ATCS administered the $109 million Prince William Parkway Interchange at Realigned Balls Ford Road project for Prince William County. This high-priority initiative constructed a four-lane divided roadway with a raised median between Devlin Road and Doan Drive, featuring a diverging diamond interchange (DDI) over Prince William Parkway and a bridge spanning the Norfolk Southern Railroad.
The comprehensive 3-mile project included roadway widening, stormwater management ponds, and multimodal accommodations with a 10-foot shared-use path on one side and a 5-foot sidewalk on the other. The project also extended Balls Ford Road by 0.4 miles beyond its original terminus to Jennell Drive, creating a complete transportation solution for this growing corridor.
Managing Complex Design-Build Delivery
Prince William County faced significant challenges with this major infrastructure initiative, requiring specialized expertise in locally administered projects following VDOT requirements. The project needed to maintain traffic flow on the heavily traveled Prince William Parkway throughout construction while coordinating with multiple stakeholders, including Norfolk Southern Railroad.
The design-build delivery method demanded rigorous oversight of design and construction activities while maintaining schedule adherence. Additionally, the project team needed to incorporate $5 million in additional scope requested by the County while maintaining budget and schedule targets.
Implementing Comprehensive Construction Management
ATCS orchestrated a complete construction management approach tailored to the project’s design-build delivery and complex infrastructure elements:
- Locally Administered Project Oversight: ATCS administered this major construction project for Prince William County in full compliance with VDOT’s Locally Administered Projects (LAP) program. The team provided expertise in VDOT documentation requirements, funding regulations, and quality assurance protocols essential for local government project delivery.
- Adaptive Project Management: ATCS deployed a full-time responsible charge engineer, office engineer, senior construction inspector, and part-time senior scheduling specialist who coordinated closely with the County’s construction program team. This flexible approach enabled the team to adjust staffing levels as needed, manage invoicing and financial tracking, and coordinate specialized engineering support throughout the 30-month construction period.
- Technical Inspection Expertise: The team provided specialized inspection for diverging diamond interchange construction, bridge structures over the parkway and railroad, roadway realignment, and stormwater management facilities. This comprehensive inspection approach ensured compliance with both County and VDOT standards throughout construction.
- Change Management and Scope Control: ATCS successfully managed the incorporation of over $5 million in additional scope added by the County during construction. The team’s contract administration and schedule management expertise ensured these changes were efficiently implemented while maintaining the project’s overall timeline and budget objectives.
Creating Transportation Solutions for Community Benefit
The completed Prince William Parkway Interchange at Realigned Balls Ford Road project has significantly enhanced regional mobility and transportation safety. The innovative diverging diamond interchange design minimizes conflict points and left-hand turns across oncoming traffic, substantially reducing accident potential.
By replacing an at-grade intersection with a grade-separated interchange on this high-volume corridor, the project has reduced congestion, decreased vehicle idling times, and improved air quality. The multimodal accommodations enhance connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists, creating a more accessible transportation network that supports Prince William County’s long-term growth and development goals.