I-229 Corridor

Using a best-value selection process, the South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) chose Gilbert Central Corp., a subsidiary of Kiewit Corporation, to construct its first highway design-build project and the single largest project ever undertaken by the state. To accelerate the project schedule and provide the least amount of public disruption, a 15-mo. fast-track construction window was established.

The $32.4 million, 6.9-mi. renovation of the I-229 loop involved removing existing pavement, repaving a total of 353,000 sq. yd. of continually reinforced 10.5-in. concrete pavement, adding 12-ft.-wide auxiliary lanes within the project limits, reconstructing existing interchange ramps, replacing mainline and interchange ramp surfaces, expanding and improving drainage, installing signage and lighting, and providing seeding and other landscaping.

An additional project component, located at the north end of the corridor, involved the reconstruction of two 435-ft. by 78-ft. bridges over the Big Sioux River. The existing four-span steel girder bridges were replaced with precast concrete girder bridges to increase capacity.

Despite numerous weather delays, resulting from one of the harshest winters in Sioux Falls' history, the project reached substantial completion on August 19, 2001 - 31 days ahead of SDDOT's original schedule.