The West Alabama Highway Project (WAH Project) was announced by Governor Ivey on November 12, 2021. The WAH Project starts in Thomasville, AL and ends just north of Moundville, AL. The WAH Project will create a four-lane, north-south highway connecting communities in rural Alabama to the interstate system.

The first WAH Project section to be built will be the Linden Bypass. The Linden Bypass will be a traditional Design-Bid-Build delivery. The Linden Bypass project will be bid in two separate lettings, a north section, and a south section. The south section is expected to be bid in March 2022. The north section will be bid later in 2022. Refer to www.aldotinvolved.com webpage for additional information.

ALDOT anticipates using a Design-Build delivery method to complete the remaining sections of the WAH Project. ALDOT held Public Involvement Meetings for the WAH corridor on December 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th, 2021. Refer to www.aldotinvolved.com webpage for additional information. Public Comments will be accepted through January 31, 2022.

The Design-Build portion will consist of approximately 70 miles of highway and 25 bridges. ALDOT expects to select one or more Design-Build Team(s) for the entire corridor. ALDOT may consider awarding the Project to a single proposer or may award to multiple proposers based on one of two pre-determined project sections. These pre-determined sections are described as: Southern Section-- Thomasville to the southern terminus of the Linden Bypass, and Northern Section - the northern terminus of the Linden Bypass to north of Moundville.

ALDOT released the RFQ/RFP document for the Design Build Project on December 17, 2021. Refer to ALDOT’s Alternative Delivery webpage https://www.dot.state.al.us/business/DesignBuild.html.

Notices, including the RFP/RFQ, will be placed on ALDOT’s Alternative Delivery webpage https://www.dot.state.al.us/business/DesignBuild.html. The site will contain project related materials, including a registry for interested project participants. Registrant information will be shown to allow others to identify potential partners or consultants.

• Preference will be given to a Proposer that is an Alabama-based business.
• The RFQ/RFP will set forth a process to select a Design Build team on qualifications and other commitments that will be outlined in the document.
• It is anticipated that the Project will be divided into logical “usable segments” for the purpose of completing design, construction, and partial acceptance which may allow for incremental reduction in the amount of bond held. These will be defined in the RFP/RFQ document.
• It is likely that multiple subcontractors performing the same items of work will be working on the project within different segments.
• ALDOT is currently working to acquire right of way for the entire project corridor as needs are defined by the ALDOT environmental study. ALDOT intends to acquire all the right of way required according to concept design, but the selected Proposer may perform certain actions related to ALDOT’s acquisition process. The selected Proposer will be responsible for any additional right of way that may be needed to support their designs.

ALDOT intends to release the DBA Term Sheet by early February 2022.

Generally, ALDOT expects that a GMP can be negotiated with design percentage complete at 70-75%. This may vary by segment, packages, and content, but ALDOT will only expect a level of design completion that allows the mutual agreement on a GMP. This expectation will be reflected in the DBA Term Sheet.

The nine segments listed in the RFQ/RFP are pre-approved project segments for GMP negotiations, authorization to proceed with construction, and project close out. ALDOT understands that the Design-Builder may wish to split these segments further into smaller segments or to propose larger segments. The Design-Builder may present options for consideration by ALDOT. The Design-Builder may also elect to present early works packages for types of work (e.g., box culverts, bridge elements, clearing), which ALDOT may authorize pursuant to Work Package Authorizations establishing the terms for such early works. The DBA Term Sheet will outline the process for submittals and authorization of construction work.

ALDOT will coordinate and manage this project from the Central Office in Montgomery. ALDOT is not placing any limitations on the co-location Proposers may present other than it is required to be in Alabama. Further, ALDOT understands that the co-location can/may change as the project shifts from design and preconstruction to construction activities and will identify any additional staff (internal or consultant) that it determines should be co-located with Key Personnel for the Project.

ALDOT will clarify this through an Addendum to the RFQ/RFP.

If ALDOT determines that flexibility is in the best interest of the Project, ALDOT will work with the selected Design Builder to develop a clearing management plan that protects the environmental resources of the State and is acceptable to ADEM. If the Design Builder successfully implements a plan approved by ADEM for an initial clearing segment, ALDOT will assist the selected Design Builder with future clearing requests.

The concept design is being completed in Bentley software applications Microstation and InRoads. However, ALDOT understands that Bentley will stop supporting InRoads before final designs are completed. Accordingly, ALDOT expects to require Bentley OpenRoads submittal of as-built plans. Final design deliverables will be negotiated as part of the DBA.

ALDOT intends to acquire the ROW needed to complete the Project based on concept designs prepared by ALDOT designers. ALDOT is actively pursuing the acquisition of roughly 1,000 parcels impacted along the project corridor. ALDOT plans to acquire parcels in an expedited fashion by making reasonable offers based on fair market value.

Acquisition needs for additional ROW that may be required due to detailed design prepared by the Design-Builder will be reviewed by ALDOT.