U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-4000


Skip to content U.S. Department of Transportation/Federal Highway AdministrationU.S. Department of Transportation/Federal Highway Administration

Construction

<< PreviousContentsNext >>

ACTT Workshop: Wyoming
September 21-22, 2004, DuBois, Wyoming

[Archived] Chapter 3: Workshop Meeting Details

3.1 Construction/Materials Skill Set

Goals:

  • Construct corridor in 7-year schedule or less.
  • Use design/construction techniques that can reduce contract time.
  • Meet, or improve on, constructibility team parameters.
  • Identify strategies for high-elevation construction.
  • Minimize impacts to traffic by using traffic management techniques that maintain two-lane, two-way traffic and reduce work zone delays/stops.
  • Ensure adequate personnel and resources to administer the contract and prevent delay to the contractor's operation.
  • Maintain an acceptable traveling surface for the public at all times.
  • Maximize opportunities for the contractor to be productive (consider night-time closures).
  • Encourage and consider value engineering change proposals.
  • Evaluate use of constructibility review of 70 percent plans (engineering and preliminary right-of-way [ROW] plans) of Fourmile Meadows, Togwotee, and Rosie's Ridge projects.
  • Utilize a post construction review process (possibly at the end of each construction season) to discuss improvements to the processes being used.

Recommendations

Contract Administration:

  • Dedicated and available WYDOT program representatives to respond to issues-geologist on site.
  • Contractor construction surveying (includes slope staking and elevation control).
  • Allowing decisions to be made at a lower level.
  • Communications-streamline process (submittals, issue escalations, contract amendments).
  • Partnering with formalized chartering.
  • Critical path method (CPM) required per Spec Book 2003.

Innovative Contracting:

  • Incentive/Disincentive (early completion of construction season).

Accelerated Construction:

  • Snow Plan-allows the contractor to manage/maximize the seasons. Snow fence placement to mitigate snow storage conflicts between winter operations by maintenance forces and spring construction.
  • Material Testing:
    • Contractor test results for acceptance (earthwork, base, surfacing).
    • Change density testing from sand cones to nuclear gauge through streamlining calibration process.
    • Use of proof rolling and reduced frequency of testing.
  • Strategically placed staging/stockpile areas to have materials on site. (Advanced crushing for temporary surfacing.)
  • Advance clearing of trees to facilitate southern exposure for construction in the spring.
  • Accelerate the schedule to 6 years by shifting Fourmile Meadow to 2006 and Rosie's Ridge to 2008 to include evaluation of consolidation of individual projects into fewer contracts.
  • Let advanced contracts for various hot spots (rock cuts, slide remediation areas).
  • Alternate alignment to the north for Rosie's Ridge-minimizes impacts to the traveling public. Could reduce the construction duration by 2 years.

Work Zones:

  • Maintain two-way, two-lane traffic and minimum speed exceptions-15/30 minute stop/hold, night-time closures (blasting, etc).
  • Maintain widths at tight locations with incentive/disincentive (with window for completion).
  • Minimize grade difference with new vertical alignment.
  • Wider dirt template, material storage, future contract temp surfacing, crusher run base.

Technology:

  • Communications-investigate new technologies for real time communications, Web cams.
  • Alternative test methods (geogauge, concrete maturity meters, etc.).
  • Alternative materials and construction methods (use of precast/prefabricated materials, pipe arch versus reinforced concrete box, extend construction season with heaters, use of geogrid, etc.).
  • GPS-controlled equipment (laser guided graders using GPS levels).
  • Improved lighting technology.

3.2 Environment Skill Set

Goals:

  • Meet FEIS/ROD mitigation measures.
  • Identify strategies to work effectively with interdisciplinary advisory committees.
  • Identify cost effective design/construction options to separate wildlife and vehicle movements.

Recommendations

Meet FEIS/ROD environmental commitments, mitigation, and project specific stipulations:

  • Resident engineer (RE) responsible for all commitments. Communicate with advisory committee.
  • Coordinate public relations and public relations consultant (cooperation).
  • Environmental coordinator (EC) is responsible for wildlife data incorporated into design. Ensure additional National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process is performed.

Identify strategies to work effectively with interdisciplinary groups:

  • EC will ensure information exchange and decisions made between groups. Roles and functions of each member.
  • EC will ensure that the Advisory Committee (AC) obtains all information necessary to make recommendation.
  • EC will request stakeholder status check from all AC members:
    • Reassess at each meeting.
    • Consider AC carrots.
  • EC/RE visit with AC members.
  • Encourage more Corps of Engineers (COE) involvement of outreach to others agencies.

Identify cost effective design/construction options to separate wildlife and vehicle movements:

  • Inherent process.

Communication:

  • 800 number for project information, comments/responsive to comments, update up and running as soon as possible (publish number).
    • Project information for public involvement tool.
  • Mail out newsletter to property owners and provide to certain businesses in communities.
  • Heavily involve marketing consultants immediately.
  • Project Web site:
    • EIS.
    • Commitments.
    • Newsletter.
    • AC minutes.
    • Monitor for effectiveness.
    • Web camera.
    • Community appreciation.
    • AC assess community incentives throughout an outreach effort (e.g., newsletter).

3.3 Geotechnical/Structures Skill Set

Goals:

  • Identify designs/construction practices to minimize construction time and disruption to traffic.
  • Use best practice during the investigation to accurately identify and characterize all subsurface conditions.
  • Evaluate the subsurface conditions to provide complete geotechnical recommendations for an efficient design.
  • Accelerate design and construction by utilizing innovative mitigation and contracting methods.
  • Minimize latent/unknown subsurface conditions.
  • Explore new methods and materials that would speed up construction (e.g., use of fabrics, backfill types) or allow a longer construction season.
  • Identify retaining wall designs to minimize construction time and disruption to two-lane, two-way traffic control.
  • Identify structural designs and construction practices to minimize construction time and disruption to traffic.
  • Identify contractual options to expedite construction activities and provide contractor innovation in excavation and construction techniques for retaining walls and bridges.

Recommendations

Major Issues:

  • Advanced contracts for "hot spots":
    • Rock cut at Sta. 2730+00.
    • Major slides at MP 9-11:
      • Debris flow areas.
    • Slide mitigation-various locations throughout corridor.
  • Retaining walls.
  • Structures/bridges:
    • Buffalo Fork Bridge surcharge.
  • Contract packaging.
  • Frost heaves.
  • Alternative materials/methods for extending the construction season.

Advanced Contracts:

  • Geotech/Structures can be the "critical path" for the overall project:
    • Several "hot spots" identified:
      • Rock cut at Sta. 2730+00.
      • Rosie's Ridge slide areas.
      • Other slide areas throughout the corridor.
      • Buffalo Fork Bridge/approach surcharge.

Treatment of "Hot Spots":

  • Let as advanced contracts:
    • Contract packaging:
      • Independent of main roadway projects.
    • Accelerate geotech studies.
    • Look into value engineering studies at the critical sites.
    • Allow specialty contractors to streamline operations.

Rock cut at Sta. 2730+00:

  • Value engineering at this site:
    • Option 1: Blast and cut:
      • Will require 1-2 hour closures for debris clearing.
      • Night work suggested.
      • Provides materials for future contracts.
      • Double handling of material is an issue.
    • Option 2: Tunnel through hill:
      • Better horizontal alignment.
      • Reduced environmental impacts.
      • High cost.
      • Ventilation if over 800 ft (480 m).
      • Work can be done through winter.
    • Option 3: Bridge around site:
      • High cost.
      • Wildlife connectivity.
    • Option 4: Wall with cantilever slab:
      • Potential for least cost.
      • Wildlife crossing barrier.
    • Option 5: Combine Options 3 and 4:
      • Short bridge(s) with walls.
      • Wildlife connectivity.

Major Slides at Rosie's Ridge (MP 9-11) and Other Areas:

  • Investigate each site.
  • Toe berms.
  • Alternative alignments.
  • Debris flow fields.
  • Tie back walls.
  • Soil nail walls.
  • Subsurface drainage.
  • Lightweight fills.

Retaining Walls:

  • Structure types:
    • Precast elements for all types:
      • Walls/footings/modular elements.
    • Mechanically stabilized earth.
    • Precast cantilever (cast-in-place possible).
    • Gravity (cast-in-place or precast modular).
    • Tie back.
    • Soil nail.
    • Combinations of above.
    • Aesthetic treatments.

Snowmobile Underpass Bridges:

  • Precast culverts.
  • Con-span/bebo arches/hyspan (precast bottomless).
  • Corrugated steel pipe arches.
  • Use prefabricated elements.
  • Storage/staging areas.
  • Oversize to accommodate wildlife passage.

Bridges:

  • Jointless/integral.
  • High performance materials.
  • Surcharge approaches over winter (Buffalo Fork Bridge).
  • Use prefabricated elements:
    • Storage/staging areas.
    • Concern about local experience with prefabricated elements.
  • Aesthetics.

Contract Packaging:

  • Group specialty contracts by type and not by location:
    • Slide mitigation (Rosie's and other sites).
    • Rock cut or other alternatives.
    • Bridges.
  • Rearrange roadway contracts:
    • Three in place of five.
    • Only three contracts have major impact on traffic.
  • Construction management:
    • Electronic data transfer:
      • Streamline shop drawing process.
    • Automated management systems (Pennsylvania, Texas, others).
  • Bid contracts in fall:
    • Maximize startup work in off-season:
      • Material procurement.
      • Shop drawing submittals.
      • Materials certifications.

Frost Heaves:

  • Elevated profile with rock cap.
  • Overexcavate and replace material with drainage.
  • Polystyrene board insulation layer.
  • Vertical edge drains.
  • Horizontal geocomposite drains.

Alternate Materials/Methods for Extending the Construction Season:

  • Use larger crushed aggregate materials:
    • Can be placed in colder weather.
  • Identify material sources early:
    • Pits.
    • Borrow.
  • Geo-foam.
  • Use prefabricated elements.
  • Alternate testing procedures:
    • Cold weather concrete.
  • Do submittals in the off-season.

3.4 Innovative Financing/Contracting

Goals:

  • Maintain pay-as-you-go financing philosophy.
  • Identify cost containment strategies.
  • Identify components of a financial plan (funding sources, cash flow, etc.).
  • Identify innovative financing techniques that can minimize the impact of this project on the State Transportation Improvement Program for both District 5 and the State as a whole.
  • Identify innovative contracting procedures that can reduce or minimize the impact to the traveling public and business community.
  • Evaluate use of aggressive incentive/disincentive contract provisions.
  • Utilize new and existing contracting methods to minimize the duration for the contract.
  • Explore new specifications to maintain and enhance the mobility of the traveling public through the job.
  • Consider the use of A + B bidding and lane rental.
  • Utilize specifications that allow some flexibility for the contractor to sequence his operations and maximize his efficiency.

Recommendations

Contractor Designs for Speciality Work:

  • Geotechnical.
  • Tunnel/bridge(s).

Early Contracts:

  • Stockpiling/staging.
  • Prefab items (individual contract, mechanically stabilized earth MSE walls).

Bundling Contracts:

  • Option A:
    • Brooks Lake section (one contract)-$18 million.
    • Remaining four sections in one contract.
  • Option B:
    • Brooks Lake section.
    • Buffalo Fork River, Togwotee Pass, and Fourmile Meadows sections.
    • Rosie's Ridge section.
  • Option C:
    • Brooks Lake section with elements of other projects.
    • Same as options A or B.
  • Outsourcing design for bundled contract scenario.
  • A+B bidding for larger contract with department time determination schedule.
  • Minimizing one-way lane closures.
  • Special prequalification.
  • Subcontracting limits-increase from 50 percent.
  • Incentives/disincentives:
    • For time (with A+B or special closure).
    • Traffic mobility.
  • Mandatory partnering:
    • Alternative dispute resolution.
    • Preconstruction workshops.
  • Corridor management team:
    • Scheduling management (CPM).
    • Traffic.
  • 5-year schedule-traditional pay-as-you-go:
    • Develop cash flow schedule.
    • Match financing plan with overall schedule.

Accelerated Construction Schedule-less than 5 years:

  • Options:
    • Use State Infrastructure Bank to issue variable rate debt (less than 5-year schedule).
    • Draw on $60 million from general fund.
    • Use flexible match to cash flow State match.
    • Other sources?
      • Donations.
      • Game and Fish.
      • National Park Service shadow tolls/shared fee.

Long-Term Legislative Strategy:

  • Taxes.
  • Tolls.
  • Mineral trust funds.

3.5 Pavements

Goals:

  • Identify surfacing options to limit future construction impacts to traffic, specifically design life and initial geometric design, to allow for future overlays.
  • Explore mobility issues/resolutions for concrete projects, although not an issue on the Moran Junction-Dubois project.
  • Explore new methods for testing and evaluating material properties such as utilizing a geogauge, which measures stiffness, as an accompaniment to base density measurements.

Recommendations

  • Surfacing. options discussed with the goal of increasing pavement life, maybe to 40 or 50 years (excluding pavement overlays):
    • Increase asphalt thickness from 4 to 6 in (101.6 to 152.4 mm) to reduce thermal cracking.
    • Continue use of current standard for asphalt binder.
  • Investigate non-traditional paving methods, including night-time paving, "A+B" bidding, and season and air temperature limitations (but maintain density and moisture standards).
  • Conduct density testing at longitudinal joints.
  • Consider use of joint sealers at time of construction.
  • Investigate additional staging areas to minimize impacts on old and new pavements and to increase efficiency of construction activities.
  • Let two separate crushing and stockpiling contracts; one in conjunction with first reconstruction contract and the other ahead of the remaining contracts.
  • Consider use of one chip seal over entire corridor instead of on a project-by-project basis (if chip sealing is deemed necessary).
  • Consider use of plant-mix base to provide construction platform (would help improve mobility through construction zone) if subgrade drainage can be addressed. Alternative is use of two base layers; top layer is plant-mix base, lower layer is Cement Base.
  • Evaluate new specifications for Cement Base quality control/quality assurance.
  • Consult with FHWA and Expert Task Groups about new testing procedures; use "side-by-side" methodology for correlating results.

3.6 Public Relations Skill Set

Goals:

  • Provide accurate, timely, and complete information on the daily construction operations affecting traffic movement.
  • Provide information concerning the long-term benefits of corridor reconstruction.
  • Provide information concerning the environmental protection objectives in use.
  • Minimize the negative feelings toward road construction (construction is only a distraction, not a reason to cancel or reroute travel through Dubois, Lander, Riverton, or Wind River Indian Reservation).
  • Fewer traffic delays, if possible, and shorter.
  • Minimize the impacts of road construction through innovative traffic movements through construction areas, minimized delays, interpretive radio, and portable bathroom facilities along route, etc.
  • Promote that funding for the $100 million worth of projects will be available.
  • Market the marketing plan (dollars, how many years, need for this, etc.).
  • Publicize possible mitigation plans.
  • Help area benefit while helping State grow in its tourism efforts as well.
  • Provide up-to-date construction information to travelers and businesses in the form of maps, possible traffic movement times (so they can hit the traffic control about the time it moves), and times when the road will be open without delays.

Recommendations

  • Put a public relations representative on the AC-immediate action item:
    • Continuity of communications.
    • Capitalize on opportunities.
    • Identify potential problems in advance.
  • Clearly identify potential and existing user groups (customers, homeowners, residents, business groups, etc.):
    • Bloggers.
    • Business owners.
    • Civic leaders.
    • Commuters.
    • Construction workers.
    • Frontline workers.
    • Influencers (travel agents, American Automobile Association, media, etc.).
    • Internal workers.
    • Landowners.
    • Public land managers.
    • Residents.
    • Resource groups.
    • Schools.
    • Service workers.
    • Tourists.
    • Tribes.
  • Develop a comprehensive and detailed communications plan:
    • Retain selected marketing and advertising consultant to prepare plan.
  • The detailed communications plan would include several of the following strategies:
    • Provide comprehensive information to all travelers.
    • Ensure all construction and road condition information is real-time, accurate, informative, proactive, useful, and widely available.
    • Provide origin/destination specific travel information alternatives (relative to where people are going).
    • Deliver information with unique personality and aspect of "fun" consistent with the region's unique appeal.
    • Always strive to change consumer/motorist perceptions of the typical road construction experience.
  • Develop a comprehensive and detailed marketing plan:
    • Retain selected marketing and advertising consultant to prepare plan.
    • The detailed marketing plan would include several of the following strategies:
      • Inform, promote, and educate target audiences about Togwotee Trail and scenic byways natural/historic/cultural attributes.
      • Remind people that the area is a unique destination.
      • Leverage existing resources from the Wind River Visitors Council and other appropriate marketing efforts.
      • Develop a retail/commercial educational program to enhance economic benefits of the project.
      • Send messages that construction will not inhibit activities-"Keep Wyoming moving and open for adventure."
  • Select and retain a local, qualified, professional, public information officer for the corridor.
  • Develop long-term measures of effectiveness:
    • Sales tax.
    • Lodging tax.
    • Occupancy rate.
    • Survey of attitudes and perceptions.
    • Wyoming Business Council and tourism measures.
    • Traffic counts.
    • Complaints.
    • Crisis management.
    • Media audits.

3.7 Traffic/Safety/ITS Skill Set

Goals:

  • Identify intelligent transportation systems (ITS) options at grade to warn motorists of active, impending wildlife roadway crossings.
  • Identify ITS applications for work zone traffic control, particularly to advise the traveling public of possible delays.
  • Establish doable, measurable benchmarks that deal with delay (e.g., 75 percent of the time, two-way traffic shall be maintained; any time two-way traffic is disrupted, the stopped delay shall not exceed 10 minutes for any vehicle; minimum attainable speeds for vehicular travel through the construction area shall be 30 mi/h [48 km/h]).
  • Describe work zone techniques that will provide safety for the traveling public as well as the workers, yet maintain mobility.
  • Look at innovative traffic control contracting methodologies such as performance-based specifications and contractor-developed, agency-approved, traffic control plans.
  • Identify methods of traffic control coordination between concurrent projects.
  • Identify innovative methods to deal with difficult telecommunication situations as they relate to ITS devices (wireless, satellite, etc.).
  • Identify innovative methods to deal with difficult power situations (solar, wind, etc.).

Recommendations

Wildlife movements and crossings:

  • Incorporate data on migration crossings into design.
  • Use existing box culverts and structures, as well as new snowmobile crossings.
  • Implement roadside clearing strategy.
  • Postpone technological solutions.

ITS:

  • Geotech systems:
    • Ground water.
    • Slope stability.
  • Motorist information system (variable message signs):
    • Pre-travel, key decision points, and at construction site.
    • Part of system to remain after project complete.
  • Give information needed in real time:
    • Travel (trip) time.
    • Delay time.
  • Highway advisory radio system.
  • Web site.
  • Telephone-511 (1-888-WYO-ROAD).
  • Traffic management operations center.
  • Coordinate with public relations-information sharing.

Communications and Power:

  • Install power and fiber optic services for whole corridor.
    • Trench and bury cables.
    • Short-term benefits:
      • Real-time data communication.
      • Power to the ITS systems.
      • Video feeds for public information and Web site.
    • Long-term benefits:
      • Power for future projects or use.
      • Continued ITS support (corridor cameras, weather).
      • Increase cellular service (repeaters) for 911 emergency calls.

Safety and Traffic Control:

  • Motorists assistance patrol contract-tow truck:
    • Basic motor maintenance functions.
    • Little or no medical support.
  • Traffic control coordinator (TCS)-certified.
    • Single TCS contract for whole corridor:
      • Overall corridor functions defined.
      • Traffic control devices.
      • Messages kept up to date.
      • Signs covered and uncovered.
      • Night work inspections.
      • Pay on a 24-hour day.
  • Traffic control devices:
    • Wet reflective tape.
    • Barrier reflective panel for curves and barriers.

Specifications/Contracting:

  • A+B bidding could be used for any or all units.
  • Identification clauses for "hot spots" lists:
    • Long-term lane closures.
<< PreviousContentsNext >>
Updated: 02/20/2020
Federal Highway Administration | 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE | Washington, DC 20590 | 202-366-4000