The Florida Transportation Builders' Association -FTBA-, the voice for the road and bridge building industry in Florida, has awarded Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas -FCC- the 2010 Best in Construction award for its Miami I-95 highway widening project.

The winning project has been assessed in terms of compliance with time frame, community relations, zero accident rate as well as quality and innovation of the Contractor. The panel of judges included the Florida Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). FCC will be presented with the award on 6 August during the FTBA's annual convention.

The $121.5m contract was to widen a 17.7 km stretch of the I-95 highway, in both directions, in the northern portion of the Miami metropolitan area. The aim was to move from a single high occupancy vehicle lane to two high occupancy traffic lanes (automatic tolling), keeping the same number of toll-free lanes (from three to five depending on the section).

The contract also included the installation of the Intelligent Transportation System and the tolling systems, as well as the widening of several existing structures in the setting of the main link, the connection works of the different links and the construction of new roadbeds.

This highway is equipped with an innovative traffic management system called Express Lanes, which allow motorists to avoid congestion and travel at higher speeds, by paying a toll which varies according to the speed of the traffic in the other lanes.

As the speed of the traffic in the other lanes becomes slower (during rush hour), the toll rate increases, and as it picks up, the toll rate drops. Speed is measured by traffic management cameras which automatically adjust the toll charge. In order to use these barrier free toll roads, users need a Sunpass transponder. As reading and payment are automatic, there is no need to stop at a toll booth.

Moreover, in August 2009, the 95 Express Miami Project was named as the winner in America's Transportation Awards, in the category of Innovative Management, by SASHTO, the southeastern regional section of AASHTO, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.