Washington public works project wins top Amer. of Public Works Assn. award

Pierce County Public Works, BERGER/ABAM Engineers Inc., and Quigg Brothers Inc. were all recently awarded the 2005 Public Works Project of the Year award by the American Public Works Association for their collective roles in the design and construction of the Nisqually/Burlington Northern Santa

The $7.5 million project, which entailed building a new four- span bridge with a smoother and safer alignment crossing over the BNSF railroad tracks, is located approximately half-a-mile north of the Nisqually River. Additional work on the project included adding a new climbing lane and driver-safety enhancements.

This was probably the single largest bridge project done to date in the county, and has resulted in many important benefits for local drivers, said Don Peterson, bridge engineering supervisor for Pierce County. The new overcrossing is a graceful-looking structure that gives a smooth ride.

The project team members received the award plaque at APWA's annual public works week luncheon and awards presentation last month in Seattle.

BERGER/ABAM is excited about this prestigious recognition from APWA, said Bob Fernandes, BERGER/ABAM's project manager. We are very pleased that we were able to successfully assist Pierce County in achieving their vision for this significant project. Our 140-person firm specializes in completing these types of projects, from planning through construction. We are also fortunate to be able to work with knowledgeable and experienced organizations, like Pierce County and Quigg Brothers Construction.

Among the most challenging aspects of the project was achieving a safer alignment for the overcrossing. To achieve the safer alignment, the bridge design called for crossing the railroad at a skewed angle of approximately 70 degrees.

Additionally, another challenging aspect of the project was working around the railroad tracks for the location of foundations that would result in manageable span lengths. A post-tensioned concrete box girder was determined to be the best solution for the problem. The box girder provided the necessary torsional rigidity for the curved bridge allowing it to be supported on single-column piers, which permitted the foundations to be built close to the tracks, minimizing span lengths as much as possible. Using the single-column piers allowed the main span over the railroad to be minimized at 200 feet.