The Colorado Dept. of Transportation has selected the team of Kraemer North America LLC and Tsiouvaras Simmons Holderness (TSH) to reconstruct the Interstate 25/Cimarron interchange in Colorado Springs.

At $116.1 million, it will be the second-largest highway construction project in the Pikes Peak region since COSMIX (Colorado Springs Metropolitan Expansion)—the reconstruction of I-25, which was completed in 2008. More than 150,000 vehicles travel through the interchange daily, making it one of the region’s busiest.

CDOT says contractor selection was a lengthy process, with three teams shortlisted in May 2014. The shortlisted teams were then asked to provide proposals through the request for proposal process. In addition to Kraemer/TSH, proposals were received from the teams of Flatiron Constructors Inc./Figg Engineering Group, and Parsons Corporation/Wildcat Construction Co. Inc.

“All the proposals were incredibly thorough, creative and exceeded the expectations of the established project goals,” said CDOT Regional Transportation Director Karen Rowe. 

“In the end, and following a rigorous selection process, it came down to the team with the best technical proposal and the one providing the most improvement for the interchange and the surrounding transportation network. Any of the three teams would do an outstanding job for us, but one emerged as the frontrunner in this area because they provided the best value and response for meeting the project’s goals.”

CDOT says those goals are:

• Maximize overall safety, capacity and operation of the interchange and the surrounding transportation network within the project budget.

• Complete construction to be fully operational by December 1, 2017.

• Minimize impacts and inconvenience to the community, motorists, businesses, downtown and the public during construction.

• Achieve an aesthetically pleasing design compatible with current and future amenities and enhancements in and around the interchange.