Innovative Approach Helps Sundt Team Win Oregon Bridge Project
Innovative technology and a faster, safer, less expensive construction approach gave Sundt and a joint venture partner, Slayden Construction, the edge over the competition in their recent proposal to reconstruct the aging Sellwood Bridge over the Willamette River in Portland, Ore. Rather than rebuilding the 2,000-foot-long bridge in sections and shifting traffic back and forth between the old structure and newly completed segments, as was originally outlined in the project’s Environmental Impact Statement, the team used Building Information Modeling (BIM) and a sophisticated video presentation to develop and propose an alternate “shoofly” approach. It is expected to shorten the project schedule by approximately one year and reduce the cost to the owner, Multnomah County, by $5 to $10 million.
The “shoofly” (or detour) approach essentially involves lifting the old bridge deck and truss with hydraulic jacks and moving it to one side, then placing it on a set of temporary piers and connecting it to temporary approach spans so that traffic can continue to use it while the new bridge is constructed. This approach is safer for construction crews and the public because it frees up the existing alignment for workers and keeps traffic out of the construction zone. By eliminating the need for complicated traffic phasing, it also shortens the project duration and therefore the overall cost. Another benefit is that it allows for a sleeker bridge design with fewer redundant features and fewer in-water impacts, which is better for the river’s ecosystem.
“Before we were even awarded the contract, we had a three-dimensional (3D) laser scan created of the entire site,” said Sundt Modeling Engineer Eric Cylwik. “We wanted a 3D model of failing areas and the ability to take very precise measurements and assess exact site conditions in order to figure out a better way to build the bridge. Having that information in real time allowed us to brainstorm different ideas from our office and plan everything down to the most minute details. Then, using Building Information Modeling (BIM) software, we created a computerized model of the temporary detour to make sure there would be enough room for it. BIM allowed us to get very familiar with the site, explore our ideas, and make sure our approach was valid before presenting it to the owner. They were so impressed with our proposal and animated video presentation that they hired us under a separate contract to make several additional videos that explain the project to the public.”
Designed as an open steel deck arch structure, the new Sellwood Bridge will complement its surroundings while providing ample space for all modes of travel with two vehicle lanes in each direction on the west end, which narrow to one lane in each direction on the east end. In addition, it has two, six-foot-wide bikes lanes and two, 12-foot-wide sidewalks. It has been designed to withstand a major earthquake – which many experts say is overdue in the Pacific Northwest – without sustaining significant damage.
The current bridge, which was built in 1925, has only one travel lane in each direction and a single, four-foot-wide sidewalk. In addition to its narrow size, there are concerns about its structural integrity and ability to withstand an earthquake. Engineers have detected cracks in the east and west concrete approaches and areas where the bridge sags by as much as six inches. As a result, the maximum vehicle weight has been reduced from 32 tons to 10 tons, which means the bridge is no longer open to emergency vehicles, commuter buses, and large trucks.
Preconstruction is already underway on the Construction Manager/General Contractor (CMGC) project. Construction will begin early next year and the new Sellwood Bridge will be complete and open to traffic in 2015.
A Conversation with Sundt’s New Co-COO, Eric Hedlund
Eric Hedlund was recently promoted to Executive Vice President and co-Chief Operating Officer (COO) in charge of Sundt’s building operations in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, plus its Special Projects Group and Federal Division. He is a thirty-year veteran of the construction industry.
Q: You joined Sundt in 1987. How did you get started with the company?
A: I was first hired on the Salt River Project Information Systems Building near Phoenix. I was a Sundt employee, assigned as a project engineer to the owner’s representative. It was a good opportunity to get a different perspective, to see things from the owner’s point of view. From there I went into estimating in Phoenix for 18 months, and then I was assigned to the South Lake Tahoe, Calif., Embassy Suites project, followed by the Lovelock Prison in Nevada.
Q: Has your extensive experience on the building side of the business been helpful as you’ve risen through the management ranks?
A: Yes, because I’ve performed just about every job in the company, from business development through preconstruction and operations. I have had the opportunity to see all aspects of our business. I think that experience has been valuable because it has helped me understand how each position contributes to the whole. As important, I have been fortunate to build relationships throughout the company. It is clear that our people do make the difference in the Sundt Experience.
Q: You were recently promoted to Executive Vice President and co-Chief Operating Officer, overseeing the company’s building operations in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, plus its Special Projects Group and Federal Division. What is the advantage of having two COOs?
A: Sundt has always been a multi-disciplined general contractor that does a lot of self-perform work. As our size has increased from a $300-$400 million-per-year company to a billion-dollar-per-year company, we’ve expanded geographically, so we’re trying to put more time and focus on each of the operating groups. Additionally, we are trying to grow the company over the next ten years, which requires focus. Having two COOs is about both performance and growth.
Q: Sundt’s recent leadership academy was devoted to ‘The Sundt Experience.’ Could you explain what that is and how it differentiates Sundt from its competitors?
A: The Sundt Experience is about creating a team environment and quality experience for all our different industry partners: owners, subcontractors, design firms, and others. It’s also about the quality of the experience for our employees. Being highly engaged in creating successful projects for our clients also benefits Sundt by increasing the value of the company as a whole, and that’s important, because every employee here is also a shareholder.
Q: What is the Better Building Continuum and how does it make Sundt unique?
It’s the defining method by which we provide all of our services. Do we want to be known for building a better building, or do we want to be known for building a building better? It sounds like a subtle distinction, but it’s actually very meaningful. Can we improve the process using our own experiences and systems? The Better Building Continuum is a methodology for answering those questions. Essentially, it’s an integrated set of services that can be used to bring forward solutions for current or future projects and pursuits using enhanced access to information from staff’s prior experience and past projects where there have been similar challenges.
Q: How has the economy affected Sundt? What are your predictions about when and how it will recover?
A lot of owners that were using alternate project delivery methods are now reverting to price-based selection, which has certainly affected us. But overall, Sundt’s diversity has been a good formula for us. We’ve done pretty well compared to our competitors since our revenue and profitability have been relatively stable. In today’s environment of tighter margins, we continue to closely manage our overhead to make sure we control our fixed costs.
In 2012, I think we will see some contractor failures, and we must be very disciplined about monitoring our subcontractors’ performance. We have always been very careful about subcontractor selection, but we will need to be even more diligent going forward.
The market looks like it’s going to be relatively flat until about 2015. Then it will begin to gain some steam again. In the regions where we work, we’re not without opportunities. There is a lot more competition now for those opportunities, but there is still plenty of room for more growth in our established geographic areas. Our Special Projects Group is also focused on large project pursuits, even outside of our traditional geographic areas. We’re also pursuing work we haven’t pursued in the past in order to diversify our client base, particularly with regards to our work for the federal government. In recent years, we have begun to create relationships beyond the Department of Defense, and are pursuing work with the General Services Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Q: Which new markets is Sundt pursuing?
A: We have a number of areas of specialization where we can bring expertise from across our different geographic areas. In particular, the markets we’re focusing on are mission critical (data centers), healthcare, aviation, criminal justice, and research facilities. We bring experts to the projects from a leadership and preconstruction standpoint who can be involved in projects across the company. Our strategy centers around bringing best practices to our clients from various regions of the country, providing best-in-class solutions.
Third California Courthouse Project Completed; Fourth to Begin Soon
Sundt recently completed the $15 million Mammoth Lakes Courthouse. It is the new home of the Superior Court of Mono County and is the company’s third project for the California Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). The Construction Manager at Risk project was completed on time despite challenges posed by Mammoth Lakes’ bitter winter weather and its remote location in the heart of the eastern Sierra Nevada mountain range.
The 23,000-square-foot, two-story building is a major improvement over Mammoth Lakes’ former courthouse facilities, which were housed on the third floor of a shopping center. It features two courtrooms, space for new judicial services, improved security and access to court services, secure parking for judges, and prisoner holding cells. Mark Cavagnero Associates, the project architect, created a sleek, modern design that utilizes a steel frame structure and exterior finishes of brick, glass and metal siding. A pointed prow that projects forward from the front of the building – much like the bow of a ship – serves as its architectural focal point.
Situated at about 8,000 feet in elevation, Mammoth Lakes is a small skiing community that gets an average of 35 feet of snowfall each year. Sundt broke ground in May 2010 – with snow still on the ground – and formulated an aggressive plan to get the building enclosed prior to the first big snowstorm, which would then allow crews to work on the interior of the building throughout the winter.
“We structured our schedule and contracts with subcontractors so that we worked six days a week from the time we broke ground in the spring until late fall,” said Project Manager Ron Deal. “Our plan worked well, and it was a good thing, because it was a record snow year; we got over 55 feet. If we hadn’t worked as hard as we did throughout the summer and fall, we would have been in trouble.”
The project’s remote location was also a challenge that the team planned for, since the nearest large city, Reno, Nev., is about three hours away. “The location definitely required good planning and subcontractors who knew the area, were well prepared, and showed up with all of their materials. You can’t just go to the store and pick up something you forgot; you lose a couple of days if you’re short on supplies. When we were prequalifying subcontractors and awarding contracts, we looked for those that had local experience, because it can really hurt you if you go in there and don’t know what you’re dealing with.”
Later this year, Sundt will begin its fourth project for the California AOC, a courthouse project in Porterville that is valued at approximately $40 million. It will also be constructed using the Construction Manager at Risk delivery method, which, according to Deal, played a significant role in Sundt’s success on the project in Mammoth Lakes.
“The owner was very pleased with the outcome and the whole CM at Risk process. Not only did we finish on time, but we were able to bring the project in under budget and then add back in a few features they really wanted. ”