The contract calls for roadway work including milling, resurfacing and full-depth reconstruction.
An interchange reconstruction project is a year into its contract in the Sparrows Point area of Baltimore County, Md. The MD 151/Wharf Rd. interchange is south of I-695 (Baltimore Beltway) with access to other interstate highways, including I-95.
"The redevelopment of Sparrows Point has been a major focus to create jobs and maintain Maryland's position as an economic leader," said Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan at the start of the project.
The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) project began in September 2020 and the expected completion is set for August 2024.
The total project cost is $30.5 million, with the contract awarded to the Six-M Company Inc. of Delta, Pa. Michael S. Randow is the project manager.
According to Shantee Felix, SHA assistant media relations manager of MDOT SHA, the project involves the replacement of three steel beam bridges within the MD 151 (Sparrows Point Blvd.) / MD 151B (Wharf Rd.) interchange at Tradepoint Atlantic (TPA). This includes reconstruction of retaining walls, approach roadways and embankments.
In addition, the contract calls for roadway work including milling, resurfacing and full-depth reconstruction. Other work includes the installation of approach guardrails, sidewalks and MDOT concrete median barriers, installation of drainage structures, grass swales, signing and paving and underground utility relocations.
"MDOT SHA fully implemented the new electronic Construction Management System, which is designed to allow access and input from multiple project users," Felix said. "Crews used drone footage to report progress and enhance project documentation."
Felix said this project involved the use of cellular concrete, which is a mixture of cement, water and preformed foam.
"Unlike traditional grouts and fill materials, cellular concrete has a lighter unit weight and can be pumped through small diameter lines," she said. "There is also a cost savings due to logistics, since this product calls for fewer deliveries to the site and faster placement."
Felix added that this interchange reconstruction project involves a vital economic corridor.
"Maryland is open for business," she said "and this represents the state's support of economic development at a vital transportation hub that includes the Tradepoint Atlantic logistics center. National tenants include Amazon, McCormick, Volkswagen, BMW and Home Depot. [LaFarge has a cement plant at the southern end of the interchange]."
She said that MDOT SHA is completing this project while TPA has its own facility development projects under way.
"TPA is working to replace/upgrade waterline in the interchange area, and that requires ongoing coordination between MDOT SHA and TPA," she said. "Maintenance of traffic is a challenge due to the multiple phases of work and the coordination with the tenants at the TPA facility to ensure smooth traffic flow and access."
Tradepoint Atlantic has a deep-water port with a 50-ft. main channel on the Patapsco River and a privately-owned short line railroad that links to CSX and Norfolk Southern. The rail lines date back to the 1950s and have multiple tracks within the interchange area.
"In the 1950s, the Bethlehem Steel Company built the MD 151 bridges at the Wharf Road Interchange," Felix said. "The bridges serviced the main entrance for Bethlehem Steel's Sparrows Point plant, which is now the main entrance to Tradepoint Atlantic."
While safe for travel, MDOT determined that the bridges are reaching the end of their useful service life. Replacing the bridges improves the safety of motorists and supports the development of the TPA site and surrounding businesses.
"The three new bridges will be approximately the same width and length as the existing bridges and are designed to support the increase in truck traffic entering and exiting Tradepoint Atlantic," Felix said.
The project will include functional improvements such as bicycle-compatible shoulders on the bridges and a new sidewalk along MD 151 at the Wharf Road interchange. Once complete, long-term maintenance and the structural integrity and reliability of all three bridges will be improved.
On the subcontractor list, CJGEO is in charge of light weight material — low density cementitious fill that was used as back fill. Other subcontractors include Machado for concrete supply; Paul J. Rack for concrete barrier construction; Nasir and Associates for supplying HP Piles fabricated structural steel; Structural Steel Products for fabricated structural steel metals; Reliable Contracting for paving; Manolis for painting and contracting; Lems Contracting for landscape work; Collinson and Stollar for signages and traffic signals; DRM Associates for deck pans; United Crane and Rigging for fabricated structural steel erection; Wagman for deck grooving; and Clark Reinforcing for suppling and installing reinforcing for all concrete structures.
Major equipment for the job includes a JLG 660SJ boom lift, a American 5300 70-ton crane, an HC-80 80-ton Terex crane, an MLC 100 110-ton Manitowoc crane, a Cat 325 BL excavator with NPK hammer, a Cat 330 CL excavator, a PC 308 Komatsu excavator with MB 30 Stanley demolition hammer, a Komatsu PC228 excavator with G-80 Allied Rammer hammer, a Komatsu PC138 excavator, a Takeuchi TB 235 mini-excavator, a Case CX245 D excavator, a Case CX145 D excavator, a Bidwell bridge finishing machine, an I-19 ICE pile hammer, a Cat CS433C roller, a Cat CS563C roller, a GRT655 55-ton Grove crane and two Cat D5 dozers.
Felix said that on any given day, 25 people are assigned to the job, including the subcontractors.
The project includes 50,000 cu. yds. of earth moved, 4,500 cu. yds. of concrete, 30,000 cu. yds. of light weight material, 16,000 linear ft. of 12x53 H piling, 4,000 cu. yds. of concrete removal, 475 tons of reinforcing steel, 725 tons of structural steel, 1,500 linear ft. of storm drain, 12,000 tons of asphalt, upgrading of existing lighting and new signage. CEG
Brenda Ruggiero
Brenda Ruggiero has written for CEG for over 20 years. She lives near the town of Accident in far western Maryland. Her favorite assignments so far involved interviews with Survivor’s Boston Rob and hot dog eating champion Joey Chestnut. Both were involved in construction at one time.
Brenda holds a BA in Mass Communication with a writing focus from Frostburg State University and minors in Public Relations and Political Science. She works full time as a staff writer for a weekly newspaper, the Garrett County Republican. She enjoys feature writing the most, which gives her the opportunity to talk to people and share their stories.
Brenda and her middle school sweetheart, Reuben, have been married for over 34 years and have three grown children and four cats.
Read more from Brenda Ruggiero here.
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