Congrats to the 2019 Excellence in Contract Administration award winners
Last week, winners of the annual Partnership for Excellence in Contract Administration Awards, co-sponsored by AGCW and WSDOT, were announced at the WSDOT/AGC annual meeting.
These awards recognize and encourage extraordinary achievements by the Contractor/WSDOT partnership responsible for delivering transportation projects in a timely, professional and responsive manner while also considering the needs of others who are affected by the project. The winners were announced by former AGCW President Tom Balbo, who served as judge along with Ben Minnick of the Daily Journal of Commerce and Dave Erickson, retired from the WSDOT Construction Office.
Congratulations to all the winners! (Photos and winners' list below)
Photo 1: Paul Mayo (AGC), Dan Lewis (WSDOT), State Construction Engineer Chris Christopher.
Photo 2: Derek Helt (Inland Asphalt Company), Paul Mayo (AGC), Tom Brasch (WSDOT), State Construction Engineer Chris Christopher.
Photo 3: Dave Lindberg and Ed Kane (WSDOT), Paul Mayo (AGC), Michael Cummings, Reggie Wageman, Donny Hendrickson and Adam Common (Guy F. Atkinson); State Construction Engineer Chris Christopher.
Photo 4: Paul Mayo (AGC), Elliot Brasch (Gary Merlino Construction), James Harper and Sam Al Mallah (WSDOT); State Construction Engineer Chris Christopher.
Photo 1: Mike Stein (Granite Construction), Paul Mayo (AGC), Colin Newell (WSDOT), State Construction Engineer Chris Christopher.
Photo 2: Drew Williams (Graham Contracting); Kirk Holyoak (WSDOT), Paul Mayo (AGC), Thrall Hershberger, Cody Hebrank and Jason Strueli (Graham Contracting); State Construction Engineer Chris Christopher.
Photo 3: Jerry Wood (WSDOT), Paul Mayo (AGC); Phil Larson (Guy F. Atkinson); State Construction Engineer Chris Christopher.
Photo 4: Levi Young and Bryant Helvey (Graham Contracting); Paul Mayo (AGC), Drew Williams (Graham Contracting); Jim Slavicek and Chet Luman (WSDOT), State Construction Engineer Chris Christopher.
Eastern Washington Project, less than $3 million
US 97 Blewett Pass Culvert Replacements: Pipkin Construction (Justin Hansen); Hurst Construction LLC (Jesse Hurst); WSDOT North Central Region (Dan Lewis’ Project Office).
This was a unique project that was administered under two separate contracts. These projects included the simultaneous replacement of three pipe culverts at three locations on highway 97 within a five full-day closure of Blewett Pass. All parties involved had to work together to complete contract work at remote site locations, keep travelers informed to upcoming impacts, ensure unrestricted access to fire personnel and open US 97 to the traveling public as committed by WSDOT.
Eastern Washington Project, $3 million to $10 million
US 395/Deer Park Corridor Intersection Improvements: Inland Asphalt Company (Al Hughbanks); WSDOT Eastern Region (Tom Brasch’s Project Office).
This project constructed two single land roundabouts on US 395 to reduce collision potential along the stretch of highway. This project had a tight working schedule with only 72 working days that included Saturdays, directly impacting local businesses and property owners. Any issues or unforeseen complications that arose had to be resolved quickly to ensure the project was complete within the allotted time. One such problem was the discovery of an unknown high-water table that resulted in the replacement of saturated material.
Eastern Washington Project, greater than $10 million
I-90 Snowshed to Keechelus Dam – Phase 1C – Replace Snowshed: Guy F. Atkinson (Philip Larson); WSDOT South Central Region (Jerry Wood’s Project Office).
This project improved approximately three miles of I-90 by removing an existing snowshed and constructing East and Westbound Avalanche Bridges to carry three lanes in each direction. With I-90 being the main artery for transportation between Western and Eastern WA, keeping traffic moving required informing the traveling public of upcoming work activities through several mediums. This project included installation of special features, such as a European designed avalanche snow net and monitoring system, required a revised set of plans prior to avalanche bridge construction, and encountered soil conditions that would not allow construction of one wall.
Western Washington Project, less than $3 million
US 101, D St. Vic to Water St. Paving and ADA: Granite Construction Co. (Jeremy Deemer); WSDOT Southwest Region (Colin Newell’s Project Office).
This project improved a portion of US 101, through the City of South Bend, by repairing pavement, bridge deck repair and improving sidewalks and curve ramps. Since this project was located completely within the city limits of South Bend, work was scheduled in close coordination with an adjacent WSDOT project to lessen impacts on traveling public and on scheduled events. The team had the extra challenge of developing safe ADA pedestrian detours during sidewalk and ramp construction, and had to overcome finding unknown concrete below excavations and an existing vault under the sidewalk.
Western Washington Project, $3 million to $10 million
SR 518 – EB Off Ramp to Des Moines Memorial Paving, Intersection Improvements: Graham Contracting, Ltd. (Bryant Helvey); WSDOT Northwest Region (Aleta Borschowa’s Project Office).
This project constructed a new 175-foot bridge in Burien and a 10,000 sf of soil nail retaining wall with a carved shotcrete facing. There were multiple Value Engineering Cost Proposals develops and approved for this project which significantly reduced the project schedule risk. This project also incorporated an elm leaf pattern into project walls in memory of brave local men who were killed in WWI.
Western Washington Project, greater than $10 million
I-5, NB S. 260th St. to Duwamish River Bridge Concrete Pavement Rehab & ADA: Gary Merlino Construction (Robert J. Pipinich); WSDOT Northwest Region (Mike Askarian’s Project Office).
This project rehabilitated the northbound lanes of I-5 between Federal Way and Tukwila. As always, closing lanes on I-5 requires a robust communication plan, using differing mediums to effectively communicate lane closures. To complete the plane replacement within a timely manner, the contractors proposed using temporary precast panels between removal of the existing panel and replacement of a new one, which allowed crews to continue demolition and removal throughout the nighttime closure instead of switching to placing concrete.
Statewide Design-Build, less than $30 million
US 12, Wildcat Creek Bridge – Replace Bridge: Graham Contracting, Ltd. (Jason Streuli); WSDOT South Central Region (Scott Golbek’s Project Office).
This project replaced the existing bridge crossing at Wildcat Creek on US12. The overall project duration was reduced by 30 days due to an Alternate Technical Concept that was proposed to minimize impacts to the traveling public by replacing the structure with a precast arch system and using an adjacent road as a detour route. Working together, the bridge was replaced within a 17 day/24 hour a day closure so no additional road closures would be required in the future.
Statewide Design-Build Project, greater than $30 million
I-5 NB MLK Jr. Way to NE Ravenna Bridge – Pavement Repair & More: Guy F. Atkinson (Reggie Wageman); WSDOT Northwest Region (Dave Lindberg’s Project Office).
This project repaired or replaced the deteriorating I-5 northbound concrete pavement through downtown Seattle, and all construction work was completed at night or on weekends to minimize impacts to the community and high-volume traffic. This project had a communication team that met prior to each closure to set up expectations for the weekend, notify stakeholders and respond to phone calls and emails from the public. Challenges experienced and overcome by the team included discovering 300 feet of the existing roadway was in integral reinforced moment slab and barrier that extended into the roadway, large quantities of unsuitable subgrade and having an adjacent bridge deck concrete collapse into the box girder bridge.