Watsonville-based Granite Construction took home two honors at the AGC of California’s Installation and Awards Gala. It won in the category of Heavy Civil $15 Million & Under for its work on the Highway 101 Multi-Use Path Overcrossing at Adobe Creek and the Excellence in Partnering Award for its work on the State Route 99 Cosumnes Bridge Replacement Project.
(Granite photo)
The AGC of California recently recognized numerous construction companies at its Installation & Awards Gala for projects that have been completed throughout the state.
AGC of California's Constructor Awards program recognizes members' achievements for their skill, unique undertakings and ability to address the most difficult challenges contractors encounter during project development.
Watsonville-based Granite Construction took home two honors: Heavy Civil $15 Million & Under for its work on the Highway 101 Multi-Use Path Overcrossing at Adobe Creek and the Excellence in Partnering Award for its work on the State Route 99 Cosumnes Bridge Replacement Project.
Cosumnes Bridge
Located in Sacramento County near Elk Grove, the original Cosumnes River Bridge was built in the 1950s and had seen considerable wear over time, with structural and seismic deficiencies and critical scour conditions. The project included the removal of four river bridges and two railroad bridges and the construction of three replacement bridges, with 2 mi. of associated roadway improvements to carry State Route (SR) 99 traffic over the critical north/south Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) track and Cosumnes River floodplain. The final product resulted in improved overall safety with wider, design-compliant shoulder widths on the new structures.
Communication, coordination and collaboration were the keys to overcoming project challenges, with the CMGC partnering process facilitating quick, efficient and collaborative problem-solving.
"Being trusted with a complex project such as this is a testament to our organization as a whole," said Granite Area Manager Mike Wills. "By imagining what is possible and adopting a ‘Yes, if…' philosophy throughout the project, we were successful and achieved excellence in the result."
"The foundation of the project's success was our focus and commitment to excellent partnering with the project's many stakeholders, especially Caltrans, UPRR and CDFW," Granite said in a statement. "Additionally, the project team successfully cut two years from the original schedule and realized $30 million in savings.
Cutting two years from the original schedule and netting more than $30 million in savings was only achievable through extreme partnering on the SR 99 Cosumnes River Bridge Replacement project. As the first CM/GC project for Caltrans District 3, it offers a prime example of what is possible when teams come together and partner with a true "project-first" mentality.
The project was beset by schedule obstacles, from seasonal flooding and steelhead work windows to expedited permitting and right of way acquisition.
Granite's Senior Project Manager George Delano shared more details on the equipment entailed for a project of this caliber.
"The bridge over the UPRR tracks is on a large skew and the single span bridge resembles a tunnel with 400-foot-long abutments," he said. "With no ability to cross the tracks and the need for big picks on the heavily reinforced 35-foot-tall abutments, twin 300-ton crawler cranes [were] used to service both sides of the tracks."
Precast girders weighing 83 tons each were set by Maxim Crane with a Manitowoc MLC300 crawler crane. Some of the picks required two cranes and the on-site 300-ton crawler acted as the second crane, saving the project the mobilization of another crane.
"With potential caving conditions in the floodplain, Malcolm Drilling [used] full-length oscillated temporary casing to protect the integrity of the CIDH piling and avoid the time and cost impacts of potential repairs," Delano said.
"The entire company congratulates our award-winning project teams," said Kyle Larkin, Granite president and CEO. "They truly lived up to our core value of Excellence, and we are proud that their efforts have been recognized by AGC of California."
Highway 101 Overpass
Granite Construction was contracted to deliver the new Highway 101 MultiUse Path Overcrossing at Adobe Creek.
Built for the city of Palo Alto, the Highway 101 Multi-Use Path Overcrossing at Adobe Creek project dramatically improved area safety and connectivity by replacing the Benjamin Lefkowitz underpass.
The project comprised four primary elements: the principal span structure, west approach structure, east approach structure and Adobe Creek bridge. To improve end-user satisfaction, Granite incorporated enhanced architectural features such as architectural railings, enhanced lighting and a viewing overlook on the eastern approach.
Working around the Adobe Creek and adjacent Baylands, Granite was sensitive to numerous environmental constraints. Crews safely worked over this busy section of Highway 101 to erect the steel trusses, which required significant nighttime closures. The team proactively collaborated with stakeholders to deliver a highly successful project.
The new overpass safely links local neighborhoods and businesses with recreational opportunities. It also improves regional connectivity to the rest of Silicon Valley with a Class I trail connection to the San Francisco Bay Trail. It also serves as an accessible alternative to the existing Americans with Disabilities Act non-compliant overpass about one mile north of the new bridge.
"Proactive collaboration with our stakeholders and the community minimized impacts and maintained safety on this project," said Granite Construction Manager Steve Kaesler. "It's always nice to see a completed project add connectivity and safety to a community."
"Every year, AGC of California celebrates the construction industry's innovators who are leading the way in building our state," said Dina Kimble, 2022-2023 AGC of California State Board president. Kimble, president and chief executive officer of Royal Electric Company, was elected to serve her second term as president of AGC of California's State Board. "This year, we recognize a diverse group of people and projects that represent how many facets of California life construction affects," she said.
"This year's award recipients represent the diverse ways that people and the projects they build contribute to our communities," said Peter Tateishi, chief executive officer of AGC of California. "Each of our winners reflects the ingenuity and originality that the construction industry needs to build a brighter future for the state of California."
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