SunTrax Test Facility

Client: Florida Department of Transportation
Location: Polk County, Florida
Project Type: Site Development, Roadway Construction

Bergeron Land Development was hired by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to construct the SunTrax Test Facility in Polk County, Florida. The facility was constructed on a 400-acre site centrally located between Tampa and Orlando within the city of Auburndale and adjacent to the Polk Parkway, just north of Braddock Road.

SunTrax, a state-of-the-art transportation technology testing facility, is the result of a long-term partnership between FDOT and Florida Polytechnic University. According to the FDOT, the creation of this facility will establish Florida as a transportation technology leader and create a high-tech hub for the research, development and testing of emerging transportation technologies related to tolling, intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and automated and connected vehicles. For more information, please visit suntraxfl.com

Bergeron Land Development was responsible for the all labor, materials, equipment and incidentals necessary to construct the 2.25 mile, bi-directional, oval track with adjacent straightaways extending into turnaround areas on each side of the oval track. Two toll equipment buildings and associated toll gantries were constructed on each side of the track for a total of four toll equipment buildings and four toll gantries.

The project also included the construction of an entrance road from Braddock Road to the infield area of the track. The entrance road crosses under the oval track through a three-sided box culvert. The entrance road will provide access to the Operations and Storage Buildings. The project also includes Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), landscaping, and lighting.

The project required 1 million cubic yards of earthwork and the construction of two 30-ft-high retaining walls and two detention ponds to support the track.  Bergeron Land Development was able to overcome 56 weather days and impacts from multiple hurricanes to complete the $46-million project 270 days ahead of schedule.

Bergeron’s work on the SunTrax project has been recognized with the following awards.