0167-0108 RFQ Advanced Notice.pdf

July 24, 2026 0167-0108, 0092-0689

TO: Interested Construction Management/General Contractor Firms

Subject: Notice of Upcoming Construction Manager/General Contractor (CM/GC) Request for Statements of Qualifications (SOQ)

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) will soon seek to retain a Contractor under a

CM/GC Contract for CTDOT Project Nos. 0167-0108: Heroes Tunnel Project and 0092-0689: Route 15

Interchange 46 Improvements in New Haven, Hamden, and Woodbridge, CT.

The Contract scope will include, but is not limited to, preconstruction services and construction phase services to deliver and construct the Projects, including improvements to correct existing deficiencies, enhance safety, improve travel, and facilitate long-term maintenance at the Heroes Tunnel and Interchange

46. During preconstruction, the Contractor will support the design effort led by CTDOT and its two (2)

Designers of Record through constructability reviews, means and methods input, cost estimating, scheduling, risk identification, and recommendation and evaluation of innovative approaches.

For the Heroes Tunnel improvements, the work is anticipated to include replacement of the concrete tunnel liner, fire protection and life safety system upgrades, and improvements to existing structural, mechanical, and electrical systems. NFPA 502 is being used to guide the recommended scope of work. Preconstruction services are expected to include, but not be limited to, recommendation and evaluation of:

• Tunnel liner replacement approaches.

• Concrete repairs to the central shaft.

• Architectural repairs to the ventilation building.

• New fire detection and life safety systems.

• New ventilation system consisting of jet fans attached to the tunnel barrel ceiling.

• Emergency egress signage and lighting.

• Construction of new fire hydrants and incident command posts.

• Full-depth reconstruction of the Route 15 roadway within the tunnel and approaches.

• Groundwater drainage improvements.

• Replacement of tunnel lighting and electrical systems.

• Construction of an ancillary building to house electrical equipment supporting the fire and life safety systems.

• Bridge Nos. 00774A & 00774B (Route 15 over Wintergreen Avenue) rehabilitation.

For the Route 15 Interchange 46 improvements, the work is anticipated to include installation of acceleration and deceleration lanes to improve safety, mobility, and connectivity on Route 15, and its connections with Route 69 and Route 63. The Project will relocate the existing Route 15 northbound on-ramp to a new loop ramp. To accommodate the interchange improvements, Bridge No. 00771 (carrying

Route 15 over Route 63) will be replaced with a new structure and Bridge No. 00772 (carrying Route 15 over Route 69 and the West River) will undergo superstructure replacement and widening. The Route 15 profile will be raised to improve vertical clearance beneath both structures. Retaining walls are also anticipated to minimize impacts to adjacent properties and regulated areas. The Contractor will support these elements through preconstruction phase services, including, but not limited to, constructability review, staging and traffic control strategies, evaluation of alternative construction approaches, and other services as requested by CTDOT.

July 24, 2026 0167-0108, 0092-0689

Preliminary Project goals include:

• Address structural deficiencies and improve safety within the tunnel and at Route 15

Interchange 46 while meeting current design and safety standards.

• Minimize impacts to the traveling public, adjacent property owners, and businesses during construction.

• Optimize the construction schedule to reduce overall duration to the extent practicable.

• Collaborate with CTDOT and the Designers of Record during design development to control construction cost and minimize change orders.

• Deliver the project within the established budget.

• Engage a Contractor with demonstrated experience delivering complex tunnel, bridge, roadway, and traffic management improvements.

In accordance with the provisions of the Construction Contract Bidding and Award Manual, bidders must be prequalified for Group No. 7 (Road Construction and Rehabilitation: Limited Access

Highways/Freeways) to be eligible to bid on this Contract. Bidders that are not prequalified for this work classification will not be approved to bid on this Contract.

In view of the complexity of these Projects, and in accordance with the provisions of the Construction

Contract Bidding and Award Manual, bidders and/or subcontractors must also be prequalified for Group

No. 9 (Intermediate Bridges) and Group No. 15 (Intelligent Transportation Systems [ITS]) to be eligible to work on this Contract. The firm which performs work under these work classifications shall be CTDOT prequalified for that classification as part of the bidder and/or subcontractor approval.

Construction firms and/or teams interested in participating in the selection process that do not hold the required prequalifications should initiate the relevant prequalification processes as soon as possible so that they are prequalified no later than September 24, 2026.

It is anticipated that a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) may be required for this Contract.

On the anticipated advertisement date of August 26, 2026, the CM/GC Procurement Request for

Qualifications (RFQ) will be posted on the DAS State Contracting Portal (CTSource Bid Board). A link to the CTSource Bid Board is provided below.

https://portal.ct.gov/DAS/CTSource/CTSource

The RFQ documents will detail the requirements of the qualification phase of the project selection process.

If there are any questions or issues related to obtaining the necessary documents, please inquire by e-mailing the question to DOTContracts@ct.gov.

Connecticut Department of Transportation

An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer