Joseph B. Fay Company
PennDOT Main Street over Wampum Creek Bridge Replacement
What makes it interesting?
New techniques were used to help accomplish the project within a short time frame, including PennDOT District 11’s first use of an ultra-high-performance concrete to seal deck and approach slab joints without post-tensioning. This allowed the bridge to open the day after sealing. This project won a national award as the Best Project in the Prefabricated Bridge Elements and Systems category at the 2014 National Accelerated Bridge Construction Conference.
How HCSS Software assisted with this project
Fay used HeavyBid to bid this A+B type of bid. This method rewards a contractor for completing a project as quickly as possible. An A+B bid combines the cost to perform the work (A component) with the cost of the impact in time (B component).
Fay used HeavyBid to organize our strategy and thoughts through the generation of multiple scenarios that allowed us to determine which solutions met PennDOT’s delivery expectations, and which could allow us to bid an aggressive, yet realistic time schedule to help us win the bid. HeavyBid was also used to determine which suppliers and subcontractors were optimal to meeting our goals. As a result of using HeavyBid, Fay was able to win this project.
The ability to set up and price alternate bid items to analyze bid options and select the most competitive option with the click of a mouse was invaluable. The use of HCSS calculation routines helped to document the thoughts and assumptions made by the estimator during the pricing of the project. The sub/vendor solicitation system of HCSS helped us to document solicitations and track good faith efforts to meet our DBE contracting goal. Once the quotations were received, the system allowed us to make comparisons not only with other subs, but also with our in-house price workups and change the pricing to be the most competitive — quickly, easily, and accurately.
HCSS even helped us kick off the construction phase. To begin construction, we attached Excel takeoff spreadsheets to the HeavyBid bid items so all of the bid information was in one place for the operations personnel to take to the field.
Project Description:
The Main Street over Wampum Creek Bridge Replacement called for removal and replacement of a bridge in a heavily-traveled, yet remote commercial location. Because the bridge closure meant a 21-mile detour for truck traffic, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s bid request was to have the bridge completed in 15 days. As part of winning the bid, Fay’s proposed solution allowed them to bid it at nine days. As a further accomplishment, Fay opened the bridge to traffic in just six days and 22 hours; well ahead of the committed nine-day deadline.
Fay also overcame several technical challenges in this project and proposed some unique solutions. There were no drawings for the original bridge, constructed in 1918. This created concerns on how the new bridge would attach to the current roadway. Fay also accomplished PennDOT’s goal for a joint-less bridge with the use of an epoxy overlay.
Most notably, sections of the bridge were precast and delivered. On the side of the bridge where the crane was stationed, the larger prefabricated piece was placed quickly. On the opposite side, smaller sections had to be designed for the use of the same crane, whose placement was determined by the tight spacing.
