Tampa, FL — The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has selected Atkins to provide right-of-way (ROW) oversight, compliance review, and utility coordination services for transportation-related public-private partnership (P3) projects throughout Texas. The six-year, $25 million contract calls for Atkins to serve as TxDOT’s program management consultant, overseeing projects that will be developed under comprehensive development agreements, design-build contracts, and other innovative delivery methods.

L. Joe Boyer, Atkins’ CEO, North America, said, “Atkins maintains an internal ROW and utility-coordination mentoring program, and that program proved to be a key element in this selection. Our senior mentors have provided extensive training and over-the-shoulder reviews as we have brought new staff into the program. The mentoring program has enhanced our capacity to effectively meet TxDOT’s ROW and utility coordination needs, which enables us to provide them with excellent service.”

Atkins has worked with TxDOT on a wide range of previous ROW projects, including a 2008 contract valued at $7 million and a 2012 contract valued at $18 million. Atkins has played a key role in four of TxDOT’s largest highway projects, which are helping to relieve traffic congestion on some of the state’s most heavily traveled highways:

  • DFW Connector project near the Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) International airport; $1 billion total project cost.
  • North Tarrant Express project in the Dallas/Fort Worth area; a $2.5 billion project.
  • I-35E project linking the cities of Denton and Dallas; a $1.1 billion project.
  • Grand Parkway/State Highway 99 (SH 99) project; a partially completed, 11-segment, $1.2 billion, 180-mile-long, tolled outer beltway under construction around Houston.

“This new contract is a great reflection of how highly we value our partnership with TxDOT,” said Thomas F. Barry, Jr., director of Atkins’ DOT business unit. “To remain a TxDOT consultant of choice, we must continue to perform with quality and meet every deadline.”

Under the new contract, Atkins could potentially work on several planned projects, such as:

  • Replacing the Corpus Christi Harbor Bridge; an $850 million project.
  • Constructing managed lanes on SH 288 in Harris County (Houston area); a $585 million project.
  • Constructing Grand Parkway Segments H and I-1.