Transportation Sector

Cotleur & Hearing determined several years ago that transportation design was an important aspect of our profession and that it warranted a division that specializes in this work. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is mandated by Congress to spend 1.5% of the roadway construction cost in landscape improvements each year. This amounted to $49M in 2017, $45M in 2018 and $60M in 2019. Headed by Principal, Robert Cotleur, the CH Transportation Division has become a statewide leader in this specialized type of work.In the past, FDOT preferred roadway landscape designs that focused on sustainability, drought tolerance, low maintenance and the use of native plant materials. While all those parameters are still important today, the Department’s more recent approach is to focus landscape funds at the most prominent community gateway locations and provide landscape designs that are bold and memorable and that create much more of a “wow” factor. The intent is to promote business and tourism statewide.

 

Cotleur & Hearing has specialized in these types of designs and has recently completed the award winning $6M landscape project at the I-95/I-595 interchange in Ft. Lauderdale, a $2.4M project at I-95 and Indiantown Road in Jupiter, the $1.2M project at I-95 and Kanner Highway in Stuart and the currently under construction $5M project located at I-595 / I-75 / Sawgrass Expressway interchange in Davie and Sunrise. Cotleur & Hearing also specializes in transportation projects for municipalities, local agencies and private communities. The transportation division designs irrigation systems and hardscape improvements; including decorative pavement designs, street furniture, retaining walls and landscape lighting. Cotleur & Hearing’s expertise includes grant projects, tree relocation and preservation projects, environmental designs and a multitude of projects that help shape the overall FDOT Landscape Policy.

 

The transportation division currently has several very important and prominent continuing services contracts for the FDOT, including both production and in-house landscape architectural staffing contracts for the FDOT’s District 4 and the landscape architectural support contract with FDOT’s central office in Tallahassee. These contracts are critical to shaping the FDOT’s Landscape Programs for both the present times and the future.