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 CONTENT
FEBRUARY 2024 / VOL. 62 / NO. 2

40 22

DEPARTMENTS

05 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Dereliction of Duty

06 LAW 26 30
Liquidated Damages

47 AD INDEX FEATURES
50 ROADS REPORT
In the Spirit of Adventure 08 THE ULTIMATE CORRIDOR 30 STREAMLINING WINTER
The story behind the largest MAINTENANCE
highway infrastructure project Asset management tools support
in Florida history data driven decisions

12 SAFETY, STEWARDSHIP, 32 PRIORITY PROJECTS

AND RESILIENCE Missouri and Illinois revamp
The design principles elevating 70’s corridor
the John T. Brooks Bridge Project
36 AN ICON MEETS THE FUTURE
16 JOINING FORCES Drones and AI help preserve
Oregon and Washington team up a historic bridge
to transform a corridor
39 MONEY SAVED
22 THE GATEWAY TO How a bridge rehabilitation
PENNSYLVANIA project sets a new standard
ON THE COVER
A DDI project does more
The cover is a collage of
photographs from two Florida
than connect Maryland 40 REUSING THE ROAD
to Pennsylvania Innovative solutions on
Department of Transportation
projects: the Brooks Bridge project New Mexico’s road projects
and Interstate-4 Ultimate project. 26 BUILDING SOCIAL BRIDGES
Photo credit: © Trey Cambern (courtesy of HNTB),
and the Superior-WSP Design-Build Team
The power of 3D design 44 RE-PAVING THE WAY
visualization in civil An innovative twist on hot in-place
engineering recycling breeds success

FEBRUARY 2024 / ROADSBRIDGES.COM 3

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 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
PUBLISHED BY
ENDEAVOR BUSINESS MEDIA
30 Burton Hills Blvd., Ste 185
Nashville, TN 37215
800-547-7377

Dereliction of Duty
STAFF
SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR
Gavin Jenkins
GJenkins@Endeavorb2b.com
412-995-0095

DIGITAL EDITOR Pittsburgh could have prevented a bridge collapse

Ryan Curtiss
RCurtiss@Endeavorb2b.com
856-723-4765

ASSOCIATE EDITOR A REPORT by the National Transporta- your car one second and falling 100 feet
Harlee Hewitt tion Safety Board (NTSB) found that a lack the next? It’s horrifying.
HHewitt@Endeavorb2b.com
918-927-9622 of maintenance led to clogged drains on Some of the collapse survivors have
VP, GROUP PUBLISHER the Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh’s sued the city, and I hope they get as much
Mike Uliss
MUliss@Endeavorb2b.com
east end. money as the court allows. Their ordeal
920-563-1775 Corrosion, stemming from the clogged was preventable, and it happened because
GROUP PUBLISHER drains, contributed to the bridge’s collapse the city was neglectful.
Brandon Williamson
BWilliamson@Endeavorb2b.com on the morning of Jan. 28, 2022. After the NTSB report was released, city
512-739-2102 As a Pittsburgher born and raised, I officials admitted that it did not ask its mainte-
MEDIA ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE knew this national story would eventually nance contractor to clean expansion joints or
Patrick Keefe
PKeefe@Endeavorb2b.com reach the stage where we discovered that drainage systems on Fern Hollow Bridge in
847-494-7044 city officials had failed. But I didn’t think it the three years leading up to its collapse.
MEDIA ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE would be this embarrassing. Three years? That’s insane, and it falls
Mike Mandozzi
MMandozzi@Endeavorb2b.com In the NTSB report, it was revealed that on former Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto and
224-313-1323
a consultant who led multiple inspections city council members.
MEDIA ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Deanna Morgan
of Fern Hollow Bridge had told Pittsburgh In the NTSB report, officials from
DMorgan@Endeavorb2b.com officials that debris needed to be cleared Pittsburgh’s department of mobility and
901-517-0699
from drains. infrastructure said the city lacked the
CLASSIFIED MEDIA ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Rich Thompson Tim Pintar, who oversaw inspections in-house capabilities to clean expansion
RThompson@Endeavorb2b.com for CDM Smith, said that Pittsburgh had joints and the storm water drainage system.
952-449-1592
clogged scuppers and downspouts on The Pennsylvania Department of
PRODUCTION & CIRCULATION
ART DIRECTOR | Jennifer Dakas
most of its bridges. He called this the Transportation (PennDOT) released
PRODUCTION MANAGER
number one problem on the city’s bridges, documents proving that it had scolded the
Edward Bartlett according to WTAE. city for dragging its feet on Fern Hollow
EBartlett@Endeavorb2b.com
“And I tried to preach that the whole Bridge repairs in 2014.
AD SERVICES MANAGER
Karen Runion time, and nothing ever got done,” he said. Eight years before the collapse!
KRunion@Endeavorb2b.com Pittsburgh is nicknamed the “City of I love PennDOT, but eight years is a long
AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Bridges” because it has 446 of them. time to not inform the public.
Shirley Patino | SPatino@Endeavorb2b.com
This city should be a national leader in The fallout does not seem to be over,
ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR
Adrienne Miller | AMiller@Endeavorb2b.com bridge maintenance. and other bridge owners need to learn
847-391-1036 This is disgraceful. I live in the east end from this: invest in maintenance and make
SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES of Pittsburgh, and I often take Bob, my repairs. Infrastructure is life and death, and
877-382-9187; 847-559-7598
Roads & Bridges | RAB@omeda.com border collie-mix, to Frick Park, which is you won’t be as lucky as Pittsburgh.
P.O. Box 3257 Northbrook, IL 60065-3257
underneath the Fern Hollow Bridge.
LIST RENTAL
Bart Piccirillo | Bart.piccirrillo@data-axle.com
To the untrained eye, the bridge did
Michael Costantino not look like it was in good shape. This
Michael.Costantino@data-axle.com
news is infuriating.
There were 10 people on the bridge
when it collapsed. They fell 100 feet into a Gavin Jenkins
snowy ravine, and, despite some injuries, Senior Managing Editor
CORPORATE
ENDEAVOR BUSINESS MEDIA, LLC
they all lived. Can you imagine driving in GJenkins@Endeavorb2b.com

CEO | Chris Ferrell

PRESIDENT | June Griffin
FOR THE LATEST NEWS . . . FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
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EVP TRANSPORTATION GROUP | Kylie Hirko
EVP ENDEAVOR BUSINESS FEBRUARY 2024 / ROADSBRIDGES.COM 5
INTELLIGENCE | Paul Mattioli
LAW
Liquidated Damages
Penalties and what is unenforcable
LIQUIDATED DAMAGES TYPICALLY flow from
delays, but they are not always solidly enforced.
In June 2017, a contractor agreed to construct
Jon Straw a new park and elementary school for a city. The
is a partner with project included demolition of an existing park.
Kraftson Caudle, PLC,
a law firm in McLean,
The city did not want the neighborhood to
Va., specializing go without a park for a long period of time. So,
in heavy-highway the contract included a deadline for completion
and transportation
construction. Straw
and a liquidated damages (LDs) clause for delays
can be contacted beyond that deadline ($1,000 per calendar day).
via e-mail at jstraw@ LDs clauses are commonplace in the
kraftsoncaudle.com.
construction industry. Such clauses provide
parties a pre-defined remedy upon the
occurrence or non-occurrence of an agreed event
or condition.
The most common event or condition is when a
project milestone is not achieved, and the parties
have agreed to a daily amount to compensate
the damaged party for loss of use and/or costs of
extended project duration.
Some jurisdictions may require that LDs
clauses be accompanied by incentive clauses. For
example: if a certain deadline is delayed, then the
delaying party is responsible for $X/day for each
day of delay past the deadline, together with, if a
certain deadline is achieved earlier than planned,
then the achieving party will receive $X/day for
each day before the planned deadline.
Some jurisdictions may require
that LDs clauses be accompanied
by incentive clauses.
Typically, LDs clauses are included when actual
damages are difficult to determine, but they are
capable of reasonable estimation and do not
penalize the party responsible for the delay.
LDs clauses will always be created before any
conditions (e.g., delays) that trigger LDs have
occurred, not after-the-fact because, by that time,
damages are better able to be determined.
Oftentimes, if parties have agreed upon an
LDs clause and that LDs clause is later deemed
unenforceable, the allegedly damaged party
cannot then seek its actual damages. This
is because, by the time a LDs clause is held
6 ROADS&BRIDGES / FEBRUARY 2024
unenforceable, the damaged party will have
already taken the position that actual damages
are difficult to determine and they cannot be
reasonably estimated, so any later determination
of actual damages will be less reliable.
Under Georgia law, applicable to this case, LDs
provisions are enforceable if: the damages will be
“difficult to estimate accurately, the parties must
intend to provide damages instead of a penalty,
and the sum must be a reasonable estimate of the
probable loss.” City of Brookhaven v. Multiplex,
LLC, 369 Ga. App. 9 (July 27, 2023).
In this case, the court held the LDs clause was
unenforceable because it was a penalty, and it
was not a reasonable estimate of the probable
loss. A penalty is a disincentive, not compensation
for damage or loss. A fee without a related
damage is a penalty. Here, there was no cost or
damage to the city by not being able to use the
new park.
While the inability of residents to use a
neighborhood park is an inconvenience, it was
not one that damaged the city by causing it pay or
lose money.
Hypothetically, if the city had set-up a
temporary neighborhood park for a time-related
cost and usage of that temporary park continued
for longer than planned because the permanent
park was completed late, then the city could have
incurred a cost for the extended usage of the
temporary park.
Most often, parties simply expressly agree that
an LDs clause is not a penalty, but that language
was not in this contract.
An enforceable LDs clause must be a
reasonable estimate of probable damage. Here,
there was no evidence that $1,000/day was based
upon anything other than the “standard amount”
in other city contracts.
But even if there had been some evidence of
an estimate, the basis must be reasonable. For
example, if the daily amount included fixed costs
that would have been incurred regardless of any
delays, then at least the amount would probably
have been unenforceable and maybe the entire
LDs clause.
LDs clauses are usually enforceable. But if they
are unreasonable or penalize, they will fail.
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DOT CORNER
WHERE THE SAWGRASS
MEETS THE HIGHWAY
Florida’s infrastructure projects are as big as they are bold
By Gavin Jenkins, Senior Managing Editor
FLORIDA OFTEN IS DISRESPECTED. Watch enough
television, and the Florida jokes are hard to miss. They’re so
common that they have become predictable. Internet culture
can be blamed for some of this. Social media gave us the Florida
Man phenomenon, which is due to the state’s relaxed freedom
of information laws and refers to news stories about people
doing irrational and absurd actions.
However, in the roads and bridges construction industry,
Florida is far from a punchline. The state is a leader in construc-
tion, innovation, and design.
The demand for infrastructure projects is high. The state’s
population continues to grow, and it receives a record amount
of tourists each year.
To meet the state’s infrastructure needs, Gov. Ron DeSantis
dedicated $15.6 billion in funding for statewide transportation
projects. The state’s legislature also approved an additional $4
billion for the Moving Florida Forward Infrastructure Initiative,
which is focused on bringing 20 key projects to the construction
phase 10-15 years sooner.
8 ROADS&BRIDGES / FEBRUARY 2024
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) also is a
leader regarding solving safety issues with technology.
Last year, FDOT opened the SunTrax Transportation Testing
facility. SunTrax features a 2.25-mile test track and 200-acre
infield for automated vehicle testing and simulation. Companies
from around the world have traveled to Auburndale, east of
Tampa, to test emerging technology at this facility.
SunPass, the Florida Turnpike Enterprise’s prepaid toll transpon-
der, is the most interoperable in the nation. SunPass has reciprocity
in 22 states and accepts 12 transponder brands in FDOT facilities,
both of which are more than any other state in the country, accord-
ing to Michael Williams, deputy communications director at FDOT.
There isn’t enough space in this issue to examine all of
Florida’s infrastructure projects. So, we are focusing on two:
the Brooks Bridge Replacement project and the Interstate-4
Ultimate project. These projects epitomize the hard work,
innovation, and collaboration going on in Florida.
Fail to pay attention to how FDOT is transforming the state’s
infrastructure, and the joke will be on you.

THE ULTIMATE
CORRIDOR
The story CENTRAL FLORIDA IS one of the nation’s
fastest growing regions. From 2017 to 2018,
behind Orlando’s population increased by more than
the largest 60,000 people. In that one-year stretch, Tampa
grew by more than 50,000 people.
highway The Florida Department of Transportation
infrastructure (FDOT) began planning the buildout of
Interstate-4, the region’s main thoroughfare
project in and busiest highway, in the 1980s. A public-pri-
Florida history vate partnership concession agreement, signed
in 2014, kicked off the project in earnest.
And the population growth over the past
By Suze Parker,
few years has proved how badly the region
Contributing Author
needs an “ultimate” infrastructure project.
The I-4 Ultimate project is FDOT’s largest
infrastructure project, and it will transform
transportation, ushering in an era of mobility,
safety, and access in central Florida.
The Interstate-4 Ultimate project FDOT chose HNTB to provide construc-
will transform one of central tion oversight, a role that included managing
Florida’s main thoroughfares. the public-private partnership agreement
CREDIT: © TREY CAMBERN, COURTESY
OF HNTB throughout the construction period. Supported
DOT CORNER
by more than a dozen local, state, and federal
agency representatives, FDOT broke ground
on the massive, $2.3 billion I-4 Ultimate
project in 2015.
The project aimed to remake every inch of
pavement on the 21-mile corridor, widening it
and adding capacity and congestion relief with
four new express lanes – two in each direction
– within the center right-of-way.
“I-4 at the time largely was comprised of
the original interchanges and horizontal and
vertical alignments from when it was first
constructed,” said John Tyler, FDOT District
5 secretary. “The infrastructure needed to
be rebuilt to current standards to handle the
region’s present and future traffic growth.
FDOT was committed to improving safety and
mobility on this vital highway.”
Originally, the I-4 Ultimate project was
envisioned as a series of smaller jobs that
would have been conventionally funded
through transportation taxes and legislative
FEBRUARY 2024 / ROADSBRIDGES.COM 9
DOT CORNER
processes – an approach that could have stretched
construction up to 27 years.
“To deliver the project in about seven-and-a-half years, as
FDOT has done, was a monumental achievement by the agency
and the [public-private partnership] team,” said Mike Gwynne,
HNTB construction oversight services resident engineer. “The
project stakeholders, which include several water-management
districts and nine agencies, city and county jurisdictions across
the 21 miles, began partnering with FDOT 20 years before
a shovel was put in the ground, and continued working col-
laboratively with the FDOT and [partnership] team throughout
construction.”
Once an agreement was reached on interchange align-
ments, aesthetic concepts and the right-of-way, the cities
entrusted FDOT with their streets and helped manage the
impacts of construction to their communities to deliver this
program, according to Gwynne.
TRAGEDY CREATES OPPORTUNITY
Most of I-4 Ultimate’s lane miles lie within Orlando city limits.
The interstate runs through the heart of downtown, where work
on the important I-4/State Road 408 interchange began shortly
after project construction commenced.
10 ROADS&BRIDGES / FEBRUARY 2024
Throughout the project area, numerous major crossroads
intersect the interstate. Of the 15 major interchanges com-
pletely reconstructed as part of the project, I-4/S.R. 408 was
the most complex.
Orlando has grown around I-4 since the roadway was
constructed in the 1950s and 1960s. Amway Center, home to
the NBA’s Orlando Magic, stands at one corner of the I-4/S.R.
408 interchange; City Hall stands at another.
On the other two sides, residential communities were built up
to the right-of-way limits. Utility lines are pervasive, and an Orlando
Utilities Commission substation that supplies downtown power is
located within the envelope of the new interchange.
These constraints left the project team little space to
maneuver. New ramps from surface streets onto S.R. 408 were
built several stories higher than the previous ramps had been.
Travel lanes, too, had to be constructed at higher elevations
over the existing lanes while simultaneously building capacity
outward horizontally.
To streamline traffic for the 200,000 drivers who navigate
through downtown Orlando each day, travel lanes and bridge
and ramp movements remained open during peak travel times,
with closures limited mostly to overnight hours.
A complicated set of temporary bridges over Church and
South Streets was constructed to keep interstate traffic moving
while the construction team removed the old eastbound I-4
lanes and built new ones.
When COVID-19 struck in early 2020 and forced a shutdown,
FDOT accelerated key projects, including the I-4/S.R. 408
downtown interchange.
“I-4 Ultimate was viewed as an economic driver to help the
state recover from the effects of COVID-19,” Gwynne said.
Going clockwise, starting with the bottom right photograph: The project team
installs temporary shoring to support steel plate girders at Bridge 104, the new
westbound Kirkman Road Bridge over I-4 in Orlando. Bottom left: Temporary
piling caps were installed to support temporary bridges between Chruch Street
and Pine Street, which were used for the phased replacement of the existing
viaduct through Orlando. Top left: I-4 Ultimate crews constructed a temporary
timber soil anchored shoring wall and an MSE wall for the I-4 general purpose
lanes at South Street in Orlando.
CREDIT: © TREY CAMBERN, COURTESY OF HNTB

Four new express lanes (seen at ground level above and seen from the air to
the right) were built within the center right-of-way. The new express lanes add
capacity and congestion relief.
CREDIT: TREY CAMBERN, COURTESEY OF HNTB
Accelerating the project did not create congestion in down-
town Orlando because traffic volumes were down 30% or more.
“Among the steps the contractor took were more lane and
ramp closures for longer periods during the daytime hours,”
Tyler said. “To finish work on the I-4/S.R. 408 interchange, the
contractor took the westbound I-4 mainline to a single lane for a
week — an action that wouldn’t have been possible without the
dramatic reduction in traffic congestion during the pandemic.”
The I-4/S.R. 408 interchange opened to traffic in summer
2020 — six months ahead of schedule because of the COVID-
related project acceleration — as a four-level interchange with
sweeping flyover ramps as high as 120 feet above the ground.
Conceived in cooperation with S.R. 408’s owner, Central
Florida Expressway Authority, and considered the crown jewel
of the I-4 Ultimate project, the interchange modernized connec-
tions between central Florida’s two busiest highways, reducing
travel times and transforming Orlando’s skyline.
CONSTRUCTION OVERSIGHT
The I-4 Ultimate concession agreement delivery model allowed
for the concessionaire team, which included a design-build
contractor and a sampling, testing, and inspection consultant, to
inspect and accept its own work.
Since the project was partially funded with federal dollars,
FDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) entered
into a project-specific agreement that enabled the delivery
model to proceed, with the stipulation that FDOT, as the state
highway agency and project owner, would have construc-
tion oversight services to ensure that concessionaire quality
acceptance processes complied with the contract documents.
HNTB administered the exceptionally complex public-private
partnership agreement. Besides monitoring construction quality,
stringent performance measures in the contract called for
DOT CORNER
auditing the day-to-day operations of the concessionaire, its
contractors, and its consultants.
These audits made sure contractual standards for traffic flow,
accident clearing, hurricane response and other operational
requirements were met.
To carry out this unique assignment efficiently and with as
little disruption to the concessionaire team as possible, HNTB
developed a cutting-edge, risk-based audit program and
software tool (RBAP) in cooperation with FDOT.
RBAP’s requirements verification database — a collection of
requirements extracted from the agreement – form individual,
auditable ‘data points’ that can be updated in minutes.
Beyond contract oversight and helping the concessionaire
develop solutions, HNTB coordinated construction activities,
including lane closures and detours, with the nine jurisdic-
tions across the project length. HNTB also worked closely
with FDOT’s public information consultant to distill informa-
tion and engineering drawings into concepts the public could
easily absorb.
“HNTB’s team brought FDOT and the state some of the
best bridge and roadway inspectors, engineers and schedule
expertise available on the market,” Tyler said.
The I-4 Ultimate project’s benefits extend far beyond the
signature corridor itself. Motorists now experience an I-4 with
greatly improved safety, connectivity, and mobility, with some
peak-hour travel times reduced up to 20 minutes.
FEBRUARY 2024 / ROADSBRIDGES.COM 11
DOT CORNER

SAFETY,
STEWARDSHIP,
AND RESILIENCE
The design FUNCTIONALITY AND SAFETY have always
been paramount in civil engineering and construc-
the nation’s first flexible filler internal tendon spliced
girder bridges. It also will relieve traffic congestion,
principles tion, but a strictly utilitarian approach to design can increase the structure’s resilience, and incorporate
elevating limit its ability to create connected communities.
Adapting cutting-edge technology and incorpo-
aesthetic elements with the potential to transform a
multimodal bridge into a cultural landmark.
the John rating aesthetic elements that weave in a region’s
T. Brooks history can elevate transportation infrastructure AN IMPROVED DESIGN
and enrich a city’s landscape. The new dual Brooks Bridges will measure 2,111
Bridge The Florida Department of Transportation’s feet — 793 feet longer than the current one — and
Project (FDOT) $171-million State Road 30 (U.S. 98) Brooks
Bridge Replacement Project puts these principles
feature six travel lanes versus the current four-lane
structure.
into practice. Protective barrier walls will separate the two
By Evan Lawrence
The Superior Construction-WSP design-build new 12-foot-wide shared-use paths from traffic,
and Matt Durshimer,
team will design and construct two new parallel replacing the existing narrow raised pedestrian
Contributing Authors
bridges over the Santa Rosa Sound to increase path. The new bridges also will feature scenic
capacity and improve traffic flow between overlooks and shade structures.
Okaloosa Island and Fort Walton Beach. The structure’s vertical clearance will increase
Construction began in late August, and once from 55 to 65 feet in compliance with U.S. Coast
complete, the John T. Brooks Bridge will be one of Guard requirements. To accommodate the added

12 ROADS&BRIDGES / FEBRUARY 2024


Crews work on the Brooks
Bridge Replacement project
in Florida, as traffic flows
on the existing structure.
CREDIT: THE SUPERIOR-WSP
DESIGN-BUILD TEAM
height, crews will convert the existing
at-grade intersection into an overpass
with two new access roads to maintain
existing connectivity.
“The new structure will extend past
the U.S. 98/Santa Rosa Boulevard
intersection, eliminating the existing
traffic signal and allowing better traffic
flow,” said Chris Davis, WSP’s roadway
engineer of record. “New shared-use
paths will be built throughout, offering
improved connectivity to businesses,
local parks, and community destinations.”
The project scope also includes
drainage improvements, roundabout
reconstruction, and intersection safety
improvements at Perry Avenue, west of
Fort Walton Beach, and Pier Road, east
of Okaloosa Island.
SOLVING SITE-SPECIFIC
CHALLENGES
The design-build project delivery
improved FDOT’s conceptual plans by
incorporating alternative technical con-
cepts, design refinements, and construc-
tion techniques in the final design. The
result: a functional, low-maintenance,
and elegant structure that solves the
site-specific constraints.
“We determined the existing bridge’s
foundations and dolphins conflicted with
the concept span arrangement, which
posed a significant construction chal-
lenge,” said Christopher Vanek, WSP’s
structures engineer of record.
To solve this, the team opted for a
skewed 275-foot spliced girder main
span unit that avoided conflicts with the
existing structure. The design utilizes
twin-column piers and waterline footings
that are oriented parallel with the naviga-
tion channel, resulting in a 30-degree
skew on the channel piers.
The flanking and approach piers are
placed radially to the superstructure,
improving the constructability of the
simple span prestressed girders of the
approach spans.
FDOT has developed new statewide
design guidelines for post-tensioned
construction projects that utilize flexible
filler material (wax) in lieu of grout to fill
the duct void and protect the strand. This
will create a non-bonded tendon design
for the spliced girder structure.
The new Brooks Bridge is one of the
first projects in the country to use this
unique system.
“To accommodate fully replaceable
tendons and maintenance access, we
proposed modifications to FDOT stan-
dard anchorage details that eliminated
intermediate anchorages and end
blocks while maintaining continuity in all
tendons,” Vanek said.
The bridge foundation will use
prestressed concrete piles and cast-in-
place concrete. The new bridge fender
system, however, will use steel pipe piles
to facilitate battering, avoid subaqueous
utilities, and allow low-disturbance instal-
lation with vibratory hammers.
These steel pipe piles will be coated
with coal tar epoxy to provide a durable
FEBRUARY 2024 / ROADSBRIDGES.COM
DOT CORNER
installation for the marine environment.
Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) will be
used for fender decking, walers, and
other items.
Since 2013, there have been two
incidents where barges struck the
Brooks Bridge or its dolphins. For the
new bridge, FDOT elected to design
for vessel collision in accordance with
American Association of State Highway
and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
requirements without the use of pier
protection dolphins.
Foundations are composed of 30-inch
high moment capacity piles installed
using predrilling and jetting techniques.
This new design increases the structure’s
resilience, which is especially critical
since it’s an evacuation route for Okaloosa
Island residents.
SITE ACCESS AND AVOIDING
DISRUPTIONS
The project’s limited footprint demands
unique solutions. A temporary trestle will
deliver precast concrete materials, like
piles and beams, to minimize impacts on
the traveling public.
“We’re installing a temporary trestle on
each bank for access, staging and deliv-
ery,” said Project Superintendent Russell
Marshall. “The trestle will provide better
connectivity to the work zone and will
limit the use of marine equipment, crane-
mounted barges, and material barges to
two sub-phases during construction.”
This strategic combination of land-
based and marine access points will
increase effectiveness and safety during
construction.
The Brooks Bridge project planning
also required substantial coordination
between the owner, design-build team,
and 12 utility agency owners (UAO).
Colby Brown, a P.E. with Greenman-
Pedersen, Inc., was appointed as utility
coordination manager to facilitate
stakeholder communication.
“My job is to work with the UAOs
to identify issues or concerns about
the project design, determine how the
project may affect their facilities, discuss
conceptual relocation and protect-in-
place plans, and work with the design-
build team to make sure the facilities
13
DOT CORNER
Left: Earthmoving is underway for the new eastbound connection from U.S. 98 to Santa Rosa
Boulevard. Right: The first trestle piles were installed near the end of 2023.
CREDIT: THE SUPERIOR-WSP DESIGN-BUILD TEAM
are accommodated throughout construction,” Brown said.
“It’s critical to the public that each of these facilities remain
undisturbed.”
There are numerous existing above-ground, underground,
bridge-mounted, and subaqueous utilities within the project
limits, including electric, gas, potable water, sanitary sewer, fiber
optic, and Eglin Air Force Base’s communications infrastructure.
The design-build team has accommodated each utility to
ensure uninterrupted service. The new Brooks Bridge will
also support bridge-mounted utilities hung within interior
beams rather than exterior ones for added protection and
improved aesthetics.
Since construction work — including barge spudding, tempo-
rary trestle installation, and fender pile installation — will occur
within the immediate footprint of various facilities, the team is
utilizing a high-accuracy survey with XYZ coordinates gathered
by running probes inside the utility line itself.
As the project progresses and newly relocated utilities are
finalized, as-builts will be loaded into 3D models to assist in
locating newly relocated facilities within the work zone.
MEETING ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENTS
The project’s 38 permitting commitments (PCs), 28 of which are the
design-build team’s responsibility, indicate the owner’s dedication
to environmental stewardship and stakeholder involvement.
The team proactively engaged with all regulatory agencies,
including the Florida Department of Environmental Protection,
the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, and the U.S. Coast Guard.
In adherence to the PCs — which mandate protection of local
smalltooth sawfish, sea turtles, gulf sturgeon, manatees, and
submerged aquatic vegetation — techniques will be employed
to reduce vibration from construction activities, provide erosion
and settlement control, and avoid effects to the water quality.
The team will also collect runoff in ponds and treat it on-site.
“We’re utilizing water trucks for dust control and employing
best management practices throughout the project,” Marshall said.
“We’re strategically placing tracking prevention devices at ingress
and egress points to limit soil from leaving the construction site.”
As part of its hydroacoustic noise management plan, the
team monitors sound thresholds from pile driving to ensure
levels do not exceed 150 decibel Root Mean Square (dB RMS)
beyond the predetermined radius.
14 ROADS&BRIDGES / FEBRUARY 2024
To reduce effects on aquatic life and control noise, crews will
employ best management practices for water-based construc-
tion, such as ramp-up procedures, added pile cushions, and
bubble curtains.
In addition, nocturnal in-water pile driving will not occur from
October through May to allow migratory fish to move through
the area undisturbed.
The proposed roadway safety lighting incorporates dark-sky
recommendations, such as downward directed, shielded and
full-cutoff warm white LED fixtures. For the portions of Okaloosa
Island that fall within sea turtle nesting zones, the team will
install low-intensity amber-colored lighting fixtures that are
wildlife-sensitive certified.
COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT
With the local beachfront community in mind, the team incor-
porated aesthetic features throughout the new design. The
design was inspired by views of the rising and setting sun over
Okaloosa Island, Choctawhatchee Bay, and Santa Rosa Sound.
“We decided a twin-column pier with custom formliners
offers an open structure viewshed that still addresses bridge
design requirements and site constraints,” Vanek said.
An aluminum pedestrian rail with a powder-coated finish will
provide color and maximum durability. Unique shade structures will
be built for each of the four overlooks. The structures will be made
from galvanized and painted steel that meets the same specifica-
tions as overhead sign structures. Strategically placed aesthetic
pier lighting will accentuate the formliner’s shaded areas.
The Superior-WSP team proposed a new recreational area
with parking beneath the bridge. Although not a requirement,
they hope it will play a vital role in fostering community for the
area’s residents and visitors.
To minimize congestion, the existing bridge will remain in
place through the first two construction phases. The Brooks
Bridge project is expected to be completed by September
2027.
Evan Lawrence is the panhandle division manager for Superior Con-
struction. Contact him at elawrence@superiorconstruction.com. Matt
Durshimer, P.E., is the design-build project manager for WSP. Contact him
at matthew.durshimer@wsp.com.
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JOINING
FORCES
Oregon and Washington team
up to transform corridor
By Greg Johnson, Contributing Author
THE INTERSTATE BRIDGE Replacement (IBR) program is
about much more than concrete and steel. This bi-state
program led by the Oregon Department of Transportation
(ODOT) and the Washington State Department of Transporta-
tion (WSDOT), in collaboration with regional and federal
partner agencies, is focused on building a seismically
resilient multimodal transportation corridor across the
Columbia River.
The goal is to connect Oregon and Washington via the
Interstate-5 corridor. More than a mega project intended to
withstand the test of time, the IBR program is working – and
succeeding – in bringing people and places closer together,
while fostering equity and accessibility across state lines.
The IBR program draws upon years of past work, primarily
from a previous bi-state planning effort called the Columbia
River Crossing that was suspended a decade ago. Recognizing
the need to replace the century-old Interstate Bridge has
become more acute, the governors and legislators in each state
directed ODOT and WSDOT to launch the IBR program in 2019.
16 ROADS&BRIDGES / FEBRUARY 2024
Few question the need for the program. With the original
span dating back to 1917, and the second span opening in
1958, the Interstate Bridge is built on wood piles in sandy soil,
making it vulnerable to failure in the event of an earthquake.
Both spans are considered functionally obsolete by the
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
Furthermore, the bridge and the area around it experience
crash rates over three times higher than statewide averages
for comparable structures.
This can be attributed to the seven closely spaced inter-
changes in the 5-mile program area, narrow lanes, lack of
safety shoulders and bridge lifts that occur an average of 300
times per year.
PROGRAM PRIORITIES
The IBR program is focused on climate issues and equity – in
process and outcome. With this as our bedrock, we are exam-
ining our current work through the lens of priority communities:
BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), people with

disabilities, communities with limited English proficiency, lower
income and houseless individuals and families, immigrants and
refugees, young people (25 and under) and older adults (65
and older).
As we center equity, the needs of each state must also be
considered and equally addressed. This means bi-state coop-
eration is essential in everything from community engagement
to design and engineering, to workforce development and the
eventual construction of the roughly $6 billion program.
LISTENING AND COOPERATING
Listening starts at the top. As program administrator, I oversee
the IBR program and represent both state DOTs. This sets the
tone for how the program is run at all levels. Because we have
several partners in each state with an interest in this program,
one part of my role is to listen and make sure that everyone’s
voice is equally represented in how we operate.
This extends to those working alongside me. Assistant
program administrators Ray Mabey and Frank Green represent
BRIDGE REPLACEMENT
Test drilling in the Columbia River
is underway to help determine
river bottom soil conditions for the
installation of new bridge piers just
west of the existing structure
CREDIT: INTERSTATE BRIDGE REPLACEMENT
PROGRAM
ODOT and WSDOT, respectively. Mabey and Green worked on
the previous project and are now using that experience and
their keen understanding of the complexities of each state to
help the IBR program navigate the many considerations that
must be balanced.
This dynamic also extends to the technical disciplines. From
structural engineering, to design, transit, environmental, finance
and more, the IBR program blends team members from ODOT,
WSDOT, transit agencies, and private consulting firms all work-
ing collaboratively to move the program forward.
Another key part of the success of ensuring feedback and
alignment was the creation of a bi-state legislative committee
composed of eig ht legislators from each state who provide
ongoing oversight. This group provides legislative direction
on key program work and ensures accountability and
transparency.
Green credits the existence of the bi-state legislative com-
mittee with helping the program meet critical milestones. “The
bi-state nature and coordination between the two legislatures
FEBRUARY 2024 / ROADSBRIDGES.COM 17
BRIDGE REPLACEMENT
requires conversations across state lines that
aren’t just ODOT or WSDOT,” he said. “Regular
engagement with this committee really has
benefited us immensely.”
Our four advisory groups – Executive
Steering Group, Community Advisory Group,
Equity Advisory Group and Community
Benefits Advisory Group – also provide input
and guidance. Each group includes balanced
representation from each state and members
with a broad range of perspectives and lived
experience.
The work of these advisory groups has I-5 at the Interstate Bridge has been identified as one of the region’s top bottlenecks with over 10 hours
boosted our community engagement and has of congestion during the morning and evening commute periods.
enhanced feedback from groups that have CREDIT: INTERSTATE BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM
historically been excluded from transportation
mega projects.
TWO-WAY ENGAGEMENT
As we work to serve our greater community, we are meeting peo-
ple where they live to share program updates and learn about
their priorities. We continually strive to go above and beyond
in these efforts and incorporate good ideas from other projects
whenever we can. Our engagement has included presentations
to organizations and neighborhood associations, office hours,
community briefings, attendance at fairs and festivals, virtual
equity roundtables, neighborhood forums, topic-specific con-
versations and working groups, digital surveys, affinity listening
sessions, youth press conferences and much more.
We also utilize several tools to improve accessibility, including
a website translation tool in eight languages, closed captioning
in English and Spanish, American Sign Language interpreters,
survey user testing and 3-D physical models to assist blind and
low-vision community members, ADA remediation of materials,
incentives for participation for equity priority participants; and
18 ROADS&BRIDGES / FEBRUARY 2024
work with multilingual community engagement liaisons.
We also offer mini-grants to enlist the help of local
community-based organizations that serve equity priority
communities. By partnering with these organizations, we can
share information, host listening sessions, and have meaning-
ful exchanges that we otherwise would likely not have had.
“This bridge and our program help communities on both
sides of the Columbia River recognize the connections that
bind us together,” Mabey said. “There are differences in how
community members see things, which makes it important for
the program to draw in and get that feedback. And that all helps
the two communities on either side of the bridge recognize that
they are, in fact, one large community.”
SUPPORTING NEW JOBS
With the ongoing national shortage of labor in the skilled trades,
ODOT and WSDOT are committed to a bi-state approach to
support labor and provide opportunities for a diverse workforce
to grow and thrive.
This is a big task. To put it in perspective, our
2023 Economic Impact Assessment estimates that
total employment created or sustained from the IBR
program is expected to include approximately 43,300
direct and indirect jobs across multiple industries.
The need to have a reliable, diverse, and highly
skilled labor pool along with equitable workforce
development is clear. Ensuring there is a diverse
workforce means supporting opportunities for minor-
ity and women-owned businesses, BIPOC workers,
workers with disabilities and young people.
To do this, we are actively engaging
Disadvantaged Business Enterprises, as well as
contracting organizations, industry and trade groups,
and local schools.
We’ve also partnered with workforce development
IBR Design Manager Shilpa Mallem (foreground, pointing) explains
the program area roll map to public forum attendees at the
Vancouver Community Library in Vancouver, Washington.
CREDIT: INTERSTATE BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM

 

        
         
   

       
   
          


BRIDGE REPLACEMENT

training facilities in the region to help ensure we have enough

skilled workers for this program.

DOLLARS AND SENSE

On the existing Interstate Bridge, there are two approximately 4-foot-wide
sidewalks in each direction. The replacement bridge will have a 24-foot-wide
shared use path for those that walk, bike or roll, which is a 200% increase over
existing conditions. CREDIT: INTERSTATE BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM
entities in Oregon and Washington to produce a study outlining
the regional workforce needs and opportunities.
The workforce study, along with a workforce outreach plan,
will help us work with local schools to highlight the benefits of
careers in the construction trades, as well as labor unions and
The regional, national, and international importance of replac-
ing the Interstate Bridge was underscored by President Joe
Biden in January 2022, when he framed it as one of “the most
economically significant bridge projects in the nation.”
With a projected cost of around $6 billion, continued bi-state
collaboration will be essential in securing the federal funding
needed to deliver the program.
The program has considerable momentum when you
consider the three-legged stool of funding sources needed to
construct the program. Oregon and Washington have demon-
strated their dedication to this critical effort by committing $1
billion each toward the project. Furthermore, tolling authoriza-
tion has been granted by both states that will allow over $1
billion to be raised through tolling of the bridge.
With those commitments in hand, the program is pursuing
approximately $2.5 billion in federal grants. In December,
we learned that the program was awarded a $600 million
federal grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation
Mega Grant program — the largest Mega award granted
since its inception. We are also seeking funding through the

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Washington Governor Jay Inslee and former Oregon Governor Kate Brown
sign a Memorandum of Intent directing the Washington State Department of
Transportation and the Oregon Department of Transportation to launch the
Interstate Bridge Replacement program (November 2019).
PHOTO: OREGON GOVERNOR KATE BROWN
FHWA Bridge Investment Program and the Federal Transit
Administration’s Capital Investment Grant program, which has
accepted the IBR program into the project development stage.
OUR GOAL LINE IS IN SIGHT
We expect to publish a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact
BRIDGE REPLACEMENT
Statement (SEIS) in the first half of 2024, followed by a 60-day
public comment period. This document will compare a Modified
Locally Preferred Alternative and a No-Build Alternative.
In addition to the replacement bridge itself, program
investments being studied include auxiliary lanes, transit
investments, active transportation facilities and interchange
improvements. Several design options are also being analyzed,
including three potential bridge configurations: a single level,
stacked, or movable bridge.
A final SEIS is expected by late 2024 or early 2025, followed
by an amended Record of Decision. After that, construction
could start in late 2025 or early 2026, with work throughout the
five-mile program corridor anticipated to last for over a decade.
The scope of the IBR program is complex and far-reach-
ing. As we redefine our regional transportation landscape
with a safer and more accessible multimodal Interstate Bridge
and transportation corridor, we are bringing our greater
community together. When complete, the IBR program will be
emblematic of a bold statement of bi-state partnership, driven
by a shared approach to equity and collaboration.
Greg Johnson is the program administrator for the Interstate Bridge
Replacement Program.
FEBRUARY 2024 / ROADSBRIDGES.COM 21
ROAD REHABILITATION

This is Exit 4 during

staged construction;
traffic was moved to
the new, widened I-83
to permit median and
inside lane work.
CREDIT: BRAD DAUBERMAN,
SYCDRONE

THE GATEWAY TO
PENNSYLVANIA
A DDI project IN YORK COUNTY, Pennsylvania, near
the state’s border with Maryland, Inter-
A conscientious approach to the design of
the facility was taken to enhance public safety
does more state-83 interchange at Exit 4 links to State and mobility.
than connect Route 851. The interchange was outdated
and not meeting traffic and safety demands.
Successfully addressing the various project
challenges required collaborating with a diverse
Maryland to Dubbed the “Gateway to Pennsylvania,” team of consultants, contractors, and stake-
Pennsylvania this $31 million project rehabilitated Exit 4
with a diverging diamond interchange (DDI).
holders. Led by PennDOT, this team included
the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
The DDI enhanced safety and traffic flow Wallace Montgomery, Susquehanna Civil, Merit
By David Hamlet and
and embraced environmental stewardship Marketing, Whitman, Requardt & Associates,
Nathaniel Kirchner,
and community aesthetics. Kinsley Construction, Erdman Anthony, and local
Contributing Authors
The interchange is one of only three municipalities.
DDIs currently built in the commonwealth. The I-83 interchange at Exit 4 presented
Its design achieved project goals initially countless challenges that required innovative
set by the Pennsylvania Department of solutions. Its confined footprint restricted
Transportation (PennDOT). conventional expansion.

22 ROADS&BRIDGES / FEBRUARY 2024

 ROAD REHABILITATION

The introduction of the DDI configuration allowed

for direct left turns from off-ramps onto SR 851 and
from SR 851 to on-ramps onto I-83, eliminating
backups. Direct left turns also lowered the number
of intersection conflict points from 26 in a traditional
diamond configuration to 14, which is expected to
reduce the crash rate by more than 40%.
The DDI has two phases per traffic signal cycle
instead of three. This allows more green time per
cycle than a standard diamond interchange configu-
ration, which also improves traffic flow.
The design successfully integrates the
challenges of various disciplines, from drainage
and stormwater management to traffic analysis and
construction services.
Navigating through a narrow transit corridor,
the team balanced progress and preservation.
One concern for project design and construction
was preserving local watersheds that are vital to
the region.
An innovative stormwater management system
safeguarded the Deer Creek Watershed, deploying
Top: The completed
lined basins and specialized valves to shield against Exit 4 interchange.
potential roadway spillage. Bottom: Fencing
Additionally, a culvert replacement adjacent to installed at the Deer
environmentally sensitive lands proved critical. The Creek diversion
protected the
culvert emphasized a commitment to sustainable
endangered bog turtle
solutions. The box culvert was 12-feet by 11-feet. It population.
was an infrastructure upgrade that doubled as an CREDIT: BRAD DAUBERMAN,
SYCDRONE
opportunity to restore the stream’s natural flow and
vitality. Its increased dimensions and design, which
was conducive to the use of natural streambed
material, revitalized the watercourse, breathing new
life into the ecosystem.
The project stakeholders sought to preserve
biodiversity, and the critically endangered bog turtle
became a focal point. A specialized team surveyed
the area and provided guidance on the project To meet project needs, the team forecasted
design to avoid impacts to the turtle’s habitat. traffic demands decades into the future. The
Fencing acted as a barrier, shielding both the turtles project design will accommodate increasing
and the wetlands from inadvertent disturbance traffic volumes through the year 2060, 10 years
during construction. beyond what simply expanding the tight diamond
interchange would provide.
ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE The DDI configuration also offers greater
The Exit 4 redesign ensured that every curve opportunity for future expansion than the tight
and intersection enhanced safety. Curve radii diamond interchange option if growth exceeds
of 150 to 300 feet were used for crossover projections. This forward-thinking approach
alignments to facilitate safe traffic flow through led to a design that not only resolved present
the DDI. An intersection crossover angle of 45 congestion but also accommodates anticipated
degrees also reduced potential incidents of growth, ensuring the interchange’s functionality for
“wrong way” driving. decades beyond its inception.
Pavement markings and signage clearly assist The challenges of balancing the competing
motorists in navigating the interchange. The rede- needs of diverse stakeholders were met with the
signed interchange accommodates pedestrians and thoughtful design of all project elements with a
bicyclists, unlike the previous interchange design. dedication to safety and efficiency. Notably, this

FEBRUARY 2024 / ROADSBRIDGES.COM 23

ROAD REHABILITATION
Another angle of the completed Exit 4 interchange, this time with the sunset in the distance. CREDIT: BRAD DAUBERMAN, SYCDRONE
forward-thinking design accommodated pedestrians and
cyclists — a testament to inclusive infrastructure planning.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
The need to integrate aesthetics into infrastructure projects is
often overlooked. However, this interchange’s transformation
served as a testament to the presence of art within architecture.
Special attention was given to landscaping and aesthetics.
The aesthetics featured colonial-era dry stack stone retaining
walls, seasonal plant beds, a flagpole with illuminated American
and Pennsylvania flags, and artistic elements on bridge abut-
ments, which depicted the Liberty Bell next to the quote “Life,
Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” — fitting for the “Gateway
to Pennsylvania.”
The team led an extensive public outreach campaign,
including establishing a project advisory group, holding a public
meeting, and developing informational materials and a video
illustrating how a DDI works, with the goal of obtaining accep-
tance of the overall design.
The team coordinated landscaping and aesthetic treatments
with three local municipalities and four civic organizations to
provide an access point to local communities.
The local fire station provided input for including a 10-foot
gap in the pier under the bridge for improved emergency
access. Several community organizations raised funds to
purchase the flagpole, American flag, and sign for the intersec-
tion’s southeast quadrant.
The municipalities and civic organizations agreed to
perpetually maintain the walls, shrubs, flagpole, and sign. The
collaboration between firms, the client, and the surrounding
community is a testament to the pride that the citizens of
24 ROADS&BRIDGES / FEBRUARY 2024
southern York County feel towards their home, and the desire
to preserve its quality.
A SYMBOL FOR YORK COUNTY
I-83 Exit 4 is a vital interchange connecting the communities of
southern York County to the greater region, while simultane-
ously facilitating travel with reduced traffic congestion.
The team’s role in the project’s design and construction
required innovative planning, including a unique DDI design in
a challenging environment, while protecting the well-being of
local watersheds and ecosystems.
Exit 4 now provides improved safety, mobility, and aesthetics
to regional and interstate travelers and is a source of commu-
nity pride for this Gateway to Pennsylvania.
The project has garnered industry recognition, winning
several awards, including the American Society of Highway
Engineers (ASHE) Northeast Region 2023 Project of the Year,
ASHE Harrisburg 2022 Project of the Year, American Council of
Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Pennsylvania 2022 Diamond
Award, and the ACEC 2022 National Recognition Award.
The project impact extends far beyond just asphalt and steel.
It’s a catalyst for community. As commuters drive through Exit
4, they’re traversing a symbol of community resilience, vision,
and unity. Exit 4 stands tall, not merely as an interchange but as
a testament to what can be achieved when engineering talent
converges with community spirit to illuminate the identity of
southern York County.
David Hamlet, P.E., is a vice president at Gannett Fleming. Nathaniel
Kirchner, P.E., is a project manager at Gannett Fleming.
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TECHNOLOGY
BUILDING
SOCIAL
BRIDGES
The power of 3D design
visualization in civil engineering
By Kurt Stiles, Contributing Author
IN 2001, I was a newly minted “visualization engineer” at the
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).
After working years in traffic and structural design, I attended
my first public open house presentation late that summer, at the
civic center in Ocean Shores, Wash.
I was responsible for showing the third and final presentation
— a future roundabout design — as accurately as the consultant
engineers designed. The project that had stirred up quite a buzz
in the community, and our team was passionate about bringing
innovative solutions to this tourist and retirement community.
I didn’t know this at the time, but I was about the have a
career-changing experience.
Everyone on the panel presented their parts of the project,
with the citizens sitting in silence. Then it was my turn to pres-
ent, right before the city voted to either build or not build the
roundabout.
During the two previous open houses, residents were
divided. Some seemed to struggle to imagine how a
Left: A photo of an intersection in Ocean Shores, Wash. in 2001. Right: An image of how the intersection would look with a roundabout. The author showed these photos
during a presentation that year, and the reaction to the presentation changed his career. CREDIT: KURT STILES
26 ROADS&BRIDGES / FEBRUARY 2024
roundabout could transform their main intersection, which
suffered from congestion and collisions.
I took a deep breath and presented the design through a
series of static renderings. I displayed the proposed roundabout
from different angles and discussed the design from many
different points of view.
People murmured as they examined the images. The
roundabout’s elegant curves and landscaping designs had the
power to evoke awe. However, it was the vibrant, lifelike static
renderings that truly captured their attention.
It was as if the audience was looking into a crystal ball,
seeing the future of Ocean Shores.
I could feel the atmosphere in the room shifting. Along
with other team members, I spoke about the accuracy of the
visualization. Eyes opened wider, and during the question-and-
answer session, more and more heads nodded.
One rendering showed the roundabout with lush landscap-
ing and a splitter island protected crosswalks. It was an image

The author has dedicated his career to exploring the potential of sharing
project intent through 3D design models like this. CREDIT: KURT STILES
of beauty and functionality, and it made the residents see the
project’s intent.
It was as if the audience members were there, driving
through the new roundabout, feeling the reduced traffic con-
gestion, and experiencing the town’s transformation firsthand.
The room hummed with excitement as people began to
grasp the potential of their project.
After my presentation, people voted, and then they
were free to leave. As I helped put chairs away, several
people approached and expressed how much they liked the
visualizations.
The comments have been burned into my memory: “We
could see the future, accurately.” … “This brought everyone to
the same understanding.” … “We weren’t living in our opinions
anymore; we could see the design just like the engineers did.” …
“We agree, Ocean Shores needs this roundabout! Thank you!”
That moment was a turning point for me. The static render-
ings had brought the community together, transcending the
gap between engineers and residents. It was a testament to the
power of visualization in the world of civil engineering.
This encounter motivated me to explore and harness the full
potential of sharing project intent through the 3D design model.
Six years later, I built my own group at WSDOT, and we have
been a leading voice in the cause for visually communicating
engineering design across the state and nation.
In our increasingly complex and interconnected world, civil
engineers must embrace the power of visualization as part of an
overall project engagement plan.
Project engagement can be defined as deliberate com-
munication that elicits collaborative conversations that lead to
proactive project design outcomes. Often on large projects,
communication staff will be brought in for supporting engage-
ment efforts with the design team.
TECHNOLOGY
However, they usually lack visualization-based media
content to visually describe project intent. This is where 3D
modeling for visualization takes center stage and becomes a
go-to solution for establishing project understanding.
Indeed, these engagements, filled with static renderings and
animated views of 3D design models, are not just tools but also
social bridges that connect us with our communities, project
partners, and stakeholders.
Here are some compelling reasons to craft strategic engage-
ment plans filled with visualization-based content:
Focus and Clarity: Visualization simplifies complex technical
designs, making them accessible to a broader audience. It
creates a common understanding among internal engineering
team members and external stakeholders.
Meaningful Storytelling: Static renderings and animated
views captivate the imagination, drawing any audience into the
project’s story. This fosters their involvement, builds inclusive-
ness and project support through partnerships.
Build It Right: When projects get overly complicated,
it’s good to check for clashing as well as constructability.
Large projects often have different designers and sometimes
one group’s design conflicts with another’s, especially
where they join. By building the whole project in 3D, those
areas are checked to see if they can be built without future
change-orders.
Transparency: Visualization showcases the design’s
potential, highlighting benefits that may be less evident on tradi-
tional 2D plans. When engaging different project audiences, the
project design-truth can be easily displayed and understood.
Confidence and Trust Building: Seeing is believing.
Rendered visualizations instill confidence and trust in the
project, instigating more favorable outcomes for consent,
permitting, and funding.
Now, as engineering managers, it is crucial to harness these
tools effectively. Your 3D design model can be worked into
visualization productions that assist you in your face-to-face
engagements or can be produced in such a way to provide all
the heavy lifting for your project communication.
You can provide some of these products yourself through
your 3D design model and software (using professional
visualization services or a fusion of both). Here are a few types
of visualization productions that your engagement plan can use:
Static Renderings: These offer 2D or 3D images of the
design, often with materials (asphalt, concrete, steel, etc.) added
and some lighting. They are perfect for conveying any aspect of
the design. Project design groups can often provide their own
renderings in one form or another. These renderings can be
basic to detailed – the decision on which to use lies in what is
to be visually understood by the viewer.
Animated Views: These take the viewer on a journey
through the project. Animated flythroughs and walkthroughs
provide a dynamic perspective, a passage of time, a construc-
tion sequence, or aspects of motion as part of the design, like a
lift-bridge in operation. Some animations are simple to make but
FEBRUARY 2024 / ROADSBRIDGES.COM 27
TECHNOLOGY

there might be a reason to call-in the experts if the project

storytelling is complex.
Robust Video Production: Create compelling stories
through video, incorporating static renderings, animations,
and live-action footage with hosting or a voice-over narration
is perhaps the most compelling form of project engagement.
Being able to tell any aspect of the project to a mass audi-
ence requires expert production, but your group will receive
great dividends in project understanding and consent.
Real-Time Visualizations: When it comes to face-
to-face meetings where the conversation is about an
aspect of the 3D design model, being able to see that
design interactively is imperative for sharing and gaining
understanding. This can be achieved by using your own
design software and sharing your screen or projecting
onto a screen in a conference room while at the same
time discussing what is being shown. It can also be
achieved by other software that have that capability.
Online Virtual Project Tours: Following the pandemic,
the use of virtual meetings or engagement is here to stay.
This includes simple team meetings all the way to major

Above: This is an image of a real-time interactive visualization.

Below: This is a rendering from a project introduction video.
CREDIT: SAM LYTLE/BEYOND WARE AND KURT STILES

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 TECHNOLOGY

project “open houses” to the public. subject, I’ll add this one principle, written learned a valuable lesson: the future
Therefore, being able to share the by the University of Buffalo: “Use the is better understood when we all can
3D visualization production virtually is right visualization at the right time to the see it accurately.
necessary if project stories are going right audience for the right reason.” Trust
to be told correctly. Good news: there me, it works every time.
are services that provide this beyond In the summer of 2001, the power Kurt Stiles built and is the manager of the
websites and social media. The project of visual communication reached its Visual Engineering Resource Group (VERG)
design group can take the 3D visualiza- zenith in Ocean Shores. The town at the Washington State Department of
tion productions and work them into not only overwhelmingly voted for Transportation. He can be reached at:
online virtual tours that describe aspects building the roundabout, but it also stilesk@wsdot.wa.gov.
of the design. These tours, if edited cor-
rectly, can be powerful storytelling tools
that can inform the masses while being
easy on a project’s pocketbook.
Please remember, it’s not about just
“checking a box” on a meeting agenda
when using visualizations; it’s about
ROAD TO
THE
building project belief by telling its
unique story.
Visualizing engineering design is a
critical aspect of a project’s design and
execution. It enhances communication,
aids in decision-making, improves
collaboration, and ultimately contributes
to the success of the project. It should
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Above: A virtual project tour for private and public

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CREDIT: KURT STILES

FEBRUARY 2024 / ROADSBRIDGES.COM 29

TECHNOLOGY
STREAMLINING
WINTER MAINTENANCE
Asset management tools support
data-driven decisions
By Jenn Said, Contributing Author
THE FIRST OFFICIAL patents for snowplows date back to the
1840s, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center. Yet,
the records show this equipment—a rudimentary blade attached
to a cart and pulled by a team of horses—was not actually
deployed until 1862.
Today, winter maintenance technologies have evolved by
leaps and bounds. Yet, like the early snowplow, adoption of
these technologies is often slow and steady. In recent years,
however, the use of digital solutions is increasingly gaining
momentum and proving quite advantageous both at the local
and state level.
In Ann Arbor, Mich., winter maintenance crews began using
a digital solution for enterprise asset management in 2000.
The city’s public works department has become reliant on
digital capabilities for asset and work management.
Today, Ann Arbor’s infrastructure and associated data, work
activities, and business processes throughout the various public
works divisions, including winter maintenance, are all managed
using consolidated data and digital workflows that enable
seamless collaboration, efficiency, and cost savings.
Ann Arbor’s public works team streamlined winter mainte-
nance efforts by automating its spreadsheet-based data entry
processes. This step toward digitization helped work crews and
office staff manage operations more accurately, efficiently, and
effectively by eliminating hours of manual data entry.
Data entry for winter maintenance is complex. In Ann Arbor,
individual snow routes may have as many as four different
accounts that need to be tracked separately because different
sections of the road assets are managed by different funds.
30 ROADS&BRIDGES / FEBRUARY 2024
A truck driver spreads
salt in Ann Arbor, Mich.
The city streamlines
its winter maintenance
efforts with automated
data entry.
CREDIT: ANN ARBOR
PUBLIC WORKS
The public works team is responsible not only for assigning
routes, but also for tracking snow removal crews’ hours daily,
as well as keeping a detailed record of truck routes using a
specific number that is assigned to each piece of equipment.
“A simple dusting of snow may require literally hundreds of data
entries,” said Paul Matthews, interim public works manager for Ann
Arbor. “With more severe weather events, data-entry requirements
rapidly escalate. We’re typically running two shifts with anywhere
from 25 to 35 crew members each. The need for streamlined solu-
tions is critical so our team can focus on keeping the community
safe during storms rather than on manual data entry.”
Because Ann Arbor’s enterprise asset management solution
is tailored for local governments, the city’s office staff can create
and manage work orders for snow removal, de-icing, and other
maintenance activities using centralized data and digital workflows.
A mobile application enables field crews to update road
conditions, submit work orders, and receive task assignments
while on the go. With built-in GIS technology, the platform pro-
vides everyone with access to detailed maps of road networks,
infrastructure, and terrain. This information is integrated with
real-time data to monitor conditions, optimize routes, and allo-
cate resources most effectively. Data collection is complex at
the state level too. Winter conditions can be extremely diverse,
adding challenges and intricacies to winter data analysis.
Montana, for example, encompasses 147,040 square miles
of land. The country’s fourth largest state derived its name from
the Spanish word meaning mountain, as the Great Continental
Divide encompasses the western portion of the state.
Yet, 60% of Montana is composed of grasslands and prairie
with seemingly endless wide-open terrain stretching for miles.
The state is also home to the largest freshwater lake west of
the Mississippi River, and Flathead Lake delivers regular and
significant lake-effect conditions.
With this unique geography, Montana offers a wide assort-
ment of weather conditions and challenges.

In 2020, the Montana Department of Transportation
(MDT) enhanced its digital asset management capabilities by
launching a statewide Transportation Management Center.
Centralizing all the collected maintenance data helped provide
a comprehensive view of asset and work management systems
while also enabling detailed analysis of information within core
regions and specific maintenance areas.
MDT staff collect information for all roadway assets using
a maintenance management system. Data for each asset—
whether a road, bridge, guardrail, sign—is shared to a mainte-
nance dashboard, which is integrated with other software to
provide a real-time view of maintenance activities.
Using the analytical capabilities of the maintenance manage-
ment system, MDT can monitor the types of maintenance work
being performed, materials being used, and the locations of
maintenance activities. Understanding specific location informa-
tion for winter maintenance activity is critical to maximize the
safety and performance of the transportation network.
“The digital asset management solution greatly enhances
MDT’s ability to capture high-quality data with specificity and
detail,” said Karteeka Nalli, senior product owner at Trimble,
which created the management system MDT uses.
Using this data, MDT is then able to track various maintenance
workflows and keep an up-to-the-minute inventory of materials.
Effective enterprise asset management solutions empower
public works teams to make better, data-driven decisions
and improve operational efficiencies. Using a digital system
provides insightful data on equipment, labor, and materials that
help save time and money.
“The digital asset management
solution greatly enhances MDT’s
ability to capture high-quaility
data with specificity and detail.”
Access to accurate and comprehensive data has enabled
Ann Arbor to take a more proactive approach to managing
snow removal, de-icing, and other winter maintenance activities.
Using built-in work order creation and management tools, the
city streamlines task assignments, tracks maintenance activi-
ties, and manages crew schedules and work hours. Automated
workflows help optimize snowplow and salt-spreader routes to
maximize coverage while helping lower fuel consumption, reduce
vehicle wear, and manage response times.
Integration with other data sources—such as local weather
forecasts, roadway sensors, fleet management software, and
financial systems—further bolsters operational intelligence to
support effective treatment strategies, operational activities,
and resource allocations.
Patterns and trends can be identified to improve future strat-
egies. Public works officials can compare various storm details
with product usage to make sure they’re not over-applying
TECHNOLOGY
de-icers or underserving areas that may need more attention.
In Montana, the statewide Transportation Management
Center winter maintenance dashboard incorporates the public
works department’s level of service guidelines and Maintenance
Quality Assurance (MQA) Program to evaluate efforts and help
manage public expectations.
Using digital tools, transportation department staff members
analyze collected data to assess asset conditions, grade all
assets and drive immediate action for assets failing to meet
agency-defined standards.
“Without access to relevant data, it’s virtually impossible for an
agency to make timely adjustments to their maintenance opera-
tions to maximize efficiency and cost-effectiveness,” said Nalli.
With centralized data now available, agency leaders are bet-
ter able to identify problem assets, make real-time adjustments
to crew and material deployment, and make informed decisions
regarding future construction and rehab projects.
For Montana, as with other DOTs, a prime example of improved
decision-making has been improvements in material allocations.
“A common misconception is that more material is better,”
said Nalli. Yet, with detailed analysis, a DOT can demonstrate
that in many instances, “crews are actually applying much more
de-icing materials than necessary and can save time and money
by scaling back on their material use.”
Just as snowfall and blowing snow reduce visibility for driv-
ers, data silos impede communication and information flow for
winter maintenance teams. Lack of access to data can create
bottlenecks impacting the efficiency and effectiveness of snow
removal operations.
The importance of reliable information and data transpar-
ency extends beyond internal departments and partnering
agencies. Public works officials are expected and even required
to provide accurate and timely information about winter
maintenance operations to multiple stakeholder groups.
Common reporting demands include inter-agency coordination,
budget and performance reports to local officials and regulators,
and road condition and safety information to the public.
Ann Arbor has created an online portal and mobile applica-
tion by integrating digital data from its enterprise asset manage-
ment solution with a third-party public portal and reporting
website named the Plow Activity Page. The public portal
provides a vehicle tracker that displays real-time information
and a 24-hour history about snowplow deployment and route
schedules. It also enables residents to submit service requests.
In Montana, real-time data that can be pinpointed to precise
areas and analyzed for specific assets. Integrating the winter
maintenance information with other road condition reports also
enables Montana to share robust and real-time information
with the traveling public via MDT’s website. Having this type of
information readily available has played a vital role in helping
improve emergency response and overall public safety.
Jenn Said is a freelance writer who covers the construction industry,
emerging technologies, and infrastructure development.
FEBRUARY 2024 / ROADSBRIDGES.COM 31
BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION

PRIORITY PROJECTS
MANY AGING INTERSTATES and bridges
Missouri running through the bi-state St. Louis region are
and Illinois getting an overhaul, thanks to continued investment
along a 70-mile transportation corridor running from
revamp Foristell in southeast Missouri to Marine in south-
70s western Illinois.
Dubbed the “70s corridor,” it encompasses
corridor Interstate 70 and portions of Interstates 170, 270,
By Mary Lamie, and 370. These roadways are well-traveled by
Contributing motorists and those moving freight to key industrial
Author and logistics sites along the corridor and throughout
the St. Louis region.
The St. Louis Regional Freightway – established in
2014 to create a regional freight district and advance
infrastructure projects to support freight movement
The $496 million through eight counties in Missouri and Illinois that
project replacing Chain comprise the St. Louis metropolitan area – works with
of Rocks Bridge in the public and private partners on its Freight Development
I-270 corridor began in
early 2023.
Committee to identify high priority infrastructure needs
CREDIT: ILLINOIS DOT in the region and advocate for funding for them.
The committee is comprised of industry leaders
representing manufacturing, logistics, industrial real
estate, workforce development, economic develop-
ment organizations, academia, all modes of trans-
portation, the Illinois and Missouri Departments of
Transportation, and the East-West Gateway Council
of Governments.
Almost $2.7 billion in projects on the Freightway’s
Priority Project’s List are currently under construc-
tion or partially funded and expected proceed within
the next few years, including major improvements
on I-270 and I-70.
I-270 IMPROVEMENTS
One priority project involves the 24-mile, I-270 outer
belt corridor, running from I-70 in north St. Louis
County to State Route 157 across the Mississippi
River in Madison County, Illinois.
This is a key connector for Illinois and
Missouri residents and one of the region’s

32 ROADS&BRIDGES / FEBRUARY 2024


busiest freight corridors — home to national manufacturers,
suppliers, and distributors.
In Missouri, it serves major freight generators, such as the
Hazelwood Logistics Center, within and near St. Louis Lambert
International Airport.
In Illinois, I-270 feeds directly into the Lakeview Commerce
Center, Gateway TradePort, and Gateway Commerce Center,
three of the region’s largest and fastest growing logistics parks.
The I-270 corridor offers easy access to major destina-
tions in Illinois including the Conoco Phillips Refinery,
America’s Central Port, and Terminal Railroad Association of
St. Louis’ Madison Yard.
More than 25 million square feet of new industrial space hit
the market over the last five years, and the epicenter of this
construction boom is the northern I-270 corridor. Commuter and
freight traffic along this corridor has grown significantly and this
trend will continue.
The ability I-270 has to absorb this traffic will play a
major role in the speed, efficiency, and cost to move freight
throughout the region. Safety concerns along the interstate also
must be addressed.
Approximately $1.35 billion in improvements have been
identified, and in a remarkable show of bi-state unity, the
Missouri and Illinois departments of transportation (MoDOT and
IDOT) have committed to funding more than $1 billion of those
improvements, to date.
BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION
ADDING CAPACITY AND IMPROVING CONNECTIONS
One of the largest I-270 projects underway is the new, $496
million Chain of Rocks Bridge over the Mississippi River. The
project, being led by IDOT in partnership with MoDOT, will
replace the existing bridge – constructed in 1966 and now
serving nearly 45,000 vehicles daily, 20% of which are trucks
– with a dual structure featuring three traffic lanes and 10-foot
shoulders on each side.
MoDOT is also reconstructing an interchange at Riverview
Drive and I-270 into a diamond interchange to accommodate
the new bridge.
Also on the Missouri side of I-270, between I-70 and the
Mississippi River, improvements estimated at $320 million
are addressing the aging and deteriorating infrastructure and
outdated highway design, along with congestion, safety, mobil-
ity and accessibility concerns.
The work includes reconstruction of multiple interchanges,
improved connections, and reconstruction of selected
segments of the outer road. Travel lanes are being added to
the most heavily traveled segments. The I-270 North Project
was completed in December, and it comprised of $278 million
of this work.
Several projects are planned in Illinois, including:
• Widening I-270 in Granite City and reconstructing the
interchange and replacing the bridge at Illinois Route 3.
IDOT’s fiscal year 2024 – 2029 Highway Improvement
Program includes $101.9 million in funding for both
projects.
• Reconstruction of the I-270 interchange at Illinois Route
111 and Chain of Rocks Road in Pontoon Beach serving
the region’s largest and fastest growing logistics parks.
The $20.5 million project is funded, in part, by a recent
$17 million grant from the Illinois Competitive Freight
Program.
• IDOT has also committed $86.7 million in funding for a
bridge repair and ramp replacement project on the section
of I-270 just east of Route 111 in Pontoon Beach.
“Fueled by historic partnership between MoDOT and IDOT,
necessary upgrades are being made along the I-270 corridor,
and these projects are a testament to the strength of the con-
tinued collaboration that is helping to add capacity and redun-
dancy to the St. Louis region’s world-class freight network,” said
Brent Wood, president of Terminal Railroad Association of St.
Louis (TRRA) and chair of the St. Louis Regional Freightway’s
Freight Development Commitment.
Michael Vanderhoof, planning bureau chief for IDOT, talked
about the importance of partnerships in advancing infrastruc-
ture projects during an August Rail Freight Tour hosted by the
TRRA and the St. Louis Regional Freightway.
“The work TRRA and the Freightway are doing is critically
important to how we are building success with these programs,”
Vanderhoof said. “The Freightway has done a great job keeping
us informed of what’s going on in the private sector, so we can
work together to develop partnerships to go for funding, and
that’s what this is all about.”
FEBRUARY 2024 / ROADSBRIDGES.COM 33
BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION
I-70 IMPROVEMENTS
Multiple improvement projects are also coming to the
I-70 corridor, stretching from I-64 in Wentzville, Mo., to
the Stan Musial Veteran’s Memorial Bridge, which carries
traffic into Illinois.
In the St. Louis region, I-70 is an important link for freight due
to the proximity of major corporations, industrial areas, and St.
Louis Lambert International Airport. Manufacturing is the largest
industry along the corridor at 11.8% of total employment, largely
due to large companies like General Motors, Boeing, and
Procter & Gamble.
The I-70 corridor in the St. Louis region also is an integral
part of the High-Volume Domestic Agriculture Highway cor-
ridor, one of 17 corridors recognized by the U.S. Department
of Agriculture. It is one of the most important highways for
investment to support the U.S. agriculture industry, moving the
largest volumes of freight.
Additionally, many of the St. Louis region’s highest activity
industrial parks are located along this stretch of I-70. Various
intersecting arterial corridors rely on truck access to I-70 to serve
six industrial zones and several large industrial real estate sites.
I-70 handles more than 36,000 trucks daily, and 70% of
the St. Louis Region’s industrial occupiers are located within a
10-minute driving time of the 70s corridor.
Running through St. Charles County, St. Louis County
and St. Louis, much of this 47-mile I-70 corridor experiences
moderate to heavy congestion during peak hours. Planning
is underway to enhance east-west freight mobility along the
34 ROADS&BRIDGES / FEBRUARY 2024
The Illinois and Missouri Departments of Transportation
have joined forces to replace the Chain of Rocks Bridge
with a dual structure featuring three traffic lanes and 10-
foot shoulders on each side.
CREDIT: ILLINOIS DOT
corridor by providing more capacity where it
is needed most, while reducing congestion
and associated vehicle crashes.
Critical safety and congestion issues will
also be addressed through interchange,
bridge, geometric curve, and parallel road
improvements. Total cost for improvements
is estimated at $863 million, with almost half
of that secured.
I-70 PRIORITY PROJECTS
WITH FUNDING
A third traffic lane will be added in both
directions of I-70 for 20 miles between
Warren County and Wentzville Parkway.
The project also will address what was
ranked as the number one bottleneck
location in the St. Louis region in 2016 by
rebuilding I-70 from Wentzville Parkway to
west of I-64/Route 161 in St. Charles County.
Improvements will be made to the s-curve
at the Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge.
The $242 million project is part of a $2.8 billion budget bill,
signed by Missouri Gov. Mike Parson in June 2023, that will
add a third lane in each direction of I-70 for almost 200 miles
between Wentzville and Kansas City.
Construction along a six-mile stretch of I-70, from Cave
Springs Road to Fairgrounds Road in St. Charles County began
in 2022 and will wrap up this summer.
The $62 million project is funded jointly by MoDOT and St.
Charles County through a cost-share agreement. It includes
new bridges at Cave Springs and Zumbehl roads that can
accommodate new single-point urban interchanges and new
ramps and overpasses. A new outer road between Fairgrounds
Road and Route 94 is also being constructed.
Additionally, a $133 million project to reconstruct the
interchanges at I-64 and I-70 has received partial funding of
$93 million and is in the engineering phase.
Three additional projects along I-70 totaling $420 million
remain unfunded but are still high priorities for the region.
Ed Hassinger, deputy director and chief engineer for MoDOT,
addressed the state’s commitment to the various projects mov-
ing forward during the recent Rail Freight Tour. “Our governor
and our legislators have infrastructure on their mind, and they
are putting their money where their mouth is,” he said.
Mary Lamie, Executive Vice President of Multimodal Enterprises for
Bi-State Development, heads the St. Louis Regional Freightway.
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building businesses
TECHNOLOGY
AN ICON
MEETS THE
FUTURE
Drones and AI help preserve
a historic bridge
By Barritt Lovelace, Contributing Author
The following story outlines a
project that was a finalist at
Bentley’s 2023 Going Digital
Awards in Infrastructure in the Bridges and Tunnel category.
The awards were announced at Bentley’s Year in Infrastructure
conference in Singapore in October, and this was one of 15
projects that were recognized for the Founders’ Honors.
BUILT IN 1926, the Robert Street Bridge stands as an icon of
downtown St. Paul, Minn., and it offers the public a thoroughfare
that spans the Mississippi River.
The bridge connects the city’s downtown with the west side,
its rainbow arches and concrete medallions a centerpiece of the
Moderne style. The concrete arch bridge serves as an example
of the city’s history and longstanding tradition.
To maintain this piece of state history, the Minnesota
Department of Transportation (MnDOT) sought out the team
of Collins Engineers, Inc., and Michael Baker International to
ensure this icon could last well into the future.
The team’s familiarity with the newest bridge inspection
technology was crucial to the project. We made the Robert
Street Bridge the focal point for a new workflow, making
Left: This image shows the cracks that were on the Robert Street Bridge’s pavement at the start of the project. The project’s team used digital twins (right) and artificial
intelligence to move the bridge inspection field forward and improve project outcomes. CREDIT: COLLINS ENGINEERS, INC.
36 ROADS&BRIDGES / FEBRUARY 2024
Drone images like
this helped a team
in St. Paul, Minn.
preserve the historic
Robert Street Bridge.
CREDIT: COLLINS
ENGINEERS, INC.
significant use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), digital
twins and artificial intelligence to move the bridge inspection
field forward and improve project outcomes.
The Robert Street Bridge serves as an important focal point
for St. Paul. It operates as a main corridor of Minnesota State
Highway 3 and carries travelers across the Mississippi River.
Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989,
the bridge stands out for its sheer size when compared to other
structures of this type. Because of this scale, the potential for
hundreds or thousands of potential inspection findings makes
traditional inspection a detailed and time-consuming process.
This historical landmark shows its age, so MnDOT partnered
with the project team to inspect the bridge and provide a bridge
management plan.
To aid in the inspection and cataloging of potential issues,
we used automated drones to provide a large-scale digital twin
of the bridge.
The 3D-scan artificial intelligence (AI) data collection applica-
tion allowed our team to quickly and accurately collect data that
was processed into a digital twin of the bridge. This virtual replica
allows internal engineers and external stakeholders an interactable
reproduction of the full-size bridge available on the cloud. It also
TECHNOLOGY
offers granular photo quality and detail, as the drone’s camera can
pick up on small defects such as cracks or other points of interest.
However, we took this technology and advanced it one
step further, making use of AI to analyze the digital twin and
automate finding, quantifying and communicating the concrete
crack information to our inspectors.
This “pre-inspection” of the 3D model offers a baseline of
information on cracks and defects. The model provides thou-
sands of datapoints that off-site engineers are able to review
without ever stepping foot on the bridge.
While nothing can truly compare to an in-depth physical
inspection of the bridge by trained professionals, this digital
twin provides an estimated 80% of the information inspectors
are looking for prior to starting field work.
Technology reduces the time required for field inspections
between 30% and 40%. It also creates a clear plan of action for
the on-site inspectors, allowing them to corroborate potential
questions and double-check any false positives that may arise
from the initial viewing.
A digital twin also offers the chance for engineers or stakehold-
ers who may be physically unable to inspect the structure on-site
to still provide their expertise and guidance. This widens the poten-
tial pool of knowledge that can be lent toward a given project.
The benefits of this digital model and AI data collection extend
beyond the information offered to our on-site engineers, as well.
By making use of this technology and reducing the time
needed for physical inspection, we’re able to improve safety for
our employees and the public, shortening lane closure times
and putting fewer staff at risk for potential accidents. This also
offers a monetary savings to the public by cutting down on
vehicle backups or slowdowns.
Once the inspection is complete, the digital twin is shared
with other stakeholders, as well as the client. Instead of refer-
encing issues or defects through pictures and writing, engineers
can visually pinpoint the exact areas that require attention and
share them with others in the 3D virtual space. This allows for
38 ROADS&BRIDGES / FEBRUARY 2024
When project teams utilize technology (right), they can reduce the time required
for field inspections (left) between 30% and 40%. Technology also creates a clear
plan of action for the on-site inspectors.
CREDIT: COLLINS ENGINEERS, INC.
immediate feedback following our work, including design and
construction professionals, ensuring accountability throughout
the process. Additionally, Collins can expand our education and
outreach programs through these models across a variety of
professional skillsets, ensuring all stakeholders are fully aware
of our findings in an easy-to-digest manner.
Once the design phase is completed, the digital twins can be
shared with potential contractors, enabling more accurate cost
estimates and ensuring our client has the most precise informa-
tion available throughout the bridge’s rehabilitation.
While we’re just getting started on integrating this technol-
ogy into our overall workflow, Collins Engineers already has
experienced success using UAS and AI technology.
The Robert Street Bridge project exemplifies that success.
In October in Singapore, I delivered a presentation at Bentley
Systems’ 2023 Year in Infrastructure and Going Digital Awards
about how the software we used was integral to the project.
When you attend a conference such Bentley’s, one can’t
help but ask: What does the use of this technology look like in
the future?
During my presentation, I highlighted the fact that, while
the Robert Street Bridge is a large, multi-faceted project, this
workflow can be adapted and streamlined for almost any kind
of structure. This includes smaller bridges, retaining walls and
sign structures, among others. And this type of technology will
continue to grow within the inspection and construction field.
I also pointed out that, while stakeholders needed time to
learn how to use the new technology, everyone involved saw
the benefits of AI within these models. Using AI may seem like
a novelty today, but it will soon become a must-have for clients
across the world — probably sooner than you think.
While Collins Engineers is only beginning to scratch the
surface of what this disruptive technology can provide for our
industry, we owe it to our clients and the public to push the
limits of AI, machine learning and UAS. We need the highest
quality inspection data and workflows available.
Barritt Lovelace is the vice president of UAS/AI/reality modeling at
Collins Engineers, Inc. Sam Wagner, communications coordinator for
Collins Engineers, Inc., contributed to the story.

MONEY SAVED
How a bridge rehabilitation project sets a new standard
By Oana Crisan, Contributing Author
FOR NEARLY 100 YEARS, the rainbow arch of the
Robert Street Bridge has been an iconic landmark in
St. Paul, Minn., and the Minnesota Department of
Transportation (MnDOT) plans to keep it that way.
MnDOT has scheduled a significant renovation
that will shore up the bridge for another 50 years.
The project aims to secure the future of this piece of
history while modeling technological advancements
that will become benchmarks for the bridge industry.
Led by Barritt Lovelace, vice president of UAS, AI,
Barritt Lovelace, UAS, AI,
and reality modeling, Collins Engineers used drones and reality modeling
to capture more than 57,000 images of the bridge.
Using reality modeling software, the inspection
team processed the drone-captured images to cre-
ate a detailed digital twin. This allowed engineers on
the project to pre-inspect the bridge and document
defects before going to the site in person.
Because of these digital delivery methods, Collins
Engineers’ team cut down its time on site. This meant
fewer roadway closures and traffic disruptions. It also
freed engineers to focus on the project’s critical next
step: assessing the bridge’s load-carrying capacity
and developing a bridge management plan. Oana Crisan, Bentley
Systems
Collins Engineers expects to save approximately
20% in rehabilitative construction costs.
COMBATTING A WORKFORCE SQUEEZE
Digital innovations also helped the engineering team mitigate
a workforce shortage that currently stretches across the bridge
industry. Lovelace said that not enough new engineers are
entering the workforce to keep up with growing demand for
their skills.
“[American] infrastructure is in the second generation of
needing repairs,” he said.
On the Robert Street Bridge inspection, artificial intelligence
capabilities helped compensate for having fewer workers
for fieldwork by cutting down on the overall time and labor
required on site. This yielded more than $90,000 in savings. As
a result of these benefits, Lovelace said he expects a digital-first
workflow will become the norm.
“Even in cases where the client isn’t specifically asking
us to do this, we’re proposing it, because we know we can
give them a better product at a reduced cost compared to
traditional methods.”
TECHNOLOGY
LOVELACE LEADS THE WAY
Across nearly 30 years as a structural engineer and
bridge inspector, Lovelace has dived to underwater
sites and climbed to inspect structures only accessible
by rope. Now, as vice president of UAS, AI, and reality
modeling at Collins Engineers, Inc., he uses drones
and digital twins to see bridges from new angles.
“I was always interested in bridges for the same
reason everybody’s interested in bridges,” Lovelace
said. “They tend to be landmarks that connect
people and communities.”
Lovelace has worked on prominent structures,
including Minneapolis’ iconic Stone Arch Bridge.
He began developing the niche expertise that has
brought him leadership opportunities on many
notable projects in 2015, when Collins Engineers
received grant funding from MnDOT to consider how
drones might be used for bridge inspection.
At the time, Lovelace managed the company’s
regional office in Minnesota. However, as demand
grew for his digital skillset, he had the chance to
take on a leadership role dedicated to technological
advancement in the bridge industry.
“We kind of became the benchmark when [the
industry] was first starting to use drones in bridge
inspections,” he said.
Now, Lovelace guides the technology side of major bridge
inspection projects and consults various state agencies on their
digital inspection capabilities.
Lovelace is also excited to see these technologies open the
door for new engineering talent to join the industry at a time
when aging infrastructure around the country is heightening
demand for their skills. He believes that the industry will
also become more welcoming to gifted engineers who have
historically faced barriers to bridge inspection work due to its
physical demands.
“I think incorporating artificial intelligence, drones, and digital
twins has really helped us attract some of the best and bright-
est engineers into this field because suddenly, it became very
high-tech,” Lovelace said.
Oana Crisan is the Product Marketing Manager focused on civil design
solutions and applications at Bentley Systems.
FEBRUARY 2024 / ROADSBRIDGES.COM 39
ARRA RECYCLING AWARDS
REUSING THE ROAD
Inventive solutions on New Mexico’s road projects By Ryan Curtiss, Digital Editor
THE NEW MEXICO Department of
Transportation (NMDOT) needed work
done on U.S. Route 550 and Interstate
25. Fisher Sand and Gravel – New
Mexico, Inc. was awarded both projects,
and their team used cold-recycled
materials to deliver.
This year, the Asphalt Recycling
and Reclaiming Association (ARRA) will
40 ROADS&BRIDGES / FEBRUARY 2024
recognize both projects with awards.
The U.S. 550 project won ARRA’s Full
Depth Reclamation (FDR) award, and
the I-25 project won ARRA’s Cold
In-Place Recycling (CIR) award.
Both projects are ongoing.
Known for its support for innovative
solutions, NMDOT previously awarded
Fisher Sand and Gravel on similar road
Crews work on I-25
in New Mexico.
CREDIT: JOHN MORGAN
projects. The team had the experience to
complete the projects in a short amount
of time, and with the right tools.
Frank Lozano, the project manager,
oversaw the success of U.S. 550 and
I-25. He works at Fisher Sand and Gravel
– New Mexico, Inc., the sister company
to Fisher Sand & Gravel Co.
Lozano said that Fisher Sand and
Gravel has a history of attempting new
processes proposed by NMDOT.
“We are very happy to be recognized
for being successful in these endeavors,”
he said.
Beginning in May 2023, the U.S. 550
project is one of the first emulsion FDR
projects in New Mexico.
Previously, NMDOT did not allow
emulsion on FDR projects. Costing close
to $13 million, the project used 100%
Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP).
“The U.S. 550 project in San Juan,
Asphalt emulsion nurse trailer towed by Roadtec
Cold Planer and Recycling Trailer on I-25.
CREDIT: JOHN MORGAN
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ARRA RECYCLING AWARDS
County, New Mexico is a textbook
example of how full depth reclamation
can save on time and costs compared to
remove and replace pavement recon-
struction options,” said ARRA President
Jason Wielinski. “Through communica-
tion, engineering and planning, the New
Mexico DOT and the contractor were
able to formulate a solution using FDR
that solves the encountered pavement
distress issues more effectively than the
original mill and fill plan.”
This was Fisher Sand and Gravel’s
first attempt at performing the
reclaiming process themselves, leading
the crew to learn how to operate new,
upgraded equipment in a short time
42 ROADS&BRIDGES / FEBRUARY 2024
frame. They learned how to operate
the new equipment and delivered the
result in six months.
Fisher Sand and Gravel had to
upgrade their reclaimer to include a
pump and metering package to handle
the addition of the emulsion.
They also had to purchase
equipment to spread the cement. The
company’s operation’s team was on
the job, researching and collecting
the necessary equipment to get the
job done.
“The procurement of all the required
equipment, while still meeting the
project schedule was a challenge,”
Lozano said.
Above: On U.S. 550, Caterpillar Padfoot Roller
advances following the Caterpillar Reclaimer and
Engineered Emulsion trailer supplied by HF Sinclair.
Left: Caterpillar Motor Grader shapes the FDR to
obtain the specified project grade completed in
New Mexico. CREDIT: JOHN MORGAN
After evaluating the pavement, the
project team decided to use 6 inches of
FDR for the entire project.
U.S. 550 is exposed to approximately
131,000 equivalent single axle loads
(ESALs) yearly, with 13% being heavy
commercial traffic.
While U.S. 550 is exposed to a great
deal of traffic, I-25 in San Miguel County
near Rowe, N.M., sees approximately
829,000 ESALs a year, with 19% being
heavy commercial traffic.
Beginning last August and costing
a little over $15 million, the I-25 project
used 100% RAP with the CIR process.
The team, consisting of Fisher Sand
and Gravel and Coughlin Company, a
SurfaceCycle Company, came up with a
plan to recycle the shoulders and both
driving lanes with a single joint between
two laydown passes.
That created milling and laydown
widths to maximize the equipment’s
capabilities.
Coughlin Company performed the CIR
process, while Fisher Sand and Gravel
handled the laydown, compaction, and
 ARRA RECYCLING AWARDS

quality control. This was the third CIR
project done by NMDOT in 10 years.
However, this project was different
than previous ones due to its geography.
It was completed at a higher elevation
and cooler climate.
Rain and snow were an issue during
construction. The precipitation and cool
nights introduced the risk of surface
raveling, but the engineered emulsion
and the construction crew team effec-
tively eliminated the concern through the
throughmix design process and project
management decisions.
Dealing with the elements was not
the only challenge on the I-25 project.
Being on an interstate as opposed to a
rural roadway with lower traffic counts
was a hurdle the team had to overcome.
The quantity of RAP being generated,
from the decision to rebuild the shoul-
ders and lanes in two passes, meant
the windrow location was important to
ensure the laydown machine’s elevator
was able to pick up the RAP from the
windrow to properly feed the hopper on
the laydown machine.
The CIR was overlayed with SP-III Warm
Mix Asphalt (WMA) and a WMA Open
Graded Friction Course. This combination
reduced greenhouse gas for NMDOT.
I-25 had over 18,000 feet of guard rail
that needed to be installed. The result: a
closed slow lane and shoulder while traffic
was placed on the newly constructed CIR
lane for over 30 days without a fog seal or
overlay being applied.
Shawn Hammer, the quality control
manager at Fisher Sand and Gravel,
said that he wished all the CIR the team
placed was smooth.
“The reality is, there were some areas
that were rough enough that a single lift
WMA overlay would not have taken care
of the ride issues,” he said. They had
a solution, however. “Fisher Sand and
Gravels’ superintendent did a fantastic
job of ‘micro-milling’ with our regular mill
in those areas and removed the rough-
ness that could have created problems
with the final ride of the project.”
NMDOT estimates that using CIR on
this project compared to the mill and
fill saved $1.6 million. Not only did it cut
costs, but it also performed well under
interstate traffic.
“The CIR process as a whole is a very
environmentally sound solution that offers
dramatic reduction in emission and energy
consumption when compared to traditional
paving solutions,” said John Morgan, the
market development manager at Ingevity
who worked with the project.
The team is right on schedule to finish
the I-25 project.
ARRA’s awards to NMDOT for these
projects are well deserved. The team
showed that the innovative solutions to
New Mexico’s road projects were worth
it in the end.
Not only do they cut down on costs
and greenhouse gas emissions, but
applying the proper tools can make any
project better for the road user in the
end.

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ARRA RECYCLING AWARDS
RE-PAVING THE WAY
Innovative hot in-place recycling breeds success By Harlee Hewitt, Associate Editor
HOT IN-PLACE ASPHALT recycling
isn’t necessarily a new treatment
method, but the added innovation of the
project team for a 2-mile, multi-lane
arterial commuter corridor in Littleton,
Colo. marked a process that was never
attempted in the state.
Littleton officials wanted to resurface
the 2-mile portion of the roadway on
County Line Road and opted for hot in-
place recycling (HIPR). Cutler Paving was
tapped for the job, and their approach
with an innovative recycling method won
them the 2023 Asphalt Recycling and
Reclaiming Association (ARRA) award for
best HIPR project.
County Line Road is a high-traffic
volume commuter corridor with multiple
intersections, businesses, and high-density
residences. As a result, the road’s top layer
of pavement deteriorated over the years.
“The top layer of pavement was fully
oxidized and needed to be milled and
removed. Typically, this is not within the
A paving train with pre-heater followed by repaver on County Line Road in Littleton, Colo. CREDIT: TODD GONSER
44 ROADS&BRIDGES / FEBRUARY 2024
HIPR scope,” said Matthew Matuszewski,
project manager in Littleton.
To address the full scope of the repairs,
Littleton and Cutler Repaving worked
together to combine full-width milling fol-
lowed by HIPR with a Stone Matrix Asphalt
(SMA) paving material overlay.
“SMA has not been used with the
HIPR process here in Colorado. County
Line Road is a heavily loaded roadway,
so we felt that this pavement style would
improve the longevity while also prevent-
ing against rutting and thermal cracking,”
said Matuszewski.
On top of the material being the right
fit, the team identified a myriad of other
needs in deciding to take up this innova-
tive combination of milling and paving,
including reducing environmental and
community impacts.
Country Line Road
in Littleton, Colo.
CREDIT: TODD GONSER
“During the scoping and design
process, the major goal was to find
something that was quick, economical,
environmentally sustainable, effective
and practical,” said Todd Gonser, western
states manager at Cutler Repaving.
“Heater repaving accomplishes the
need for recycling in-place materials and
applying the wearing course at the same
time, as opposed to multiple stages.
“The heater repaving process has
been used quite frequently for other
local agencies and DOTs, so the team
was comfortable in its track record. After
finalizing assessments, the team decided
that the heater repaving train was the
only equipment that would accomplish
all their goals for the project.”
Although the HIPR process in Littleton
involved fewer steps and took just six
weeks to complete, the process is no
less robust than other methods.
The team started the HIPR process by
melting the existing asphalt surface with
half-lane and detail milling machines, and
then combing through the hot material
with carbide-tipped scarification teeth
to gather the recycled material with
counter-flow augers.
Next, a rejuvenating agent called
HFMS-2p Emulsion is applied to the
recycled material. To finish, the recycled
material is re-laid with one screed, while
the new SMA overlay material is laid with
a secondary screed.
“All with one machine in a single lane
closure,” said Gonser. “This process
greatly decreases construction time
versus conventional paving methods.
 ARRA RECYCLING AWARDS

It maximizes the benefit of in-place

material, reduces the carbon-footprint,
and decreases the cost and need of new
material by about half.
“The resulting pavement section is a
homogenous asphalt overlay, compacted
all together at once with conventional
equipment, with the bottom portion 100%
recycled and the top portion a brand-
new wearing surface.”
The result: over 65,000 square-yards
of full-width milling, over 65,000 square- A crew in Littleton, Colo. operates a paving train in front of an apartment building. CREDIT: TODD GONSER

yards of heater repaving, approximately

4,500 tons of SMA, and approximately CDOT and Douglas County to account a single lane closure, and continuous
5,000 gallons of HFMS-2p Emulsion for nearby adjoining projects. A public communication between milling and
rejuvenator. information campaign was delivered paving teams was imperative.
“Littleton’s goals were all achieved by prior to the project through extra “I am proud of the innovation and
this process. The city was able to realize variable message boards and over 130 coordination on this project. But most
high quality, quiet, smooth riding, durable informative fliers to inform motorists and of all, that the team was able to work
and good-looking pavement on this neighboring business of the upcoming outside of the box and do something
important arterial at a much lower project project, with updates and very specific that was unconventional, but practical.
cost than typical construction methods. information each day. Against all odds, this project was a
They would not have been able to To minimize traffic delays, Cutler success and will give the city of Littleton
achieve this resurfacing in a single proj- was required to only mill what could a long-lasting roadway, and another
ect, given their budget for 2023. It would be paved back daily. This meant that option to put in their pavement man-
have been broken down into multiple all operations would be confined to agement toolbox,” said Gonser.
project seasons,” said Gonser. “This job
finished within budget, and on time. The
city was able to use additional budget
from the use of an in-place recycling
treatment to utilize SMA for a robust and
Providing
long-lasting wearing surface. They took
money saved by the HIPR process and
Signs
put it towards a “bullet-proof” overlay Trailers
that should result in a longer service life
and save from future costs.” Data
Littleton and Cutler cite exceptional
communication and coordination as
a primary facilitator of completing the
project on time and on budget.
“I am most proud of the teamwork
and communication employed by city
staff and Cutler to achieve a safe and
beautiful looking roadway that the public
can enjoy. The increased durability and
value provided, combined with minimal
disruptions to the public, make this a
memorable project,” said Matuszewski
in a joint statement with Kimberly Dall,
assistant city engineer.
Because County Line is such a high-
volume, high-visibility, ultra important
roadway for Littleton, coordination
was organized before paving began.
Coordination efforts were made with
StreetDynamics.com

FEBRUARY 2024 / ROADSBRIDGES.COM 45

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ROADS REPORT
In the Spirit of Adventure
You never know where you’ll discover something new
IN TASMANIA, a 3-year-old southern elephant
seal, affectionately known as “Neil the Seal,” has
become a local sensation.
David Matthews Neil comes ashore several times a year to small
has been chronicling towns along the coast of the Australian island where he
the unexpectedly
humorous side of
enjoys disrupting traffic, chomping on traffic cones, and
transportation news disfiguring road marker posts.
since 2000. The The 1,300-pound seal also is fond of barking at
stories are all true.
police, sunning himself in the middle of the street,
and napping under cars, giving one resident the most
original “can’t come to work” excuse ever.
Unlike sea lions and walruses, seals can only flop
along on their bellies to move around on land. Neil may
look like your drunk uncle doing The Worm at the end
of a wedding reception, but he has no problem getting
around town and then returning to the ocean after he’s
had his fun.
Thanks to his endearing and unpredictable
behavior, Neil has become an international social media
star. #NeilTheSeal now has an Instagram account with
112k followers, he’s featured in TikTok and YouTube
videos gathering millions of views, and he even has an
unofficial merchandise line.
The roof rack had storage for a drone to capture images
and an espresso maker was even built into the cabin.
However that fame can come with a price.
Local wildlife authorities and marine experts are
concerned about the impact of increased human
interaction with Neil.
“Neil might seem unbothered by people and
some people might think patting a wild animal makes
good social media content, but wild animals are
unpredictable and could be dangerous if harassed,” the
Tasmanian Marine Conservation Program (MCP) said in
a statement.
Southern elephant seals are the largest species
of seal on the planet, and they commonly come
ashore for hours or even days at a time to regulate
their body temperature, give birth, or in Neil’s case,
to molt their fur all over your front yard before falling
asleep in your driveway.
OFF THE BEATEN PATH
Afraid to take your electric vehicle on a road trip?
Don’t complain to Chris and Julie Ramsey who just
50 ROADS&BRIDGES / FEBRUARY 2024
finished a 17,000-mile road trip in a Nissan EV.
In December, the Scottish adventurers completed
the world’s first-ever drive from the 1823 Magnetic
North Pole to the South Pole using an electric vehicle
to demonstrate the viability of EVs as replacements for
diesel-powered expedition vehicles in polar regions.
The Ramseys completed the groundbreaking
nine-month “Pole To Pole EV” expedition in a Nissan
Ariya e-4ORCE, built with the help of Icelandic
specialist Arctic Trucks.
Some slight modifications were required, mainly
switching to larger 39-inch tires with matching
wheel arches and adding ice-friendly gear and body
reinforcement work. The roof rack had storage for a
drone to capture images and an espresso maker was
even built into the cabin.
The additional load led to a reduced range for the
EV, dropping from the original 272 miles to 150-
200 miles. Despite this, the Ramseys managed to
navigate through the Arctic and Antarctic terrains by
implementing some creative solutions.
Depending on the weather, the duo charged
their EV by utilizing either a 5kW wind turbine or
a prototype solar hybrid charging solution. And in
places where no renewable sources were available,
a petrol generator served as a fallback.
To get the most out of each charge, the couple
would build snow walls to shield the car’s underside
and front radiator from the harsh winds in order to
keep the battery warm. At times they even used a
dedicated tent to cover the entire vehicle.
Compared to the poles, the Ramseys journey
through the Americas was relatively easy, but still
came with challenges. Since Central and South
America don’t have enough readily available charg-
ing stations, the couple collaborated with Enel X Way
to install additional chargers along their existing Pan
American EV charging corridor that runs from Los
Angeles to Argentina.
The “Pole To Pole EV” expedition is not the
Ramseys’ first foray into electric vehicle adventures.
In 2017, they became the first to enter and complete
the Mongol Rally in an EV, driving 10,000 miles, from
Western Europe to Russia, in 56 days in a modified
Nissan Leaf Acenta.
While the couple’s globe-trotting escapades are
impressive, what’s truly unbelievable is that their
marriage also survived all that time in the car.
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