Halley Engineering Contractors Inc. is in the fourth year of construction on the Florida Department of Transportation's (FDOT) $95.78 million State Road (S.R.) 9/I-95 at S.R. 606/Oslo Road New Interchange and S.R. 606/Oslo Road widening project in Indian River County, Fla.
The project includes a new interchange at I-95 and Oslo Road, widening S.R. 606/Oslo Road from two lanes to four divided lanes, replacement of the existing Oslo Road bridge over I-95, drainage and utility improvements and new pedestrian and bicycle facilities. Construction began Aug. 14, 2023, under a contract extending into 2027, but Halley Engineering is targeting completion before the end of 2026, according to FDOT.
The work covers approximately 1.41 mi. of I-95 north and south of Oslo Road, 3.7 mi. of S.R. 606/Oslo Road from 0.5 mi. west of I-95 to 58th Avenue and 1.06 mi. of County Road (C.R.) 609/82nd Avenue from Oslo Road to 1 mi. north.
The new interchange will provide a direct connection between southern Indian River County and I-95 while improving traffic flow, safety and freight mobility. S.R. 606/Oslo Road is a designated truck route serving the southern portion of the county.
“The project is a major infrastructure improvement for FDOT, Indian River County and the community,” Samantha Kayser, community outreach specialist, told Construction Equipment Guide. “The project enhances safety, improves traffic flow and strengthens regional connectivity and access throughout Indian River County and FDOT District 4.”
The improvements include partial cloverleaf ramps, a new signalized intersection at 66th Avenue SW; lighting; realignment of C.R. 609/82nd Avenue; and construction of 13th Street SW. The corridor also will have 6-ft. sidewalks and 6.5-ft. bicycle lanes, along with Wrong Way Vehicle Detection and Intelligent Transportation System components.
The project is designed to accommodate significant traffic growth. S.R. 606/Oslo Road currently carries an annual average daily traffic (AADT) of approximately 9,000 vehicles, a figure expected to reach 27,000 by 2045. I-95 traffic in Indian River County is approximately 58,000 vehicles per day and is projected to reach 90,000 by 2045, according to FDOT.
Before the project, motorists had to use S.R. 614/Indrio Road, more than 5.5 mi. south of the project, or S.R. 60, 3.8 mi. north, to access I-95. The new interchange is expected to ease congestion on those routes while providing another emergency and evacuation route.
Much of the work is taking place on former orange groves and other greenfield sites. Native soils are predominantly sandy, with areas of hardpan and clay. Crews removed unsuitable materials, including muck, hardpan and clay, while stockpiling suitable soils for reuse. The project also includes extensive drainage and utility work using reinforced concrete pipe, high-density polyethylene pipe, box culverts and PVC utility lines.
Halley Engineering accelerated the project by working in multiple areas simultaneously and advancing construction phases. The approach allowed bridge work to begin earlier and shortened the project's critical path.
“We combined and advanced several construction phases and redesigned the Traffic Control Plan to advance the bridge construction and significantly shorten the critical path of the construction schedule,” John Morris, vice president of Halley Engineering, told Construction Equipment Guide.
One of the project's most significant elements was replacement of the existing two-lane Oslo Road bridge over I-95. The new westbound bridge is a two-span, two-lane structure measuring 339 ft. long. Traffic was shifted July 14, 2025, allowing crews to demolish the existing bridge and begin construction of the new eastbound bridge. The eastbound bridge opened to traffic June 28, 2026.
The existing bridge was demolished in 20 days, with each direction removed in 10 days. Crews worked day and night using concrete saws, hydraulic jackhammers, cranes and excavators. The new bridges were constructed with 24-in. by 24-in. prestressed concrete piles and 72-in. Florida I-beams. Each bridge has two spans with 16 beams per span. The beams are 168.625 ft. long and weigh approximately 185,994 lbs., or about 93 tons, each.
The beams were installed using a tandem lift with a 650-ton crane and a 185-ton crane. Bridge decks consist of an 8.5-in. concrete slab, with profile grinding and grooving for ride quality. The structures also include 36-in. traffic railings, 27-in. parapet walls and 6-ft. sidewalks. The bridges are designed for a 75-year service life.
“Most major construction activities have been completed,” Carolyn Gish, senior project engineer of Creative Engineering Group, told Construction Equipment Guide. “The remaining work includes final paving, grassing/landscaping and completion of punch list items to address any outstanding details before the project is finalized.”
Road construction included utility relocation, clearing, excavation, embankment work, stormwater installation, utility work, base construction and asphalt paving. The roadbed uses a 12-in. Type B stabilization layer with a minimum Limerock Bearing Ratio of 40, followed by base courses using coquina, shell rock and limerock. Superpave hot-mix asphalt is being used at Traffic Level C on Oslo Road and Traffic Level E on I-95.
Stormwater work includes three major retention ponds. Ponds C1 and B1 are complete, while B2 is nearing completion. The interchange ramp ponds are being final graded and stabilized with turf. Equipment used for pond and roadway work includes a John Deere 750 dozer, Gradall XL 3300 excavator, John Deere 470P excavator, Kubota SVL95 compact track loader, Caterpillar 24M motor grader, Caterpillar AP1000 paver, Hamm HC70 roller and John Deere 644 loader.
During the 2024 rainy season, a high water table beneath the westbound Oslo Road travel lanes prevented crews from achieving required soil densities. Rainwater had become trapped between the surface and a hardpan layer, requiring a change to the pavement design.
“The team coordinated with the geotechnical and drainage engineers and developed a plan that changed the pavement design to maintain structural capacity,” Brian Coblentz, project manager of Halley Engineering, told Construction Equipment Guide.
An overhead Florida Power & Light distribution-line conflict also affected bridge construction. FPL moved the lines underground using directional bores. A separate conflict between a proposed box culvert and an existing water main required redesigning and relocating the water main beneath the culvert, causing an approximately four-month delay. Halley Engineering adjusted the schedule and developed an alternate detour, keeping the delay from becoming critical to the overall project.
“One key factor in accelerating delivery was the contractor's ability to work out of sequence and execute multiple construction activities concurrently,” Gish said. “This flexibility allowed work to progress in parallel across multiple areas of the project and enabled bridge construction to begin earlier than originally scheduled.”
Halley Engineering purchases equipment from local and regional dealerships.
“We own our equipment, rather than renting it,” Morris said. “Our crews have immediate access to the machinery they need for excavation, grading, paving, bridge construction and other project activities. This flexibility helps minimize delays, improve productivity and keep the project moving forward on schedule.”
With major bridge and roadway construction largely complete, crews are concentrating on final paving, site stabilization, landscaping and punch-list work. If weather and other conditions cooperate, the new I-95 interchange and S.R. 606/Oslo Road improvements are expected to provide a major new transportation connection for southern Indian River County before the end of 2026. ⣠CEG
