|
Awards
Open road tolling plaza 66 (dekalb)
and plaza 69 (dixon) – il
2008 – ACEC Engineering
Excellence Award
The Illinois Tollway initiated a multi-billion dollar
Congestion Relief Program (CRP) in 2004 aimed at addressing
congestion along then 274-mile tolled highway system and
improving travel for millions of motorists everyday. As part
of this program, the Illinois Tollway proposed the
conversion of 20 existing barrier toll plazas along the
mainline to a barrier-free Open Road Tolling (ORT) system
Reconstructing the existing DeKalb and Dixon mainline toll
plazas was an integral part of this program.
Strand Associates, Inc.®, was hired by the Illinois Tollway
as the lead design firm for the reconstruction of the DeKalb
Plaza and Dixon Plaza along the Reagan Memorial Tollway
(I-88). The goals of these two reconstruction projects were
to cost-effectively provide non-stop electronic Open Road
Tolling (ORT) and include new plaza buildings, a connecting
walkway, and manual lanes with attendant booths and canopies
to relieve congestion and create a safer roadway while
improving air quality.
In just 22 months, Strand was able to convert the existing
Dixon and DeKalb plazas to ORT, accomplishing the Tollway’s
reconstruction goals while providing cost-effective
alternatives that maintained the original timeline. Key
milestones during this project include:
• Completed Preliminary study and Design, which were
performed concurrently in order to meet
the target project completion date, in less than eight
months.
• Completed design of alternative buildings in less than
three months, while saving approximately
$6 million over the prototype building design performed by
others.
• Provided ORT to motorists at the Dekalb Plaza within three
months of project start.
The DeKalb and Dixon plaza projects are examples of
excellence in engineering because they:
• Saved $8.4 million over the original project budget.
• Enhanced neighboring communities by improving local
stormwater-management systems.
• Improved local air quality and safety of the motoring
public by reducin g
traffic congestion.
• Respected adjacent communities by adapting site and layout
to meet local needs and traffic.
The success and the overwhelming acceptance by both the
communities and the client illustrates the overall
excellence of this project.
back to top
Aux sable creek Basin wastewater
treatment plant and conveyance project – joliet, il
2008 – ACEC Engineering
Excellence Award
2008 – APWA Public Works Project of the Year Award
Recognizing the Aux Sable Creek as a valuable water
resource, the City of Joliet embarked on a major wastewater
collection, treatment, and transport infrastructure project
to serve a 26-square-mile area in the rapidly developing Aux
Sable Creek watershed.
The project included 3,000 feet of 54-inch interceptor
sewer, influent sanitary pumping station, and 24-inch forcemain; an effluent pumping station and 5.7 miles of
36-inch diameter force main to the DuPage River; and a
unique cascade aeration structure with DO metering run by
solar power and
transmission of the DO data to the plant via the city-wide
SCADA
 system. The wastewater treatment plant is rated at 3.2
mgd average and 10 mgd peak (expandable to 30 mgd peak).
The project included eight construction contracts with six
contractors. Construction began in fall 2004 and plant was in full operation by December 2005. Total construction cost
was $36.7 million.
back to top
Greater Bayfield Wastewater Treatment
Plant –
bayfield,
WI
2007 – ACEC National
Recognition Award
2007 – ACEC WI Engineering
Excellence Grand Award and Best of State
2007 – APWA Wisconsin Chapter Public Works Project of the
Year
2007 – The Daily Reporter and Wisconsin Builder Best of 2006
Award
2006 – Midwest
Construction Best of 2006 - Award of Merit Environmental
2006 – Clean Water State Revolving Fund - Pisces Award
Region 5
In 2000, the City of Bayfield and Pikes Bay Sanitary
District (PBSD), hired Strand to perform a facilities plan,
and it was found that one regional Greater Bayfield
Wastewater Treatment Plant (GBWWTP) that would achieve a
higher standard of treatment in an environmentally friendly
way was the best alternative. Even before design was
complete, the Great Lakes Protection Fund (GLPF) and the
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) identified
the GBWWTP as a “Demonstration Plant” that would showcase
environmentally-friendly technologies. Together with the
Army Corps of Engineers, the GLPF and the DNR provided 70
percent grant support for the project.
The GBWWTP applies oxidation ditch activated sludge
technology with biological nitrogen and phosphorus removal,
minimizing the use of chemicals. After clarification, cloth
disk filters polish the effluent to well beyond typical DNR
standards. High efficiency ultraviolet disinfection occurs
before discharge to Lake Superior. Biosolids are managed
with reed beds,
which provide natural dewatering through transpiration, a
very energy efficient technology that only requires sludge
removal approximately every 7 years. A variety of additional
features maximize the energy efficiency of the plant.
The GBWWTP has been online since January 2006, and it has
consistently achieved its treatment goals, even from
start-up.
Please visit the City of Bayfield's
website and view the narrated slideshow
back to top
CTH ID
Roundabouts –
Mount Horeb,
WI
2008 – ACEC Engineering
Excellence Award
2007 – APWA Wisconsin
Chapter Project of the Year Award
We were
retained by the Village of Mount Horeb for design of the
rapidly developing CTH ID corridor. The project scope
included a total of four multilane urban roundabouts in a
1.1-mile corridor between the US 18/151 interchange and
Perimeter Street. We provided all design and
construction engineering for the $3.5 million project. One
of the most challenging aspects of the project was the
construction staging and traffic control planning required
to build the project. Construction of the project was
substantially completed in November 2006. Extensive
landscaping included in the project was completed in 2007.
back to top
US 421 –
Indianapolis,
IN
2007 – Indiana Partnership
for Highway Quality Award
The
project transformed a two-lane roadway with occasional turn
lanes into a five-lane urban arterial including a continuous
two-way left turn lane. This full-depth concrete roadway
uses curb and gutter for storm drainage. Traffic is
maintained during construction on this heavily used corridor
by widening the existing pavement and building the new road
in halves. Extensive work is also done to three major
intersecting roadways. The 106th, 116th, and 121st Streets
were all widened and reconstructed with full-depth asphalt
pavement with curb and gutter for drainage. Many cross
structures have been designed for overland drainage
including a three-sided bridge with architectural facing for
aesthetics. Extensive utility coordination was required, as
many utilities both private and municipal are located in
this narrow corridor. Modular block, reinforced concrete and
mechanically-stabilized earth retaining walls were used to
save on right-of-way costs and to avoid home removals. For
maintenance of traffic issues, 106th and 116th Streets are
designed as signalized intersections using video detection.
This allows the new signal to be fully actuated and not
timed, as the cameras can be aimed wherever the traffic is
located.
back to top
Trek Bicycle
Corporation Expansion –
Waterloo,
WI
2007 – The Daily Reporter
and Wisconsin Builder Best of 2006 Award
Strand teamed up with Oliver
Construction of Oconomowoc, WI. for the Trek
Bicycle Corporation 78,000 s.f. expansion at their corporate
headquarters in Waterloo, WI. We provided survey,
site/civil and structural engineering services. The
design features an exposed steel structure with a barrel
arch over the lobby, relocation of all employee parking to a
new 64,000 square foot parking lot, and design of a
stormwater infiltration basin to accommodate the proposed
site improvements.
back to top
City of Janesville Pumping Station
No. 12 Nitrate Reduction Facility –
Janesville,
WI
2006 – APWA Wisconsin
Chapter Project of the Year Award
In the Summer of 2001, the City of
Janesville, Wisconsin, encountered rising nitrate levels in
the City’s Well No. 7 was just below the maximum contaminant
level for nitrates, which forcing the Water Utility to shut
down the facility. The Well No. 7 facility produced
approximately half of the water consumed in the City’s south
pressure zone. Fortunately, the City had operational
capabilities to allow the continued operation of the system
while a solution was studied, planned and implemented.
The new Pumping Station No. 12 project
consisted of a new 2,500 gpm well, 300,000-gallon,
cast-in-place concrete mixing/dilution reservoir, 7,500 gpm
booster station, modification of the existing 4,500 gpm
shallow well pump, installation of standby power to improve
reliability, 16-inch raw water connection main between Well
No. 7 and Station No. 12, 20-inch discharge piping to the
distribution system, and control integration into the
existing SCADA system and security system.
Pumping Station No. 12 was
constructed in vacated street right-of-way located between a
City park and ice arena. The roadway being used as a
shortcut to bypass a local intersection. This project
eliminated the shortcut,
while maintaining pedestrian traffic by adding a walking
path. This project successfully achieved its primary goal
of providing a safe and reliable drinking water supply for
the City of Janesville. In addition, the project eliminated
a public safety concern, used an underutilized property, and
improved the efficiency of the water utility operation.
back to top
UW-Madison Angler's Cove Restoration –
Madison,
WI
2007 – DSF Excellence in
Engineering Design Award
2006 – ACEC WI Engineering
Excellence Honor Award
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is blessed with
approximately 4.5 miles of lakeshore along Lake Mendota.
With this blessing comes a responsibility to maintain and
enhance the shoreline to control erosion, maintain aquatic
and terrestrial habitat, and protect Lake Mendota.
To address the problems, Strand was hired to design a
project that would convert the paved area back to its native
dry prairie origins and provide an energy dissipater in the
ravine to reduce velocities. In addition to these project
elements, retaining walls were also designed to restore the
original bluff character and a lake access structure
constructed of environmentally-friendly Black Locust wood
materials to route pedestrians away from the highly erodible
bluff. To provide pedestrian an ADA-compliant limestone
screenings walking path to route pedestrians along the top
of bluff and from the parking area to the lake access
structure that brings pedestrians down approximately 20 feet
to the beach.
The overall eyesore has been restored to a jewel of the
campus.
back to top
127th Street over iais/metra Railroad –
blue island,
IL
2006 – ACEC IL Engineering
Excellence Special Achievement Award
The existing bridge carrying 127th Street over the
Iowa Interstate Railroad and METRA Metropolitan Rail was
determined by the Illinois Department of Transportation to
be structurally deficient. As the corridor was designated a
high accident location and the approach roadway was in poor
condition, complete reconstruction of the roadway was
included to enhance the corridor.
Improvements included: roadway reconstruction with new curb
and gutter and sidewalks for the entire project area; new
sewers, watermain, lighting, and signals. Bridge
improvements include wider lanes and
sidewalks, complete superstructure replacement, pier
repairs, and abutment replacement.
Creative solutions were needed to meet all the goals of the
project – Creative Design Measures Resulted in Accomplishing
All Project Goals.
back to top
Jackson Water 2000 North (Phase 7) –
Jackson,
oh
2006 – ACEC OH Engineering
Excellence Honor Award
The Jackson County Water Company, Inc. (JCWC) was
incorporated in 1970 with 670 customers. Prior to the
construction of this project, JCWC obtained potable water to
supply its distribution system for its current 5,000
customers from several water producers within the region. As
growth continued within the JCWC system and within the
systems operated by the source water suppliers, it became
apparent that the current raw water supply would not be
adequate to meet the demand placed on it for the 21st
century. This became the impetus for the largest water
project funded by the USDA for Ohio.
Strand Associates, Inc.® was retained by JCWC to provide
technical support for design, bidding, and construction of
the new water production and treatment portion for the
project.
Through cooperation among all entities involved with this
project, JCWC is now poised to provide an adequate supply of
high quality potable water to not only its existing
customers but also to other areas residents well into the
future beyond 2040.
back to top
US 12 – Sauk City to Middleton,
WI
2005 – Midwest
Construction Best of 2005 - Award of Merit Transportation
US 12 is a major east-west principal arterial route
that integrates local traffic into the state and national
highway systems. Since construction in the 1920s, US 12
between Sauk City and Middleton has served local residents,
farmers, tourists, and commercial interests.
For many years, this 18-mile section of road was able to
accommodate the mix of traffic in a reasonably safe manner.
More recently, the number of crashes along US 12 from Sauk
City to Middleton has been high. Between 1985 and 1996 there
were 2,010 crashes - nearly one crash every two days.
Thirty people lost their lives during this period.
The corridor improvement involved the
conversion of 18 miles of existing, rural, two-lane facility
to a four-lane, divided, rural expressway between Sauk City
and Middleton, Wisconsin.
back to top
Wauponsee Glacial Trail – Forest Preserve District – Will
County, IL
2005 – APWA National Project of
the Year
2005 – APWA Chicago Metro
and Southwest Branch Project of the Year Award
2004 – Midwest
Construction Best of 2004 - Award of Merit Small Project
The Forest Preserve District of Will County desired
to provide a multi-use
regional trail along an abandoned railroad corridor.
Enhancing connectivity to points of interest, and other
regional trail systems was an underlining goal for the
Wauponsee Glacial Trail. The overall project consists of a
26-mile trail from downtown Joliet to Kankakee. The trail
provides a connection to other regional trails including the
Old Plank Road Trail, Joliet Junction Trail, and the I&M
Canal Trail at the north end and the Kankakee River Trail at
the south end.
back to top
Channahon HMO Co-Filtration Plant
– CHANNAHON, IL
2005 – ACEC National
Recognition Award
2005 – ACEC IL Engineering Excellence
Honor Award
2005 – APWA Southwest Branch of Chicago Metro Chapter Project of the Year Award
In 1999 the Environmental Protection Agency imposed
revised radionuclide water quality limits, which the Village
of Channahon was not meeting with
their source water. Strand Associates, Inc. was retained to
develop a plan for treating their water, produce the
necessary construction drawings, and assist the Village with
construction engineering services.
Strand had unique experience with a breakthrough process
that removes radium in a conventional iron filter by adding
hydrous manganese oxides (HMOs) to the raw water, just prior
to filtration. The HMO causes large particles of manganese
to form. It was discovered by others that radium can be
adsorbed to manganese particles. Now, the same sand filter
that is removing iron, is also removing the added manganese
and the attached radium.
back to top
Algoma Water system – Town of Algoma,
WI
2005 – ACEC WI Engineering
Excellence State Finalist Award
The Town of Algoma, Wisconsin, faced a serious
problem: they had no municipal water system and 40 percent
of its residents’ private wells were heavily contaminated
with naturally occurring arsenic. Well samples showed some
of the highest arsenic concentrations in the world.
The water system was implemented in phases, the first phase
including areas of town with the most significant water
quality problems. By targeting regions with the highest
arsenic contamination, the Sanitary District could deliver
water to those who needed it most.
The cooperative efforts between all parties resulted in
high-quality water service being available two weeks early
and below budget. The project was so successful that Algoma
recently signed an agreement with the adjacent Town of Omro
to provide them with water as well.
back to top
Seymour Wastewater Treatment Plant, IN
2005 – ACEC IN Engineering Excellence Merit Award
Seymour’s
collection and treatment facilities were in need of upgrade
and improvement. The treatment facilities were originally
constructed in 1957 and expanded in 1976, with further
upgrades in 1991. The treatment plant wa s
rated at 4.3 mgd average flow and 8.2 mgd peak flow. The
plant experienced flows exceeding the peak design flow rate
capacity. This excessive flow could be attributed to the
rapid growth in the area in recent years, wet weather flows
into combined sewers, and the presence of a high groundwater
table in a portion of the collection area. With the
proposed growth expected in the next 20 years and effluent
limitations, especially for ammonia and heavy metals,
expected to become more stringent, major improvements at the
plant were needed.
back to top
|
