The $126M Route 895 Pocahontas Parkway Interchanges with I-95 and Bridge over the James River Project just south of Richmond, Virginia was the first Design Build P3 Project for the State of Virginia. The 1,475-foot-long, high-level fixed bridge features a 672-foot main span with 145 feet of vertical clearance for marine traffic using Richmond’s deep water port. The bridge also includes nearly 3,500 feet of high-level approach spans and three new, high-level ramp structures that connect to Interstate 95. This bridge features a combination of pre-cast and cast-in-place, post-tensioned segmental concrete structures, and a conventional cast-in-place deck supported by steel plate girders. The superstructure is supported by concrete piers on steel H-piles and drilled shafts.

Fluor Daniel/ Morrison Knudsen submitted a proposal under Virginia’s Public/Private Transportation Act to finance, design, build and construct the new 8.8 mile Pocahontas Parkway near Richmond, VA. The McLean/Recchi Joint Venture was responsible for construction and Parsons Brinckerhoff and Site Blauvelt were responsible for the design of the interchange ramps between Route 895 and 1-95, the approaches to the James River Bridge and the Route 895 Bridge over the James River.

McLean’s responsibility was the construction of the West approach substructure, East approach pile driving, river embankment excavation, and riprap around river piers. The West approach work included the pile driving, construction of the footings, columns and caps. Construction of the superstructure on steel plate girders.

All pier footings were considered to be mass concrete. Virginia DOT established their standard mass concrete specification based on the construction techniques and results observed from this project.

This project utilized a design build approach by partnering the contracting team with the lead design firms for design and constructability reviews that helped reduce the cost of the project and kept the project moving within budget and moving forward. The bridge design was coordinated to be performed around major interstate traffic to minimize the effects of construction on the travelling public. The western approach of the bridge was constructed over contaminated soils and our team’s design helped to minimize those effects and reduce costs.