Transportation department and Virginia road builders recognize quality in local road contractor

The Virginia Department of Transportation and the Virginia Road and Transportation Builders Association will honor a Williamsburg road contractor Thursday for outstanding quality in road building.

Jack L. Massie Contractor, Inc., of Williamsburg, will receive VDOT’s “Construction Quality Award” at a presentation in Norfolk. The award is given annually to recognize one road building contractor who provides outstanding quality and service to the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Massie built a portion of the new Route 199 and Monticello Avenue Extension in Williamsburg and James City County, which opened in late 1999. The company built $25 million of the $80 million, 8.5-mile roadway.

“Massie is one of the finest, most dedicated contractors I’ve worked with,” said Quintin Elliott, VDOT engineer in charge of the construction. “This project was so important to Williamsburg and James City County, and we knew we could rely on Massie to get it done. The work they did was not just part of their jobs. It was a demonstrated commitment to providing a quality of service far above what’s required. The citizens of Virginia will benefit from this commitment.”

In 1997, Massie was contracted to build two miles of the new Route 199 – a four-lane divided highway, and the Monticello Avenue Extension. Soon after construction began, the Monticello Avenue plans were changed to transform it from a two-lane to a four-lane divided roadway. These changes were designed to help smooth the progress of the proposed New Town Development and the new Williamsburg James City County courthouse. Massie and VDOT worked together on the design changes to respond to the needs of county officials and local citizens. Massie implemented all the design changes, utility relocation, scheduling of work and other aspects of the job, and completed the project a year ahead of schedule.

The contractor also triumphed over environmental challenges of diverting streams six times, protecting rare plant species, and paying special attention to an archeological site adjacent to the roadway.

The Virginia Department of Transportation consistently rated the company above 99 percent on periodic report cards, and gave a final rating of 99.4 percent in overall quality and management.

“Building and maintaining a safe and efficient transportation network is the mission we share with the Virginia Department of Transportation. Jack L. Massie Contractor, Inc., is setting the standard for excellence for all Virginia transportation contractors,” said Dick Daugherity, Virginia Road and Transportation Builders Association’s executive vice president. “The care and creativity Massie used to protect the environment while constructing a needed road is particularly noteworthy.”