In 1990, KCA began preliminary design of a 5.2 mile section of expressway funded entirely by toll revenues. This portion of roadway traversed through one of the most environmentally sensitive areas along the entire parkway. In all, impacts to over 28 wetland areas and a 2,000 foot wide regulated floodway had to be minimized and mitigated.

Included in the project was a directional interchange at SR 540, a mainline barrier toll plaza, two ramp plazas, and six bridge structures. The project spanned the Saddle Creek floodway and also passed over slime materials left over from phosphate mining activities. The soil conditions were so weak in areas that a 1,500 foot long bridge was designed to span some of the worst slime material. At other locations, ground reinforcement was combined with wick drains and embankment surcharges to increase settlement rates. The ground settles at a rate of ½” per day in some surcharge areas.

In all, six bridges with a total length of 2,116 feet were required with a construction cost of $9,000,000 The hydraulics study completed by KCA supported the selection of a 215 foot long bridge over Saddle Creek and saved hundreds of thousands of dollars over the original request for a 2,000 foot long bridge.

The project was drainage intensive and included eight on line wet detention ponds including one of approximately 25 acres. KCA worked constantly with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), local utility agencies, Southwest Florida Water Management District, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and Polk County Engineers to coordinate permitting, drainage, traffic control during construction, and utility adjustments.

Design was initiated in 1990 and completed in May 1995 at a cost of $3,000,000 Construction is currently underway at a cost of $53,000,000 KCA’s CEI department is performing inspections services on Section 3, which was designed a another consulting firm.