Zachry-Odebrecht Begin Preliminary Design on Grand Parkway

HOUSTON, TX--(Marketwire - Dec 21, 2012) -  As the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) formally moves through the necessary steps to complete the approval process of the Grand Parkway project segments F1, F2, and G, the winning team eagerly begins the project design phase.

Zachry-Odebrecht Parkway Builders (ZOPB), a design-build joint venture, is excited to begin design activities on the 37-mile project. "Our team is thrilled to be given an opportunity to build such an incredible project and we look forward to partnering with literally hundreds of local subcontractors and vendors with substantial local knowledge and experience to see this project through completion," said Scott Cromack, senior project manager for the joint venture. 

The Zachry-Odebrecht team concluded negotiations with TxDOT on Friday. The contract now goes to the Texas Attorney General's office for final review. Notice to Proceed is expected in early 2013 and construction is planned to begin in Spring 2013.

The joint venture will continue to advance design of the project "at risk," ahead of a signed contract indicating the team's commitment to this project. "Once we receive Notice to Proceed, we will quickly move into procurement and construction activities for the project. In fact, we have already mobilized our design team to the project core management office near the project site," said Cromack.

The ZOPB team challenged its design and construction members to develop a design and project approach that is innovative and tailored to meet TxDOT's needs. Zachry-Odebrecht will create more than 800 direct local jobs throughout design and construction of the facility.

Segments F1, F2, and G total approximately 37 miles in length and run through Harris and Montgomery Counties. The project consists of over 9 million cubic yards of earthwork, more than 100 bridges and associated drainage, as well as utility infrastructure. The overall Grand Parkway is a proposed 180-mile highway crossing seven counties in the Greater Houston Area.

Parsons Transportation Group will serve as the design lead, teamed with Dannenbaum Engineering, Brown & Gay Engineers, Inc. and PGAL as segment Leads, in addition to other local engineering firms.

About Zachry-Odebrecht
Zachry-Odebrecht Parkway Builders is a fully integrated joint venture strategically aligned to bring TxDOT a team of design-builders with local and international resources.

About Zachry
Rooted in 85 years of experience, Zachry Construction Corporation was formed in 2008 in a realignment of the Zachry family enterprise. We value our reputation and successes in leadership by CEO David Zachry's grandfather, H.B. "Pat" Zachry, and father, H.B. "Bartell" Zachry, Jr. The company's legacy includes more than 5,500 public and private sector projects across the country and around the world. From the Dallas "High Five" Interchange to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Zachry Construction Corporation builds structures that matter. Zachry has pioneered techniques that have become the standard for today's heavy and building construction. Zachry's strong financial position and innovative private/public partnerships complements our extensive capabilities to build and maintain complex facilities and infrastructure for our clients. For more details, please visit www.zachryconstructioncorp.com.

About Odebrecht
Founded in 1944 in Brazil, the Odebrecht Organization is today a diversified business leader that operates in more than 20 countries and employs more than 170,000 people worldwide. Ranked by ENR as the 15th largest international contractor in the world (2011), Odebrecht USA opened its office in 1990, and since then it has successfully delivered projects throughout the United States. Odebrecht has a particular emphasis on public-sector infrastructure projects of vital importance for federal, state and local governments, as well as important private developers. Odebrecht USA has generated more than 84,200 jobs and awarded $655 million in contracts to small businesses. For more details, please visit www.odebrecht.com.