US 17 in Beaufort and Colleton Counties was one of nation’s most dangerous two-lane roads. The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) sought to widen the roadway and construct new bridges to improve safety while preserving the pristine estuary of the ACE Basin.
As the lead designer of the design-build team, Davis & Floyd provided project management; roadway, drainage, and bridge design; environmental services; and utility coordination.
Our team developed the first-ever Environmental Compliance Plan (ECP), which we used as a tool to conduct monthly environmental compliance audits that included wetland permitting, land disturbance inspections, Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SW3P) inspections, potential cultural resources, potential threatened and endangered species, and Beaufort County tree ordinance and burning ordinance requirements. We developed an Eagle Management Zone Plan that created a buffer to control construction noises around a nesting pair of bald eagles (two eaglets were born and reared during the project).
Environmentally sensitive to this scenic area, the design-build team explored every opportunity to save as many grand oak trees as possible, including using a 100′-wide natural median; guardrails to protect motorists traveling in proximity to retained trees; and a 10′-wide, ADA-compliant multipurpose path. To minimize impacts to wildlife, we retained two former drainage box culverts to provide a safe crossing for animals.
This project was an American Council of Engineering Companies of South Carolina National Finalist & Engineering Excellence Award winner.
SERVICES PROVIDED:
- Bridge Design
- Drainage Design
- Environmental Compliance Audits & Plan
- Environmental Services & Design
- Land Disturbance Inspections
- NEPA & Environmental Permitting
- Project Management
- Public Involvement
- Roadway Design
- Survey
- SW3P Inspections
- Utility Coordination
- Wetland Permitting
