FDOT has not finalized the scope for the early-works contract, but it will likely include barrier walls and moving signage from the median, says Nazih Haddad, chief operating officer for the Florida Rail Enterprise. The scope for this work will require federal approval.

The budget for this early-works contract is estimated to be between $60 million and $100 million. Haddad says this contract will allow discovery of unforeseen conditions along the route before the main project starts late in 2012.

Georgia

Georgia received $932 million in stimulus funds for transportation projects, with nearly all of it awarded. Future funding prospects are mostly bleak, though, Long says.

“Fiscal years 2011, 2012 and 2013 will be real tough because the federal highway dollars are unknown,” Long adds. After that, if taxpayers agree to a special transportation sales tax, more dollars might be available for construction.

The capital budget for the coming year is about $1.1 billion, including engineering and right-of-way, with construction at about $600 million.

GDOT has several large projects in the works, including a $70-million collector/distributor project on Interstate 20 east of Atlanta; a $50-million interchange at SR 316 and SR 20; a $70-million widening of Interstate 75 with a managed lane near Atlanta; and a $120-million extension of the limited-access Jimmy Deloach Parkway near Savannah, a design-build project.

The General Assembly passed HB 277 last year, allowing passage of regional sales taxes to support highways, bridges and ferries. The 12 regions will present voters in the November 2012 election with the option to support the tax.

“If all regions passed the tax, it would be $1.5 billion extra per year that we are not doing today,” Long says.

Georgia also is investing in public-private partnerships. It has requested proposals for a $1-billion Northwest Corridor project, which would add reversible managed lanes to portions of Interstate 75 and I-575 on the north side of Atlanta.

GDOT selected three finalists: West by Northwest Development Partners, Georgia Mobility Partners and Northwest Atlanta Development Group.

Northwest Development Partners includes a construction team of Archer Western Contractors, OHL USA and Hubbard Construction Co.; and engineer Parsons Transportation Group. Georgia Mobility Partners includes contractors Ferrovial Agroman and Prince Contracting, teamed up with AECOM Technical Services as the engineer. Northwest Atlanta Development Group is made up of Dragados USA and C.W. Matthews Contracting Co., along with PBS&J.

North Carolina

North Carolina received $735 million in ARRA funds for highway and bridge projects, $103 million for transit and $545 million for high-speed rail.

“There is still work being done, but the real question is what happens in 2011-2012,” when there will be a drop-off, says Mark Foster, chief financial officer of the North Carolina Dept. of Transportation.

He anticipates a 1% to 2% increase in the agency’s budget as the economy improves. The annual budget, including federal dollars, is about $2 billion.

Foster indicates the department will award between $600 million to $700 million in the 2010-2011 fiscal year, about one-third off its peak in 2007-2008.

By comparison, NCDOT let $942 million in 2009, $948.6 million in 2008, and about $1 billion in 2007, according to department records.

Berry Jenkins, director of Carolinas AGC’s North Carolina Highway-Heavy Division in Raleigh, says the state General Assembly partially funded the North Carolina Mobility Fund, with enough money to finish the Yadkin River Bridge widening project on Interstate 85.