CLIENT SAVINGS EARN BAY AREA ROADWAY PROJECTSLOT IN NATION’S TOP 10 ROADS OF 2009

TAMPA, Fla. – Dec. 3, 2009 – Ulmerton Road, the gateway to the Pinellas County coastline, City of Largo and Indian Rocks Beach, has placed sixth in Roads & Bridges national magazine’s Top 10 Roads list of 2009. During design of the roadway, which was widened last year, consulting firm RS&H saved the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) over $13 million in right-of-way costs through a unique design solution that also helped enhance safety along the corridor. The design also accommodated an adjacent trail project, saving Pinellas County nearly $1.5 million in public funds as well.

Mike Dixon, RS&H project manager, says the project is a prime example of thinking outside-the-box to help save public funds when delivering much needed projects.

“In this economy, state and local agencies are tightening their budgets and sometimes delaying projects due to a lack of funds,” said Dixon. “Finding solutions that save our clients money can help move needed projects forward and divert funds to other high-priority initiatives – a huge success for FDOT and the public.”

By changing the proposed alignment of Ulmerton Road between U.S. 19 and 49th Street North during design, RS&H cut FDOT’s right-of-way costs for the project by nearly $13 million. The change in alignment also covered a large open ditch, which greatly improved pedestrian and vehicular safety along the 1.5-mile stretch of roadway.

The team also coordinated with Pinellas County, which planned a new pedestrian bridge at the crossing of the proposed Progress Energy Trail extension at Ulmerton Road and the Cross Bayou Canal. By incorporating safe pedestrian access into the design of the widening project, RS&H ultimately saved Pinellas County approximately $1.5 million in public funds it would have spent on a completely separate bridge.

RS&H accepted an award on behalf of the project team at the Roads & Bridges Top 10 Roads event in late September. The listing was formally announced last month.

Road projects ranging from $8.5 million to over $1 billion were nominated by design firms, state DOTs and engineers across the U.S. To be considered, all projects were required to be in the design or construction phase within the past 18 months. Entries were accepted from April 2009 to July 2009 and judged by the magazine’s editorial staff. Roads & Bridges magazine is a leading publication for the transportation industry reaching over 20,000 government officials, 16,000 consulting engineers and 22,000 contractors nationwide.

About RS&H:
With over 800 associates, RS&H is one of the nation’s leading facilities and infrastructure consulting firms whose client-centered program structure provides value-added solutions to clients around the world. With a tradition that began in 1941, RS&H has 31 offices nationwide and six market sector programs: Aerospace and Defense; Aviation; Corporate; Education, Health and Science; Public Infrastructure; and Transportation. Construction Engineering Inspection (CEI) services are provided through its wholly owned subsidiary, Reynolds, Smith and Hills, CS Incorporated. RS&H can be reached at 1.800.741.2014 or www.rsandh.com.