|
Awards
Fond du lac water control facility -
fond du lac, wi
2008 – ACEC WI Engineering
Excellence Award
Strand
completed
facilities planning and designed a total renovation of the
water pollution control facility serving the City of Fond du
Lac and surrounding area. The design population for Fond du
Lac is 49,000 and the additional design population for the
contributing area is 30,000. The average daily design flow
for the facility is 9.84 mgd and the projected BOD load is
22,500 pounds per day. The major project drivers were new
ammonia effluent limits and aging, outdated treatment and
biosolids management processes. Construction of the
facilities began in October 2005 and is scheduled for
completion by December 2008. The existing facility is a
pure oxygen activated sludge facility employing a Zimpro
thermal sludge conditioning system for sludge management.
The major
pollutant loads to the treatment plant are domestic in
nature. The design industrial flow is projected to be 1.75
mgd. The major industries deal with metal products
manufacturing and dairy processing. Consequently, the total
industrial BOD load to the plant is projected to be
approximately 30 percent of the total plant load. The plant
will be an advanced secondary activated sludge facility with
primary clarification, single-stage nitrifications,
denitrification, separate storm flow clarification, and
chemical phosphorus precipitation. UV effluent disinfection
will also be provided.
A unique
aspect of this project was the reuse of existing facilities
to provide storage and/or treatment of peak flows in excess
of the 34 mgd hydraulic capacity of the final clarifiers.
Flows exceeding 34 mgd will be routed to the existing
primary clarifiers that initially function as storage. Once
the excess flow primary clarifiers are full they provide
primary treatment. Flows receiving primary treatment then
flow to the excess flow storage (existing aeration tanks)
prior to recombining with the flows receiving biological
treatment. The combined flows receive UV disinfection.
There is sufficient storage in the existing facilities to
provide up to 3 hours of storage at a sustained flow rate of
16 mgd. Activated sludge is wasted to the primary clarifiers
for cothickening with primary sludge. Approximately 28,500
pounds per day of blended primary sludge and secondary
sludge are projected under average design conditions. The
thickened sludge is anaerobically digested in a
thermophilic-mesophilic digestion (TPAD) system to achieve
Class A biosolids. The TPAD system includes two
thermophilic digesters and two mesophilic digesters.
The system was designed with considerable flexibility to
operate in series or parallel, as well as to convert to an
all mesophilic mode of operation.
The TPAD
system is fully functional. The anaerobic digesters are
hydraulically mixed with a pumped recirculation system.
Biosolids dewatering will be with two centrifuges.
back to top
elkhorn road roundabout/bluff road
reconstruction - whitewater, wi
2008 – Midwest
Construction 2008 – APWA
Public Works Project of the Year
The City of Whitewater is a
community of approximately 14,000 residents located in
northwest Walworth County, Wisconsin. The City is also home
to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
The City
has seen significant industrial and residential growth on
its east side in recent years. This growth was made
possible through creation of a Tax Incremental Financing (TIF)
district that helped fund street and utility improvements
needed to support development in the area. The TIF district
boundary was amended to include a 14-acre redevelopment
parcel that a local developer proposed for commercial
development. The development, known as East Town Market, is
bordered on the north by Bluff Road and on the west by
Elkhorn Road. The proposed development is to include a
grocery store, gas station/convenience store, restaurant,
and other business and office space.
In
addition, after decades of planning, the Wisconsin
Department of Transportation (WisDOT) opened the US 12
Bypass around the south side of the city in 2005. As a
result of the bypass, the City anticipates additional
commercial development along Elkhorn Road, which now serves
as the main entrance to the east side of the city from the
bypass. The US 12 Bypass allowed several City streets
formerly designated as US 12 to be redesignated as Business
Highway 12. However, Elkhorn Road was redesignated as WIS
59. Given this designation, WisDOT required that a Traffic
Impact Analysis (TIA) be prepared to address the impacts
that the proposed East Town Market development would have on
Elkhorn Road/WIS 59.
In early
discussions with WisDOT, they indicated no driveway
connections between Elkhorn Road and the proposed
development would be allowed. Further, due to the awkward
geometry of the Elkhorn Road/Bluff Road intersection and the
close proximity of the Clay Street/Elkhorn Road intersection
(see Figures 1 and 2), WisDOT indicated that realignment of
Bluff Road through the development, to align with Clay
Street, would likely be required.
Strand
Associates, Inc.®, was hired by the City to
assist with the design and construction administration
elements of this project. To begin, Strand prepared a TIA
based on planned land uses in the East Town Market
development as well as other anticipated growth on the east
side of the city and along WIS 59. Traffic projections
showed future traffic volumes approaching 19,000 vehicles
per day, approximately 100 percent more than current
volumes. To accommodate these volumes, the TIA recommended
realignment of Bluff Road through the development to
intersect Elkhorn Road at the intersection of Clay Street.
Recommendations also included installation of traffic
signals and construction of turn lanes at the new
intersection. The new intersection, with long, dual left
turn lanes on the southbound leg, was quite large and would
be expensive to build due to the amount of Elkhorn Road that
would need to be reconstructed.
Strand
then developed a roundabout as an alternative intersection
design. Although the roundabout had a larger footprint than
the signalized intersection, it did not require construction
of long turn lanes. The roundabout required the Developer
to dedicate more land as right-of-way, but the lack of turn
lanes actually provided the Developer more flexibility in
terms of site access. The roundabout intersection also had
an estimated construction cost approximately 20 percent less
than the signalized intersection. Other advantages of the
roundabout design included traffic calming and an
opportunity for aesthetic enhancement at the east entrance
to the city.
WisDOT
indicated that construction of either the signalized
intersection or the roundabout intersection would be
acceptable. However, with the signalized intersection, they
would not allow the traffic signal equipment to be installed
until traffic warrants were met. Ultimately, the City and
Developer agreed to construct the roundabout intersection.
The final
project scope included construction of a new roundabout at
the intersection of Elkhorn Road/Bluff Road and Clay
Street. Construction of the roundabout required
reconstruction of approximately 600 feet of Elkhorn Road and
400 feet of Clay Street. The project included complete
reconstruction of 1,600 feet of Bluff Road east of the new
roundabout. New sanitary sewer, water main, and storm sewer
extensions needed to serve the development were part of the
project. New street lighting and relocation/burial of
several private utilities were also included. Strand
prepared the plans and specifications for all of these
improvements.
Elkhorn
Road and the roundabout were constructed with concrete
pavement to match the existing street construction.
Decorative stamped, colored concrete was used on the
roundabout truck apron, splitter islands, and crosswalks.
The center island of the roundabout was landscaped to create
an attractive entry to the east side of the city. New
street lighting was also installed.
Bluff Road
was reconstructed to convert it from a rural-section road to
an urban street with storm sewer, curb and gutter, sidewalk,
and asphalt pavement. This portion of the project was
particularly challenging due to the extent of the proposed
street widening, flat terrain, high bedrock, and shallow
utilities. The western 600 feet of Bluff Road was realigned
in coordination with the East Town Market development to
intersect the new roundabout. New street lighting was also
installed along Bluff Road.
The final
construction cost of the project was $837,000, approximately
$44,000 under the bid amount. Final completion of the
project was on November 6, 2007, approximately 18 days after
the Contractual completion date.
back to top
joliet radium compliance and system
improvement project - joliet, il
2008 – ACEC IL
Engineering Excellence Award 2008 – APWA
Southwest Branch Award
The City
of Joliet’s initial plan to meet new radium regulations was
to convert from their groundwater supply, containing
naturally occurring radium, to a surface water supply. When
the surface water plan became cost prohibitive, the
resulting project became one of the largest groundwater
system upgrades in the United States, impacting every
component in the water system including wells, well houses,
transmission mains, treatment plants, and storage
facilities.
To remove
radium from the groundwater, the City implemented an
innovative, recently developed treatment technology using
the addition of hydrous manganese oxide (HMO) to form
manganese particles that adsorb radium. These resulting
particles are large enough to be collected on a conventional
sand filter.
The City
of Joliet water system is not only one of the largest
groundwater systems in the state, but is now the largest
water system using HMO treatment, capable of treating 33
million gallons per day (mgd).
back to top
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
2008 – Midwest Construction
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
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
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
Algoma Water system – Town of Algoma,
WI
2005 – ACEC WI Engineering
Excellence State Finalist Award
Seymour Wastewater Treatment Plant, IN
2005 – ACEC IN Engineering Excellence Merit Award
back to top
|
