I-405 Improvement Project Wins Major ASCE OC Award

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During its annual awards night on May 30, the American Society of Civil Engineers Orange County Branch (ASCE OC) recognized the efforts of the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) and Caltrans to ease gridlock along I-405. The ASCE OC presented the I-405 Improvement Project with the prestigious “Project of the Year” award.

Harris & Associates served as a construction management subconsultant on the project, working closely with partners throughout. Vijay Desai, Harris’ project lead and Vice President of Program + Construction Management, attended the awards ceremony with Randy Berry, Harris’ Principal Engineer.

Currently, around 430,000 vehicles travel along I-405 daily. By 2030, that number could increase by almost one-quarter, leading to longer delays and more congestion. The $1.217 billion Improvement Project updated interchanges, widened bridges, added more lanes, integrated merging lanes near on- and off-ramps, and added pedestrian sidewalks and bike lanes.

In all, the project covered 16 miles of the San Diego Freeway, stretching from Costa Mesa in the south to I-605 and the LA County line in the north, improving mobility throughout Orange County.

Harris took on various vital tasks during the project, including the coordination of field activities with the design-build partner and quality verification inspectors, as well as the completion of quality verification on roadway activities according to contract requirements.

“We’re proud to have played a pivotal role in easing traffic and making everyone’s commute safer and easier,” said Vijay. “Hats off to all the individuals who contributed their expertise and talent to make the project a success. It demonstrates the power of collaboration. We look forward to continuing our mission of providing solutions that positively impact people’s lives and are delighted to celebrate this significant achievement.”

The ASCE OC recognizes the achievements of Civil Engineering projects and professionals each year, choosing the award winners from nominations made by the Branches, Technical Groups, Committees, Member Forums, and Individual Members of ASCE OC.

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