Reed and Reed Awarded for Open Road Toll Project

Reed & Reed earned the top award this year for their Highway Division project for the Maine Turnpike Authority. The Build Maine Award is a competitive review by an independent panel of judges from the design, engineering, construction community, and representative who carefully grades the projects into consideration. Few construction projects in the State of Maine are visible to its residents and visitors, contain the challenges of safety and schedule, and produce the positive impacts the completed project does for the traveling public, the environment, and the MTA.

Initially constructed when traffic volumes were significantly lower, the Maine Turnpike undertook to replace the Exit 44 Toll Plaza with a modern Open Road Tolling system to meet the current standards of fare collection and safety.  With over 7.3 million vehicles utilizing Exit 44 in 2019, and Exit 44 being the primary connection between I-95/The Maine Turnpike and I-295, minimizing traffic impacts and maintaining a safe work zone for the public, construction workers, and MTA employees was of utmost importance.  We were also focused on maintaining quality, schedule, and budget.

“Reed & Reed managed environmental challenges, hazardous materials, an average of 850,000 vehicles within the work zone and nailed this project. Coordinating with the Maine Turnpike Authority, the team ensured the new technology could be tested and implemented for the traveling public. This was a complicated job, and for the traveling public, it appeared a near-seamless transition to a better system, and that’s a job well done by all the skilled workers who worked on this project,” said Matt Marks, CEO of AGC Maine.

The completed project integrates state of the art technology with a more efficient and safer experience for the traveling public, reduced emissions, and provides a better work environment for MTA employees.

Key Metrics:

Exit 44 Annual Traffic Volume:  7,300,000 vehicles (2019 est)

Exit 44 Peak Traffic Volume:  899,000 vehicles (August 2019)

Exit 44 Toll Revenue:  $9.3 million (2019 est)

Project Duration:  32 Months

Reed & Reed Contract:  $18 million

Total Labor Hours:  165,000 hours

Lost Time Injuries:  0

H-pile Driven:  9,300 LF

Concrete Placed:  3,100 cy

Reinforcing Steel installed:  170 tons

Asphalt Placed:  26,600 tons

Cabling Installed:  200,000 LF

Reed & Reed performed the pile driving, structural concrete, installation of the precast tunnel and barrier, toll canopy, cash lanes, highway lighting, and demolition.  Those sharing in the success of the project include MTA, HNTB, Stantec, and Transcore (the MTA’s tolling vendor), as well key subcontractors; RJ Grondin & Sons (site work), Shaw Bros (paving), The Penobscot Company (administration building), CA Newcomb (guard rail and fencing), L&D Striping (pavement marking), and Northeast Traffic Controls (signage).  

The Exit 44 ORT Project represents the successful completion of a large, multi-phased, 32-month project, in a footprint constrained by traffic, while maintaining an exemplary safety record, under challenging conditions, with a demanding schedule.  Reed & Reed maintained a safe work zone, met the project’s challenges while achieving the client’s expectations and providing benefits for the public and environment in the entire region.

Exit 44 ORT Project, Scarborough, Maine

Subcontractors and vendors