“Sustainable Bridge Planning and Feasibility Studies for Counties and Local Governments”

49th Paving and Transportation Conference Concurrent Session 6A January 10

PRESENTED BY

• Rick Chavez, PE. • Public Works

Director • TAOS COUNTY • Contact Rick at • 575-737-6472

• Joe J. Sanchez, PE. • Project Manager • GFW, Inc • Contact Joe at • 505-820-8020

FHWA- SUSTAINIBILITY

• “ sustainable highways are ones that allow for basic access and development needs in a manner that is consistent with human and ecosystem goals, allow for transport mode and choice regardless of age and ability, are affordable, and operate efficiently, limits emissions of; and new and non-renewable resource use. And these principles are equally applicable in urban, suburban or rural areas and can be applied to all functional classifications”–David Carlson, USDOT Federal Highway Administration

KEY POINTS

• Basic Access • Balances human, ecosystem, and

development needs • Are Affordable • Operate Efficiently • Manages effects from new and non-

renewable resources • Principles are adaptable and not limited to

one type of system or classification

SUSTAINIBILITY FOR YOU AND ME

County’s and City’s Not New 1) Budget Limits 2) System Expansion 3) System

Maintenance 4) System Operations 5) Renewals

Private Industry Not New • Financial Stability • Company Growth How • Provide Quality

Services • Retain and Attract

Good Staff • Innovations?

OLD PARADIGM

• Private Industry and Public Sectors have different Goals

• But do we?

NEW PARADIGM-OLD PARADIGM

• Public Sector and Private Sector when viewed from the SUSTAINIBILITY perspective are opposite sides of the same coin

• Public Sector supports Public Infrastructure through Jurisdictional Responsibility

• Private Sector helps the other side of the Coin or “Public Sector” by supporting Public Infrastructure needs

• Public Sector needs Value for their dollar • Private Sector needs work and Value

SUSTAINIBLE PROJECTS TAOS COUNTY

Sustainable Bridge Planning and Feasibility Studies for Counties and Local Governments”

Sustainability Tenants • Basic Access • Balances human, ecosystem, and development needs • Are Affordable • Operate Efficiently • Manages effects from new and non-renewable

resources • Principles are adaptable and not limited to one type

of system or classification

TAOS COUNTY, NEW MEXICO

Like Most Counties • Strained Resources • Local Roads Bridge

Maintenance Responsibility

• Aging Structures • Needed to update

information on some bridges, but at reasonable value

TAOS COUNTY APPROACH

• Bridges need to be affordable

• Process needs to be efficient

• Process needs to address mixed needs for rural and urban areas

• Assessment of budgetary needs

• Looks like Sustainability is an issue

TAOS COUNTY hires GFW, Inc

• Rick- You need to be done

in six months and I need preliminary environmental done, and preliminary design done, with budgets

• Joe, What to do?

TAOS BRIDGES PROJECT APPROACH • Project Needs • Multiple Locations • Multiple Watersheds • Conventional Survey • SUE Risk Assessment • Environmental Studies • Affordable Preliminary Engineering

– Hydrology, Preliminary Hydraulics, Scour, Bridge Condition Assessment, Roadway Deficiency Assessment, Bridge/Roadway Geometric Needs, Identify Multiple Funding Sources

ALIGNING PROJECT WITH FHWA INITIATIVES

• TAOS COUNTY needs affordable bridges and program costs

• GFW, Inc., needs to find a way to deliver- • FHWA EVERYDAY COUNTS INITIATIVES align

with FHWA SUSTAINIBILITY Goals

EVERYDAY COUNTS PILLARS

• Accelerating Technology and Development • Shortening Project Delivery

• And the FHWA Internal Goal of making

FHWA a greener Agency and reduce FHWA’s carbon footprint

TOOLS WE USED

• Prefabricated Bridge Elements as an alternative in Bridge Selection report

• GRS ( Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil) as a foundation alternative in Bridge Selection report

• Environmental Studies are prepared to the Ready for Action Level

• Aligning Project Elements and estimates with Known Funding Sources

REASONS FOR CHOOSING THIS PATH

• Most Bridges were single span or short spans • Taos County has strained resources • Time frame was six months • Project needs to provide work of value • Value for Work-

– Provide more with the same or less resources

– Stay Sustainable

REASONS FOR CHOOSING THIS PATH; continued

• Abutment heights are under 30 feet • Most are low velocity stream crossings • New or replacement structures

EXPECTED BENEFITS OF USING EDC INITIATIVES

• Time of Construction Benefit • Expected lower costs • Use basic construction equipment(jobs for

less sophisticated contractors) • Plan sets are less complicated • Work is easily adaptable to change in the

field • Less bridge parts

SOMETHING TO CONSIDER FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT NEEDS

This Slide is borrowed from FHWA Everyday Counts Presentation New Business Model

• Societal Costs Minimized • Lowest Construction Cost Lowest Project Cost

• Public Praise • Political Capital

TAOS BRIDGES

• Bridge concepts included PFBE and IBS • HS 20 Truck loading • Accelerated Project Delivery • Project through Preliminary Engineering was

completed in 6 months • Taos County has a Bridge Program that is affordable,

meets multiple needs and aligns with available funding sources

• GFW was able to do work for the County and provide this project in alignment with our Sustainability Goals

EXAMPLE: ARROYO HONDO BRIDGE # 7753

EXAMPLE: ARROYO HONDO BRIDGE #7753

BRIDGE ESTIMATED STRUCTURE COST

From GFW Bridge Structure Selection Report, June 2011 Example ARROYO HONDO BRIDGE # 7753

Sustainable Bridge Planning and Feasibility Studies for Counties and Local Governments

• Questions?

• Figure from FHWA EDC Presentation