Q&A: We caught up with �鶹TV��վ’ Quality Manager Slava Kurkov to learn more about Seattle’s latest transit system upgrade – Sound Transit’s F200 Federal Way Link Extension project—and how the upgrade positively impacts the Pacific Northwest by improving connectivity for local communities.��

On Saturday, December 6, celebrated a major milestone with the completion of its largest design-build project, the (FWLE) project. To prepare for the grand opening, Sound Transit spent months testing the new light rail vehicles without passengers onboard to help ensure operations run smoothly on opening day and beyond. This pre-revenue testing is essential to flawless opening operations, as well as minimizing downtime for both equipment and personnel.

Hundreds of people participated in the grand opening celebrations, attending the cultural activities, exhibits, and entertainment at each of the new stations. In partnership with Sound Transit, �鶹TV��վ is proud to have had a hand in delivering the F200 link extension, which is part of Sound Transit’s larger commitment to build a 252-mile regional light rail network that will connect communities across the three counties.

Q: What is the FWLE project?

The FWLE is a new light rail line that extends the transit service 7.8 miles from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport’s existing Angle Lake Station (a project �鶹TV��վ helped deliver in September 2016) to Federal Way. The extension connects the South Puget Sound communities, alleviates congestion on Interstate 5 (I-5), increases regional connectivity and provides reliable, rapid and efficient transportation services—giving Seattle residents a better way to get to the airport, work, restaurants, shopping districts and more.

Additionally, the project adds three new stations—Kent Des Moines, Star Lake and Downtown Federal Way—as well as a combined 3,200 parking spaces and connections to other transit services.

Q: How will the FWLE benefit the community?

Light rail and transit projects are all about connectivity, so by expanding Seattle’s light rail network south, we are helping connect residential and economic centers. The new line will decrease the amount of time it takes for residents to get around, all while reducing windshield time and the stresses of Seattle’s well known daily commute.

Q: Tell us about your role in the FWLE project.

I served as �鶹TV��վ’ Quality Manager, entrusted to help Kiewit deliver another successful Sound Transit project for the Northwest. ��My involvement in the project began in 2019—about a year before the Notice to Proceed, with the relocation of Highline Water District’s main waterline near 211^th Street. In early 2025, I took over as the Project Quality Assurance Manager to help get us to the milestone we have today.

For 14 years, I have worked alongside Kiewit and other regional partners to deliver massive infrastructure projects, including the FWLE. I appreciate �鶹TV��վ’ and Kiewit’s shared commitment to quality standards. I feel so honored to spend my career helping deliver projects of this caliber, and no matter how many projects I have seen completed throughout my career, it still amazes me to see how city landscapes change and drawings come to life. In my day-to-day role, I oversee the small individual project elements, making certain all materials, processes, building and structural components stay within contract plan and specification tolerances, so it is always fulfilling to see how �鶹TV��վ and our A- team impact finished projects that bring tremendous value to communities.

Q: What was �鶹TV��վ’ role in the project?

Together with Sound Transit, �鶹TV��վ is pleased to help bring Seattle’s vision of connectivity to reality through our multidisciplinary professional services, including quality, environmental, engineering, and survey support.

Throughout the project, �鶹TV��վ’ team completed an estimated 40,000 inspections. On one of our busiest days, we completed 65 hold point inspections, including 14 separate concrete placements—supported by 17 inspectors and 5 technicians. Furthermore, the Quality Assurance team oversaw work completed by more than 35 contractors and subcontractors, which required close coordination with more than 10 major entities and jurisdictions, including Sound Transit, WSDOT, the Cities of SeaTac, Des Moines, Kent and Federal Way, as well as King County Metro, Highline Water District, Midway Sanitary District and Lakehaven Water and Sewer.

In addition to the thousands of inspections completed, �鶹TV��վ’ team oversaw the concrete work required to get the job done. We poured approximately 163,000 cubic yards of concrete. To put that into perspective, consider filling up16,300 concrete mixers, which would be enough concrete to fill 50 Olympic-sized swimming pools or pave a standard 4-foot-wide sidewalk for 625 miles (the distance from Seattle to Sacramento). Our technicians also cast 37,562 concrete cylinders for strength testing, which is enough concrete to fill approximately 8 truckloads of concrete or 81 cubic yards—all to make 4”x 8” cylinders. We are talking about a lot of concrete work to say the least!

Q: What was one of the biggest challenges you faced on the FWLE project and how did you overcome it?

One of the biggest challenges we faced on the FWLE project was the unexpected redesign of the Structure C bridge near South 259^th Place and I-5, where unstable and liquefiable soil in a wetland area posed construction challenges. Due to a potential landslide in the area and existing soil type, the design-build team had to completely redesign the bridge; however, while this engineering challenge presented a hurdle for the team, the resulting innovative bridge design by Kiewit Infrastructure Engineering and the talented group of craftsmen makes the light rail more resilient to seismic events and environmental elements for generations to come.���鶹TV��վ’ A-team jumped in quickly to complete the 1,100-ft-long structure located on a 50-ft-high embankment, to keep the project on schedule, with zero quality concerns.

Q: What was one of the lessons you learned working on this project that you will be able to take to the next big project you work on?

At �鶹TV��վ, we value people, and as a result, I’ve always said that we are first and foremost a people company with a desire and capability to oversee and solve complex technical challenges. I strive to lead by empowering our team to not only understand our role in the industry, but to look at challenges, identify a solution and keep looking for the next opportunity—this is what makes �鶹TV��վ great. We genuinely believe that our people are the difference.

By working on complex projects, we provide value to our staff, who then pay it forward in the work they do for our clients and their communities. No matter the problem or situation at hand, there is always a competent, qualified and eager individual within the organization ready to tackle our clients’ biggest challenges. This is the �鶹TV��վ difference and working on Sound Transit’s FWLE project gave our team of 55 inspectors and testers, who made an impact on the project, gain the experience and confidence required to continue making a difference.

Q: Can you share a bit about your background and what initially drew you to construction quality management?

As a teen, I began working in my family’s business, specializing in custom home building and tenant improvement projects in the South Puget Sound area. Understanding and delivering on clients’ needs is something I learned from an early age. Staying busy, staying engaged and focusing on results are lessons I learned early in life and continue to implement today, at home and at work.

I studied Construction Management at Central Washington University, and following graduation, I contributed to upgrading WWII-era company operations facilities and barracks at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. However, driven by a passion for solving complex problems, I leaned into the heavy civil side of construction, and each day has been rewarding in its own ways.

Throughout my career, I’ve taken on pivotal quality roles in several high-profile projects, including the I-405/SR520 expansion in Bellevue, Washington and the construction of the new SR 520 floating bridge across Lake Washington. These mega projects solidified my love for delivering quality work because they require a strong understanding of the plans and specifications. I thoroughly enjoy working closely with our clients and teams to build a culture that values quality too, so when Sound Transit rolled out their East Link Expansion program in 2016, I was eager to take part and enjoyed the challenges and problem solving it has brought every day.

One of the things I love most about my job and the region I work in is knowing that when one project ends, there’s always another coming down the pipeline. Each project and challenge are new opportunities to understand and grow personally and professionally. I will undoubtfully apply lessons I learned from this project to future work and continue developing a team focused on quality and doing the right thing. I look forward to partnering with Sound Transit on additional expansions and helping them fulfill its mission to extend transit systems to West Seattle and Ballard, as well as the Tacoma Dome Link Extensions, in the near future and beyond.

Elevating Construction Quality with Technology and Process Innovation

With experience leading quality acceptance programs on billion-dollar infrastructure projects like the TxDOT and FlatironDragados New Harbor Bridge, Barry Burks, P.E., is shaping how advanced technology integrates into quality workflows — helping clients reduce risk and accelerate the acceptance inspection and testing processes in the field.

Tell us about your role at �鶹TV��վ and how it connects to shaping solutions for transportation infrastructure.����

As Construction Quality Acceptance Manager, my role begins with developing project-specific Quality Acceptance procedures within the Construction Quality Management Plan. These procedures establish how inspection and testing will be performed across a project’s construction lifecycle. By embedding technology, such as digital inspection forms or automated error checking, directly into those processes, we create efficiencies that save time and cost while maintaining the quality standards clients expect.��

Looking back, what pivotal experience most shaped your career in quality management?��

Working with Dr. Garold Oberlender during my master’s program at Oklahoma State University was transformative. He taught me how reducing the duration of repetitive critical path activities can dramatically impact an entire project’s construction timeline.����

That insight has driven my focus for the past twenty years: finding the smartest application of technology to reduce the duration and cost of hold point activities by speeding up inspection and materials testing. It’s about identifying bottlenecks that slow everything down and systematically eliminating them through better tools and processes.����

You’ll be speaking at on integrating technology into workflows. What’s the biggest challenge and opportunity you see in automation and technology adoption?��

The biggest hurdle is economic timing. Often, adopting new technologies requires upfront investments in equipment, software and training that may take several months to show offsetting efficiencies and cost savings.����

The key is to present stakeholders with a clear, early picture of both the costs and long-term benefits. When people understand the full value proposition, the likelihood of acceptance and successful implementation is improved. You need to build the business case alongside the technical case.����

When clients are rolling out new technologies in QA/QC, how do you help ensure processes deliver results?��

Technology is only as good as the people using it and the processes supporting it. We ensure that every technology rollout includes comprehensive initial training, then reinforce those processes during Pre-Activity meetings before each new work type begins.����

You need to embed the technology into daily workflows and provide ongoing support. The best technology won’t help if your team doesn’t understand how to use it effectively or why it matters.��

Can you share a project that highlights how �鶹TV��վ delivers quality through both process and innovation?��

The new Harbor Bridge Project is a perfect example of technology and process working together. At 3,200+ feet long and 538 feet tall, it’s the longest concrete segmental cable-stayed bridge in North America. Coordinating quality across 15+ fabrication facilities presented unique challenges.����

We equipped each of our inspection staff with tablet computers and electronic forms, enabling them to complete daily inspection reports and related testing forms directly in the field. These tools reduced documentation time for inspectors while significantly reducing risks through automated error checking of test results.����

When you’re managing the quality acceptance of a $1.3 billion project with components coming from facilities across the U.S. and abroad, every efficiency matters. The technology helped us maintain consistent quality standards while keeping the project moving forward. ��

What motivates you in your work every day?��

For me, it’s seeing a well-thought-through procedure put into action in the field or lab and knowing it leads to timely acceptance of the work. It shows that the effort spent planning and preparing pays off, and it helps our projects move forward without unnecessary delays.��

Every day, we’re contributing to infrastructure that communities will rely on for decades. Knowing that our quality processes contribute to safer, more durable bridges, roads and facilities drives me.����

Outside of work, where do you find inspiration?��

I’m constantly reading journal articles and watching videos and documentaries about emerging technologies across various fields of science and engineering. Seeing how others achieve success through innovation in their work motivates me to explore new approaches in mine.����

Innovation comes from connecting ideas across disciplines and applying them in new contexts. Whether it’s materials science, automation or data analytics, there’s always something that can be adapted to improve construction quality processes.����

Barry Burks will join the panel discussion at Advancing Construction Quality 2025, October 6-8 in Nashville, TN. Discover how �鶹TV��վ delivers quality at scale on infrastructure projects. Learn more

Large projects — especially those using alternative delivery methods — are becoming increasingly complex and more demanding. In this article, , �鶹TV��վ’ Northwest Business Leader, discusses how advancements in quality management technology can make a project run smoothly and improve outcomes.

One of our clients needed help managing a complex fish passage program with many variables. Highway culverts, designed to carry water under roads, often obstruct fish passage due to their height, insufficient depth or excessive water flow. Adding more layers of intricacy, each fish passage project is unique and requires evaluating existing conditions and collaborating with many stakeholders, in this case, Native Americans, state fish and wildlife departments and nearby property owners.

With so many moving parts, technology can help. And although technological advancement in construction has trailed other sectors, it’s gaining momentum. For this program, I recommended a tool called Smartsheet, a quality management platform �鶹TV��վ uses that offers real-time, actionable insights, enhancing transparency for all stakeholders by giving everyone access to all project-related documents.

“By using Smartsheet to track the remote projects involved with this complex program, we eliminated delays in testing scheduling, inspection updates and client notifications. Smartsheet gave us the ability to streamline communication and project management, ensuring timely updates and notifications.”

— Josh Earl, �鶹TV��վ’ Northwest Business Leader

One of Smartsheet’s standout features is its customizable, project-specific dashboard that provides clients and owners with view-only access, ensuring data integrity. This feature is especially beneficial for managing complex projects with multiple stakeholders, allowing us to maintain control over data inputs while providing transparent access to project progress and documentation.

A peek at Smartsheet’s Quality Management Dashboard.

That transparency is paramount to our success. From the outset, we establish a robust quality management system, adapting to evolving needs during construction, making necessary updates and ensuring compliance with all standards. This positions the project or program as “audit ready.” By not missing any testing for statistical analysis, accepting all materials on site and maintaining all applicable documentation, we consistently pass audits with flying colors, reducing rework.

Digital tools such as Smartsheet allow us to execute progressive design-build projects efficiently, meeting accelerated timelines with precision. The tool has been invaluable on large alternative delivery projects where a standard quality management approach would surely fail. The potential for scaling Smartsheet across other projects and markets is immense. By establishing a standard platform, our quality management processes remain consistent, regardless of the project or client. This approach not only boosts efficiency but also strengthens our reputation for delivering high-quality, transparent and audit-ready projects.

The integration of Smartsheet into our project management processes at �鶹TV��վ has been transformative. By fostering transparency, enhancing efficiency and ensuring consistent quality, Smartsheet has helped position us as an industry leader. As we continue to innovate and refine our processes, the lessons learned from integrating Smartsheet will guide our future projects, ensuring that we consistently deliver exceptional results.

Don’t just keep pace with industry evolution — take charge! Contact us today to learn more about our industry-leading quality management program.

In honor of National Public Lands Day, we’re revisiting an infrastructure project that helps people access one of the wildest rivers in the world.

DEERLODGE PARK, Co. — Tucked at the opposite end of Dinosaur National Monument’s famous Quarry
Exhibit Hall, a fossil museum that received , lies a lesser-known yet equally
breathtaking attraction.

The Deerlodge Park Campground offers seven first-come, first-serve campsites for travelers to pitch a
tent among the towering cottonwoods of Colorado — and look up at the stars in .
However, most people only come here to enter the Yampa River.

Known for thwarting proposed on its waters (except a few minor diversions),
the Yampa remains the least-regulated tributary in the Colorado River Basin.

But extended summers are shortening the floating season. And because the flow of the river depends on how fast snow melts, are causing the Yampa to flood more intensely, straining vital infrastructure.

Bringing Resources to the Wild

As flooding continues to in the national register, Federal Land Management
Agencies (FLMAs) must augment their staffs to handle a backlog of transportation projects.
Enter the Office of Federal Lands Highway (FLH).

Responsible for more than 30 percent of the nation’s land, including over 500,000 miles of roads, the
FLH serves to solve and manage challenges that are wide-ranging in environment, geography, and
complexity.

From building the Hoover Dam Bypass over the Colorado River Gorge to reconstructing Pennsylvania
Avenue in front of the White House, the FLH and partnered agencies pioneer some of the most unique
transportation projects in the country.

Prepare to Stop, Danger Ahead

The Deerlodge Park Campground periodically floods during Colorado’s spring snowmelt. After decades
of enduring, Deerlodge Road and its supporting infrastructure were
beginning to crumble.

The drainage system, which only received touch-ups since being installed in 1966, was failing under
heavier, unprecedented loads of water. Ten of the 93 culverts carrying runoff under the roadway had
severely eroded. Another two were past repair.

This contributed to subsurface instability that accelerated the pavement’s decline, especially in
designated parking areas.

Additionally, the that monument officials installed in 2003 was deteriorating, inching the Yampa
10 feet closer to the road every year, an environmental review found.

Dinosaur had an imminent riverbank failure on its hands — and 12.7 miles of roadway to mend.

�� �� �� �� �� �� ��

Mobilizing for Universal Access

In coordination with the National Park Service (NPS), the CFLHD proposed a $5.6-million restoration.
After receiving endorsement from the Department of Interior (DOI), the CFLHD deployed a taskforce to
the easternmost end of Dinosaur’s 211,000-acre expanse.

And in four months, a hybrid field crew:

• Installed exposed-rock riprap with a “launchable toe,” a stabilization measure that autocorrects
  through time, to armor the riverbank.
• Removed and resurfaced the existing 12.7 miles of pavement with a fresh layer of hot asphalt.
• Enhanced parking areas, including curb and gutter replacements, for better functionality.
• Applied cement treatment to pavement cavities to reinforce subgrade.
• Repaired, relocated, and added culverts to improve drainage flow.

From inception to completion, the project aligned with stringent quality standards and ecological
considerations, and �鶹TV��վ Technical Consultants was hired as the Construction Management leader for
the project.. Along with delivering construction management and field inspection services, �鶹TV��վ
provided a Technical Advisor (COTA), Construction Inspector (CI), and off-site project administrators to
ensure success.

Building the Foundation for Public Lands Work

Beyond serving a recreational purpose, Deerlodge Park Road enables biologists to care after critical
habitats. It allows park rangers to engage the next generation of conservationists through school
programs. And it grants private landowners total control of their properties.

If you’re interested in learning more about �鶹TV��վ’ services and FLH project experience, contact the
Project Manager Patrick Young, P.E. or Lee Kunselman P.E., PMP.