Projects

Florida's Turnpike Enterprise:
District-Wide Design Projects

American was contracted to provide miscellaneous design services to Florida's Turnpike Enterprise (Turnpike). Assignments ranged from landscaping to building and to roadway projects. Assignments undertaken include the following:

Glades Road Turn Lanes: Prepared plans to convert the turnpike exit ramp connection at Glades Road from a dual-left turn movement (to east bound Glades Road) to a triple-left turn movement. Improvements included toll plaza modifications to accommodate this change and to provide SunPass Only facilities. Project plans included new mast-arm signals, roadway widening and traffic control.

I-595 Interchange Bridge Painting: Prepared plans for cleaning and painting bridges in this major three-level interchange between these two high-volume freeways in Broward County. Due to the complexity of the interchange and the extremely high traffic volumes, it was necessary to prepare extensive detailed traffic control plans for scheduling the various construction activities and maintaining the existing traffic level of service.

University Parkway at Sawgrass Expressway Left-Turn Lanes: Modified the existing diamond interchange to provide dual-left turn movements at the intersection of the two exit ramps with University Drive in Broward County. This was achieved by widening the existing ramp pavements and included new mast-arm traffic signals at the two intersections with University Drive. The plans included: roadway, signing, pavement marking and signalization plans.
Toll Plaza Hurricane Shutters: Hurricane shutters were designed for several South Florida toll plaza buildings and Florida Highway Patrol, Troop K Building. Building permits were obtained from the several local municipalities.
HEFT/Turnpike Interchange Signing Upgrade: Engineering analysis and design services for HEFT Interchange guide sign improvements in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties. Project limits were from mile post (MP) 43.7 to MP 49.379. This was a guide sign upgrade and replacement project for the department. The plans included: traffic control plans, signing and pavement marking plans.
Southern HEFT/Turnpike Interchange Signing Upgrade: Engineering analysis and design services for southern HEFT trail blazing and guide sign improvements in Miami-Dade County. Project limits for this project are from MP 13.869 to MP 16.538. This is a sign upgrade and replacement project for the department. The plans include guide signs and trail blazing signs at Quail Roost Drive, Eureka Drive, SW 152nd St and SW 117th Ave. The plans included: traffic control plans, structural, signing and pavement marking plans.
Polk Parkway Mainline Plaza Speed Signage: Pilot project for the Turnpike, to determine the best method to slow drivers approaching and driving through SunPass Only lanes at mainline toll plazas and make ticketing hold up in court. This project involved modification to the existing approach guide signing and marking accompanied with maintenance of traffic during the construction phase of the project.
Veteran's Expressway Median Guardrail Upgrade: This safety project included an analysis of the existing guardrail system within the median of the Veterans Expressway from Memorial Highway to North Dale Mabry Highway. Existing median guardrail systems were upgraded to meet current standards and eliminate median crossover accidents. Construction plans were developed to replace and supplement the existing guardrail for 13.3 miles of the expressway.
Polk Parkway Roadway and Embankment Repair: Design of a 300 foot land bridge for a portion of an existing frontage road that had ongoing settlement and slope stability problems. Using an extensive geotechnical analysis, we were able to assist in developing alternatives to correct the settlement problems.
Lutz Lake Fern Road Design-Build Design Criteria Package: Prepare a design criteria package for the proposed design-build construction of the final ramp improvements at the Lutz Lake Fern Road interchange and the Suncoast Parkway. The interchange currently has subgrade and drainage requirements for the proposed interchange and ramps. This design-build project included the paving, final grading, drainage for the proposed ramps and landscaping plans.