I Wear My “Safety” Glasses at Night:Maximizing Planning Tools to Reduce Utility Construction
Costs and Headaches
95Th Annual Conference
Raleigh, NC
November 16, 2015
OverviewProject BackgroundProject
ManagementSafety is Job #1!!Minimize “headaches”
through effective: Stakeholder Engagement Risk Management
Planning
ToolsConstructionResults
Project BackgroundTechnical Aspects – Purpose, Need, Constraints
Project Background (continued)Identification of Stakeholders - Interests
Town of Chapel Hill Traffic (Willow and Conner)NCDOT (S. Estes)Town of Chapel Hill PoliceLocal businesses and residents
University Mall Banks Medical/Dental facilities Drug stores/retail Restaurants Offices Apartments
OWASA’s goals Safety is JOB #1!!
Continuous stakeholder
engagement
Effective
Communications
Maximize construction
efficiency
Meet construction timing
constraints within budget
Keep everyone SAFE!!!!Workers
“Standard” safety practicesWorking in busy roadsWorking in intersections
DriversSafety in work zonesTake advantage of seasonal traffic
volumes
PedestriansAdequate provisions for sidewalks
When is the best time to work safely and efficiently?
Three phases of Stakeholder EngagementPlanning Phase
Collect Input, ask questions!What are your concerns?How will the project affect you?
Construction PhaseContinuous status reporting.Availability of information. Immediate and accurate responses
to questions Internal and external stakeholders.
Post ConstructionHow did we do?
PlanningIdentify stakeholder
requirementsNCDOT encroachmentTown engineering
requirements
Identify potential construction issuesTree protectionStream buffersBus routesPedestrian accessEasementsEnvironmental concerns
Planning (continued)
Review previous construction projectsWater mainRoadwayStormwater
Review potential trenchless rehabilitation technologiesCIPPPipe bursting
Planning (continued)Night Construction
Minimize construction and shutdowns for businesses
Minimize trafficIncrease safe working conditionsMaximize available time for
constructionNoise ordinance considerationsImpact to residencesLimited OWASA operational
supportTown requirements
Design ToolsTopographic Survey
Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE)Quality Level BQuality Level A
Design ConsiderationsOWASA Operations
preferencesMaintain public
accessibility
Minimize need for temporary services
Maintain trafficReduce conflicts with other
utilities
Design ConsiderationsMinimize water service shutdownsIsolation valves
Construction ToolsPrequalification of contractors
Eight (8) contractors approved
Full time construction observation
Bid resultsSix (6) bids receivedLow bid: $1.568 MillionAverage all bids: $2.182 MillionAverage of 3 low bids: $1.708 Million
ConstructionConstruction start and progressNightly pavement repairsIssues
Construction
Construction CompletionSchedule
Bid – January 17, 2014Award – March 5, 2014Notice to Proceed – May 19, 2014Substantial Completion – October 29, 2014 Final Completion – December 1, 2014
Project CostsPlanning, design, construction services –
$387,167Original Const. Contract Amount –
$1,568,925Const. Change Orders –
($252,319)Final Const. Contract Amount – $1,316,605
ResultsSafety
NO SAFETY INCIDENTS!
Stakeholder EngagementWe knew stakeholders’ needsDaily progress reports
Results (continued)Stakeholder feedback
During construction Only 4 phone calls (complaints) from citizens! We were able to share accurate daily status and schedule
Post construction surveys We typically receive between 4 and 6 responses We received 19 responses Our average rating was 4 out of 5 (our goal is above 4)
Local Government Partners“I drive this route every day to get to work and it was hard for me to tell there was a construction project in progress” – Lance Norris, Town of Chapel Hill Public Works Director
Project Planning, Design and Stakeholder engagement were key to our success.
AcknowledgementsMoffat Pipe, Incorporated
Town of Chapel Hill
NCDOT, District 1
Contact Information:
Jeremy Fireline, PE
919.537.4249
Ben Latino, PE
919.233.8091
QUESTIONS?