prepare the shoulder for

the buses will take place at night to minimize the impact to the traveling public. The corridor will be

swept regularly to minimize impacts on bus tires.

7. Partnering: This project is an excellent example of successful multi‐agency partnership.

Implementation of the project will require significant coordination between many stakeholders to

ensure that the shoulders are ready, drivers are trained, and the public is informed on how the service

operates. The partnering organizations include: FDOT, PSTA, Forward Pinellas, Law Enforcement,

Emergency Responders, and Local Motorists. A detailed Concept of Operations plan has been prepared

to identify the responsibilities of each of the partnering agencies. The team is committed to making this

pilot project a success.

8. Functionality of Project: The goal of the project is to improve travel time reliability of buses traveling

between Downtown St. Petersburg and Downtown Tampa. This is accomplished by allowing the buses

to bypass congestion through using the shoulder when the mainline speed drops below 35 mph. The

buses are then able to maintain a higher average speed requiring less time to transverse the corridor. As

a result, the commuter route can be operated with fewer resources and should increase ridership as the

bus will have a travel time comparable or even faster than the automobile during peak hours.

9. Aesthetics: When the Bus on Shoulder service is implemented, it will have unique signage installed

along the corridor informing the public that the shoulder is for transit use only and for them to watch for

buses traveling on the shoulder during times of congestion. In addition, the buses will be branded to

promote the new service. The aesthetics of the shoulders will improve due to better maintenance.

10. Environmental Impacts/Benefits: When the Bus on Shoulder service starts in 2020, it is expected to

increase transit ridership between the St. Petersburg and Tampa, taking approximately 2,113 cars off

the road during its first year of operation. This decreases carbon emissions by 148.56 tons and NOx

emissions by 29.19 tons. This grows to 595.51 tons of carbon in 2040 and 117 tons of NOx with 8,478

cars removed from the road.

of 6

11. Sustainability: Transit is a sustainable transportation mode that reduces the number of automobiles

on a roadway. This leads to lower emissions and particulate matter released into the atmosphere. By

implementing this project, the route will operate a higher average speed, decreasing travel time

between the two cities, making it a more attractive alternative to commuters.

12. Cost Overruns and Time Extensions: To minimize the potential for cost overruns and time

extensions, a low‐bid design‐build RFP is being prepared that will incentivize on time delivery of the

project within the budget.

13. Technical/Engineering Challenges Overcome: The corridor is a five mile segment of I‐275 from the I‐

375 interchange north to Gandy Boulevard. Within this segment, the shoulder is less than 12 feet in

width and includes eight overpasses that must be successfully navigated. The solution is for the bus to

use the outside shoulder and increase the shoulder width to 12 feet along the corridor. At each overpass

location, the travel lanes are shifted towards the median to avoid widening on the bridges. The rumble

strips will be replaced with thermoplastic strips to provide a clear delineation between the travel lane

and the shoulder while ensuring a smooth ride for the transit customers.

14. Safety Improvements: By implementing Bus on Shoulder, transit becomes a more attractive option

for those commuting between St. Petersburg and Tampa along I‐275. This shifts people from driving

their cars to riding the bus, reducing the number of cars on the facility. As a result, there is expected to

be a decrease in the total of number of crashes on I‐275, saving lives, property, and financial impacts to

the community. The expected safety benefits over the study period from 2020 to 2040 is expected to

exceed $158,000.

G. Photo/Drawing Bearing Project Name Required

(Submit Photo with Other Supporting Documentation)

H. Other Supporting Documentation Included (Check all that apply):

(Note: Supporting documentation, excluding photographs and district endorsement must

be formatted and submitted as a single, 8½x11 PDF document not to exceed five (5)

pages in length.)

Photos Drawings News Articles Commendations

Other (Describe): Renderings and Maps

I. Nominator Contact Information:

Nominator Contact: Santanu Roy

Company: HDR, Inc. Email Address: [email protected]

I-275 Bus on Shoulder Pilot Project An important first step toward achieving the regional transit vision

Project Location

Typical Section

https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2019/02/25/fdot-to-start-bus-pilot-project-on-i-275.html

Gabe MatthewsTransit Planning Research Administrator

Florida Department of Transportation605 Suwannee Street, MS 26

Tallahassee, FL 32399(850)414-4803

[email protected]

Ming Gao, P.E.FDOT District VII Modal DevelopmentFlorida Department of Transportation

11201 N. McKinley DriveTampa, FL 33612

(813) [email protected]

Stay Tuned…

2019 acec of florida outstanding project awards (opa) program … · 2020-05-05 · page 2 of 6...

Documents