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 AUSTIN, TEXAS — Central Dallas will soon get a much-needed makeover as the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) moves forward with a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the Horseshoe Project. TxDOT hopes to use a design-build approach to develop the critical transportation project located in the heart of downtown Dallas.

The $818 million Horseshoe Project will upgrade the I-30 bridge, part of the Mixmaster and both the north and southbound I-35E bridges. Originally a part of Project Pegasus, which also included the expansion of Lower Stemmons and the Canyon area, the new pull-out project was aptly dubbed the “Horseshoe Project” due to its U-shape.

An RFQ was published on Dec. 9 to solicit qualification submittals from teams interested in entering into a design-build contract to design, construct, and potentially perform capital maintenance on the Horseshoe Project. Qualification submittals are due on Jan. 31, 2012.

"This project is made possible by legislation passed this year which provided transportation stakeholders with additional tools in the form of design-build authorization, as well as additional Proposition 12 funding," said Bill Meadows, TxDOT commissioner. "The new tools provide the opportunity to close the project funding gap and construct the project at least two years sooner than conventional project development methods could."

This downtown Dallas location is one of the most congested bottlenecks in the country, carrying more than 350,000 vehicles a day. The existing infrastructure, originally constructed between 1958 through 1962, is outdated and insufficient to meet the transportation demands of today. By utilizing the design-build development approach and partnerships, TxDOT will be able to deliver the Horseshoe Project sooner, while addressing safety and traffic congestion concerns.

"When it comes to delivering major projects, both local support and the use of innovative project delivery tools are critical," Meadows said. "The value of the local, state, and federal partnerships is immense, ultimately allowing the project to get underway as soon as spring 2013 and be completed by late 2016."

It is anticipated that a Request for Proposals will be released in spring 2012, with the expectation that a design-build contract can be executed with the best value proposer in winter 2012-13. For more information regarding the Horseshoe Project RFQ, visit www.txdot.gov/project_information/projects/dallas/horseshoe/rfq.htm.