KEY CONST.
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KEY CONSTRUCTORS
ority. “We have a very comprehensive
safety plan,” Trevathan says. “We have a
safety consultant and we conduct quar-
terly and weekly meetings.
“Safety is stressed, especially on jobs
like this. One misstep of an employee
can cause big problems.”
The Mississippi River was at a high
tide from December last year until the
first part of June, Trevathan says. “Be-
cause of our proximity to the Mississippi
River, we had to revamp our schedule,”
he recalls. “We had to work away from
the river floodwater instead of the other
way, so we could still be on schedule even
though it’s not the right progression.”
184 ■ CONSTRUCTION TODAY ■ OCTOBER 2007
‘Experienced People’
Key Constructors is used to weathering
natural challenges, Trevathan states. It
reconstructed the Woodrow Wilson
Bridge, the bridge that connects Flowood
and Jackson, Miss. It was completed in
2003, but not without any delays. The
redevelopment of the $4.5 million proj-
ect faced some setbacks due to the heavy
rainfall at the time.
The rain kept water levels high on the
Pearl River, which made it impossible to
operate equipment, Trevathan explains.
The crew, he says, had to perform
work on other areas of the project until
the flood subsided.
“We have experienced people who have
been working on bridges for several years
– they know what they’re doing,” Treva-
than states. Every project is similar in
some way, he adds.
Working for MDOT
Key Constructors’ repeat clients include
the Mississippi Department of Trans-
portation (MDOT), the Natural Resources
Conservation Service and the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers.
Trevathan says the company’s relation-
ship with MDOT is excellent. “The key to
the success of our projects is being able
to deal with [MDOT] in a successful man-
ner,” he states.
Established in the 1990s, MDOT was
created “in a move to enhance the effi-
ciency and coordination of state trans-
portation agencies,” the organization
explains.
MDOT brought together the state’s
transportation services, which includes
the Mississippi State Highway
Department, Public Transit, Weight
Enforcement, Rail Planning and Safety,
Aeronautics and the Office of State Aid.
MDOT says its No. 1 goal is to improve
accessibility and mobility.
The state’s highway system is accessible
through the four-lane highway program.
Established in the late 1980s, the $1.6 bil-
lion program was designed to recon-
struct 1,077 miles of four-lane highways.
MDOT also says this goal is not only
for passenger travel, but also for freight
movement to help meet the state’s indus-
trial and commercial needs.
Other MDOT goals include:
■ Ensuring the highest safety standard
■ Maintaining and preserving the state’s
transportation system
■ Ensuring the transportation system
does not interfere with the environment
■ Providing a transportation system that
supports the state’s economic development
■ Providing a sound financial budget
In the future, Trevathan says, he hopes
to continue to work in central Mississ-
ippi. “Our long-term [goal], of course, is to
keep busy and make money,” he states.
“But we just want to hopefully stay with-
in our area.”
Key Constructors has also completed
projects in Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas,
Tennessee, Alabama and Florida. ■