Building a new bridge across the Mississippi River in the Baton Rouge area is not a new idea. The need had been there for decades, but getting beyond general conception has proved difficult, for any number of reasons. But today, thanks to a more pragmatic approach to achieving this monumental undertaking, a new Mississippi River Bridge (MRB)-building effort is taking those first critical steps toward becoming reality.

“Some of the attempts over the past 20 years have had bigger ambitions and scope and they were never able to get off the ground, either financially or politically,” says Kara Moree, CFM. “What we’re doing is concentrating on the early phases—selecting a location and getting the environmental documentation—to provide a foundation and build momentum for the project. This approach has been very successful in moving it forward.” Moree is the national director for NEPA & environmental compliance with �鶹TV��վ Technical Consultants and serves as the overall project manager. �鶹TV��վ was selected by the Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development (LADOTD) as the prime consultant to conduct an Enhanced Planning Investigation and Environmental Evaluation for a new river bridge, one of the most high-profile civil infrastructure projects in the state of Louisiana.

��Project staff members answer questions from the public about the new
Mississippi River Bridge at a community center meeting in April 2022.

As its first order of business, the �鶹TV��վ-led team was asked to identify approximately 30 possible locations for the new bridge. The project limits were set along 60+ miles of river so, at first glance, it did not appear to be a tall order, but they didn’t get too far into the navigation study before discovering just how many constraints the project would be subjected to. “There were a lot of places we couldn’t put piers in the river. There are anchorages and things of that nature that we needed to stay away from. We were also limited to a 2,000 ft maximum main span length. We consulted with the U.S. Coast Guard and spoke with river pilots and identified other restrictions and impediments. It was difficult coming up with 30 locations, but eventually, we did identify 32,” Moree says.

From there, the team took a tiered approach to narrowing that list down to a more manageable number. Two rounds of screening were conducted in consideration of the project’s purpose and need, which was informed and supported by traffic data and other analyses. “We also had to consider the environmental impacts. We had to determine if we would be able to get permits, whether it was for wetlands or levees or the Coast Guard. There’s also a lot of really big industry up and down the river, and of course, Baton Rouge has one of the busiest ports in the world,” she says. By taking a data-driven approach, the team, which included 13 sub-consultants, was able to back up their decisions with cold facts. This proved particularly beneficial when 10 preliminary alternatives were selected and presented to the public.

As in many areas of Louisiana, Baton Rouge is still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Almost overnight, the area took in an additional 200,000 displaced individuals. One of the impacts of that growth was that the metropolitan area hit its projected 2030 traffic volumes 25 years ahead of schedule. A project of this size and potential impact is bound to raise the interests, and passions, of residents and community leaders. Extensive public information and stakeholder engagement efforts were particularly critical in keeping the project moving forward. The team also made quarterly presentations to a state legislative committee so that government and political influencers would be kept abreast of progress.

Although �鶹TV��վ is a national firm with 100 locations across the country, the MRB project has benefited from a decided home-field advantage. Both Moree and Maria Bernard Reid, NEPA specialist and deputy project manager were born and raised in south Louisiana. Although �鶹TV��վ is a multi-disciplined firm with the resources to complete a project of this magnitude from start to finish, it benefited from the specialized expertise of its two project leads. “We are not engineers—we’re environmental people. Everything we see, we see through the eyes of biologists and NEPA practitioners. The Federal Highway Administration, who will be reviewing our environmental document, really appreciates having that perspective informing our findings,” says Reid.

That advantage has resulted in what will be the first approved Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) document on a LADOTD project. The integrated and collaborative PEL approach asks project teams to consider environmental factors during the planning process, using data and analysis gathered during planning to enhance the environmental investigations and analysis. FHWA encourages its use as a means to save time and cost by minimizing duplicate efforts. “Going straight from planning into NEPA, we fully expect that all of our work will be brought forward. Having two environmental professionals leading that has been a very big plus in producing high-quality and approvable documents,” Reid says.

�鶹TV��վ is scheduled to complete its work on the MRB project in late 2024. A new governor and administration will be installed in January, and the team is focused on keeping the project moving forward and maintaining the state’s commitment. If all goes according to plan, it will soon be moving toward design and construction.

Published by Engineering News-Record (ENR)
On July 31, 2023

The new fire station in Decatur, Ga., is one of five being constructed as part of a county-wide infrastructure improvement program.

In 2017, voters in DeKalb County, Ga., overwhelmingly approved a one-cent sales tax increase to fund infrastructure improvements. As the last county in the Atlanta metro area to implement a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST), residents were well aware of the positive impact these improvements could have on their communities. Expectations were high. “The public trusted us with this investment, and we had to deliver,” says Zach Williams, DeKalb County’s chief operating officer. “With our staff deep into the day-to-day operations of running the county, we knew we were going to need support to augment our staff and help us define and execute the projects we had identified.”

After conducting a qualification based selection process, county officials selected �鶹TV��վ Technical Consultants, a national provider of program management and construction management services. “They were simply the best fit. We were aware of their reputation based on their work on other SPLOSTs throughout the state. And they’ve done an outstanding job,” Williams says.

Since 2018, �鶹TV��վ has been supporting DeKalb County with a multidisciplinary team of designers, managers, schedulers, cost estimators, construction inspectors and administrative support personnel. The sixyear program is expected to result in $400 million in funding for projects such as safety and signal improvements, sidewalks and multi-use trails, updated public safety equipment and facilities, and capital improvements to parks, public clinics, senior centers and libraries. The largest investment is being directed toward resurfacing roadways throughout the county. “With four active paving contracts currently underway, the county is on pace to repave 100 miles of roadway this year. Prior to SPLOST, they only had the resources to see to 10 to 12 miles each year. It’s really been a success story, and all for just that extra penny,” says Chris Kingsbury, program manager for �鶹TV��վ.

On June 12, more than 200 residents and firefighters attended the grand opening of a new 􀀁re station in the southwest corner of the county– the first in almost a decade. The previous facility was constructed in 1953 and due for an overhaul, but it was not merely a brick-and-mortar improvement. “Chris and his team used these projects to not only modernize the structure but to modernize the way our firefighters carry out their duties. These are the people who are running into burning buildings and they deserve a clean, safe and welcoming environment. We’re also including community rooms in the new firehouses (a total of five will be built) to promote oneness with the community,” Williams says.

DeKalb County’s robust business community is also benefiting from the program. The 20% small business commitment included in the SPLOST agreement has been exceeded each year and mentorprotégé arrangements have been developed to provide valuable work experience to disadvantaged businesses.

For leaders in the county, it was important to use the program as a means of raising the profile of DeKalb, while also providing a higher quality of life for its residents. “It has given DeKalb County an opportunity to assert its place in the metro Atlanta area. We haven’t been able to invest in our infrastructure like other jurisdictions that have had SPLOSTs for decades. This has been a game-changer not only in how our county looks but also in giving our residents a reason to have faith in their government. And �鶹TV��վ has been a great partner in making that happen,” Williams says.

Communication and transparency have been keys to the program’s success. Using the county’s GIS system, project progress is updated and made available to the public. Residents can simply go to the county’s website, click on a penny icon and then enter their address to see a list of improvements that have been made in their neighborhood. An email hotline was set up where issues can be reported and complaints lodged, but the inbox has remained largely empty. “I think we’ve only had to respond to around five issues, which is just a testament to how the work is being delivered,” says Williams.

SPLOST programs are unique to the state of Georgia, the first was created in 1985, and �鶹TV��վ has become the go-to consultant for a majority of the programs in the Atlanta metro area, along with others throughout the state. �鶹TV��վ also does similar CIP development and administration work for public agencies around the country. “I don’t think of �鶹TV��վ as a consultant— they’re part of us,” Williams says “They have an office that’s closer to me than some of our department heads and we meet on a regular basis. You can definitely say they’re embedded in our staff, and that’s where we need them to be.”

Published by Engineering News-Record (ENR) – Environmental Management On July 1, 2023

The City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering’s $588 million Sixth Street Viaduct replacement project in Los Angeles will join the L.A. Arts District to Boyle Heights. The new bridge, to open later in 2022, replaces a 1932 structure that was retired due to seismic vulnerability and a rare chemical reaction in the cement supports. It is funded by the Federal Highway Transportation Administration and the California Dept. of Transportation, as well as city funds.

The new bridge, dubbed The Ribbon of Light, will include a 2,864‐ft‐long tied‐arch continuous concrete viaduct structure and a 193‐ft-long post‐tensioned, cast‐in‐place, reinforced concrete box girder structure at the west approach. Design was completed by HNTB and Los Angeles architect Michael Maltzan. Construction is led by contractors Skanska Stacy and Witbeck.

�鶹TV��վ, through its acquired company Alta Vista Solutions, is providing quality management services, engineering assessment and evaluation for quality assurance and verification, materials engineering and investigations, structural steel inspection, testing and analysis, and source inspections.

“The project challenges have been significant,” says Bahjat Dagher, Project Manager with �鶹TV��վ. Downtown traffic, dealing with Los Angeles River challenges, working over and under active rail lines operated by five agencies, and managing identified and unidentified utility conflicts top the list. Alta Vista Solutions, an �鶹TV��վ company, has provided continuous support to the City of Los Angeles since 2017 dealing with typical and atypical construction, fabrication, and erection adversity. “We are grateful for the opportunity to provide our services that contribute to this first-class, high-quality structure that we can be proud of for generations to come” says Mr. Dagher.

“We have traveled to remote areas in California, as well as to states like Arizona, Utah, Ohio, Oregon, Missouri, and even Canada to perform source inspection and ensure the high standards of quality are met during fabrication. Our team of specialists help ensure that fabrication processes, welding, coating, material documentation, nondestructive testing and personnel certifications comply with contract requirements. Additionally, the team performs oversight assessment and verification of in-process quality control (QC) testing,” says Mr. Dagher. In addition, �鶹TV��վ, through Alta Vista Solutions, provided batch plant inspections, field inspections and materials testing for the structural concrete which included the helical ramp and the ten pairs of unique arches. These remarkable features are what will make the Sixth Street Viaduct an iconic piece of the LA skyline.

Published by Engineering News-Record (ENR)
On July 18, 2022

The state of America’s bridges and steps to bring them to capacity

Among more than 617,000 bridges connecting people and places across the nation, 42 percent have reached the 50-year threshold, with more than 46,000 bridges classified as structurally deficient that average 178 million crossings per day.

The 2021 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) cites challenges and opportunities to improve the state of bridges across America, which received an overall grade of ‘C’ in the latest study.

Even though the overall number of deficient bridges has declined in recent years, the fact remains that they continue to deteriorate at rates exceeding rates of repair or replacement. To address this challenge, we applaud the increasing number of states shifting away from “scrap and start over” bridge replacement in favor of more sustainable approaches to improve and maintain existing bridges.

Greater opportunities for sustainable bridge management come with innovations incorporating advanced materials and technologies enabling greater strength and durability, as well as precise monitoring of structural conditions to inform engineering decisions.

As material-science advances like high-performance aggregates, alloys and coatings bring new life to old bridges, innovative assessment methods such as embedded sensors, infrared thermography, ground-penetrating radar, and drone surveillance allow us to pinpoint preventative maintenance and improvement priorities to extend bridge life for greater safety and resilience.

Inclusive management of life connections and resources

For decades, environmental efforts focused on protecting nature and wildlife apart from humans to minimize impacts. That approach often focused on the “or”—a choice to protect singular resources or particular species, rather than considering the bigger picture—the “and”—inclusive of all life forms and the optimal balance to sustain them.

Today, we embrace a more holistic approach emphasizing interdependence among people, wildlife and our natural environment to support healthy biodiversity and sustainable benefits for all. By proactively pursuing symbiotic relationships throughout—from the smallest organisms to the full spectrum of creatures, plants and resources—holistic approaches focus on strengthening social, economic and ecological systems together, as a whole.

Such measures include natural or naturalized infrastructure solutions designed to achieve greater benefits such as resilience from climate impacts, improved water quality and supply, and sustainable cultivation of food and energy sources. For example, a growing number of communities benefit from existing or constructed wetlands actively managed to promote natural water treatment and supply, while also supporting surrounding residential development, recreation, fisheries, and even green energy production.

Compared with traditional infrastructure built to serve a singular purpose, holistic, multipurpose solutions prove to be more cost-effective and sustainable in the long run, delivering the trifecta of environmental, social, and economic returns on investment.

People-first perspective for stronger communities

Large projects by nature lend themselves to a wide-angle view—like aerial shots of a project that show its span and scale. Yet the bigger the project, the greater the impact on those we can’t see in the frame—the people affected by it.

Our industry has come to expect tensions between people and progress, and we’ve gotten better at keeping concerned communities informed. But there’s a difference between informing and engaging people in planned projects, and the best path forward.

We think it’s important to focus more intently on people first, at the earliest concept stage, to learn about their everyday lives beyond the project—how they live and make a living, their priorities and aspirations, and how they connect with their communities.

Beyond informing project plans, stakeholder interactions should shape the concept at the very core—from purpose, to form and function. When we do that, we discover opportunities to strengthen connections between the project’s end users and the greater community.

For example, provisions like broadband internet access, a community garden or gathering space could make all the difference to convert project adversaries to advocates. The key is to put people before project by focusing first on the human purposes that matter to the community, and finding ways to serve them in the investment.

Beyond “table stakes,” embed quality disciplines into every aspect of management

For every singular thing that must happen to deliver projects and programs on-plan, there’s an exponential number of unknown or unforeseen circumstances to drive the best-laid plans off-course.

Most managers plan for such contingencies, and while some may see quality as an intangible, “table stakes” assumption, we think it’s even more important to embed more extensive quality disciplines into every aspect of management—from proof of concept to funding, to planning, development and operation.

Quality management pays to reduce costs and risks, especially when integrated through every project phase to assess, validate and assure every possible variable affecting performance outcomes. The biggest problems often originate from unknown, undocumented or unimagined factors, like unstable sub-surface conditions, unmarked utilities, rising material costs, technology disconnects, unfavorable weather patterns, process deviations, safety breaches and skilled labor shortages.

All costly, but preventable, with upfront investment in a fully integrated quality regime applying rigorous scientific, technical and management disciplines for tangible results. You’ll realize greater value and peace of mind over the life of the program, with smart, safe, sustainable performance.