Courtney Mabeus, The Examiner
2007-11-21 08:00:00.0
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WASHINGTON -

A group of highway contractors working together has won a $513.9 million contract to design and build the second segment of the Intercounty Connector, Maryland Transportation Secretary John D. Porcari announced Tuesday.

Under the contract, the newly formed ICC Constructors will build a four-mile stretch of the ICC between U.S. Route 29 in Montgomery County and Intestate 95 in Prince George’s County as well as interchanges with both roads. Construction is set to begin next year, officials said.

The 18-mile toll road is expected to eventually connect I-270 from Derwood in Montgomery County to Laurel in Prince George’s County.

ICC Constructors is a collaboration between Shirley Contracting Company, Clark Construction Group, Guy F. Atkinson Construction, Facchina Construction Company and the Trumbull Corporation.

The contract is the second of five that will eventually be awarded for the ICC’s construction of the ICC. A $478.7 million contract awarded in March to Intercounty constructors will result in the first seven miles of the roadway, or between I-370 and Georgia Avenue.

That section is expected to open in 2010. Segments east of Georgia Avenue will open by 2012, state officials have said.

Earlier this month, a federal court judge gave work on the 18-mile toll road the green light after environmental groups sued to shut it down, saying that state officials did not properly consider alternative locations and that the

road would violate the Clean Air Act.

Those groups, Environmental Defense and the Audubon Naturalist Society, have not said whether they will appeal.

Dolores Milmoe, an associate with the naturalist society, called the administration of Gov. Martin O’Malley “disingenuous” for supporting the project while also saying it would clean up the Chesapeake Bay.

Highways officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

cmabeus@dcexaminer.com