Innovative Fisheries Protection for

MassDOT Design-Build Projects

Frank Welch

Resident Engineer

MassDOT District 4 Construction

Agenda

• Design Build Process Overview• Design Build Project Examples:

• I-95 Amesbury/Newburyport over the Merrimack River• Fish Habitats and Behavior• Permitting Restrictions• Design-Build Changes/Advantages

• I-495 Haverhill over the Merrimack River• Fish Habitats and Behavior• Permitting Restrictions• Design-Build Changes/Advantages

• Conclusions

Design Build Process Overview

D-B Process Overview• Alternative project delivery method

• Combines project design and construction, into one contract

• MassDOT develops preliminary design• Obtains permits based on preliminary concept

• Best Value Selection Process• Request for Proposals• Short List Design-Build Entities• Technical and Price Proposals• Award of Contract based on best value

• Begin Design and Construction

I-95 Over the Merrimack RiverNewburyport/AmesburyWhittier Bridge Project

I-495 over the Merrimack RiverHaverhill

Highlighted Projects

Whittier Bridge I-95 Improvement Project

Amesbury, Newburyport & Salisbury, MA

Project Description

• The existing six lane I-95 Whittier Bridge over the Merrimack River replaced

with two new 4 lane structures (8 total lanes).

• Highway widening improvements from the existing six lanes to eight lanes

along the 4.25-mile project alignment from Exit 57 in Newburyport to Exit 59 in

Salisbury.

• Widening, rehabilitation, or replacement of seven adjacent bridges along the I-

95 alignment to accommodate eight lanes of traffic on I-95.

Project Description

• Existing Whittier Bridge

• Built in 1951

• 5 Span Structure

• Carries I-95 NB and SB over

the Merrimack River

• New Whittier Bridge

• 4 Span Structure

• Separate structures for I-95

Northbound and Southbound

• Total of 6 new bridge piers

• New NB structure will include

shared-use path connecting

Amesbury and Newburyport

Notable Aspects

• Complex and Signature Bridge• Network-Tied Arch

• Historic bridge on Interstate

• Accelerated Bridge Program

• Environmentally sensitive area

• Necessity to keep three lanes of traffic throughout

project durration

Design Phase Permitting

List of Permits / Authorizations

• MA Wetlands Protection Act – Local Conservation Commissions

• 401 Water Quality Certification – MassDEP

• 404 Permit – USACOE

• Atlantic Salmon Essential Fish Habitat – NMFS

• Section 7 Fed. Endangered Species Act – NMFS

• Diadromous Fish Review – MA Marine Fisheries

• MA Endangered Species Act - MassWildlife

• Coastal Zone Management Review – MA CZM

• Chapter 91 Waterways License - MassDEP

• U.S. Coast Guard Bridge Permit

• Section 106

• MEPA/NEPA EA/EIR

Design Phase Permitting

Potential Impacts

Potential Impacts

• Shortnose & Atlantic Sturgeon (ESA listed species)

• Atlantic Salmon, River Herring, American Eel, etc. (EFH)

• Primary construction concerns: acoustic & turbidity

impacts, and maintaining fish passage

Section 7 & EFH

Atlantic and Shortnose

Sturgeon

Atlantic Sturgeon Critical Habitat

Designations

Shortnose Sturgeon Behavior

I-95 – Whittier Bridge

Spawning, Overwintering & Summer Habitats Upstream

Summer Habitat Downstream

Whittier Bridge = Migratory Habitat

Shortnose Sturgeon Behavior

- No work within “thalwegs”

- No impact driving

- Low turbidity impact potential

- Limited impact on open waterway

- Install one cofferdam at a time

Result: No Time of Year

Restrictions

Section 7 & EFH

Construction Phase Design Build

Changes

Design-Build Changes in

Construction

Base Technical Concept(Originally permitted)

Construction-Phase Concepts(Required permit amendment)

New bridge piers to be constructed w/in cofferdams in the dry

Drilled micro piles for foundations to be constructed w/in cofferdam in the wet

Poured concrete piers with granite façade installed after

Precast pier walls with cast-in granite

Construct superstructureon barges, raise onto piers & abutments using jacks @ high tide

Gantry crane system w/support trestle & temp. towers, and access work trestle in the river

Drilled micro piles for foundations w/in

cofferdams “in the wet”

Base Concept D-B Alternative

Drilled micro piles for foundations w/in

cofferdams “in the wet”

Drilled micro piles for foundations w/in

cofferdams “in the wet”

Drilled micro piles for foundations w/in

cofferdams “in the wet”

Precast Pier Bases

Gantry Crane System

Gantry Crane System

Gantry Crane System

Gantry Crane System

Gantry Crane System

Gantry Crane System

Gantry Crane System

Construction Phase Permitting

Amendments

• 404 Permit – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

• 401 Water Quality Certification -MassDEP

• Additional fisheries consultation – NMFS & MA Marine Fisheries

• MA Wetlands Protection Act – Local Conservation Commissions

• Use of micro-piles

• Allowed DB team to limit

dredging and dewatering

• Use of pre-cast pier

walls

• Reduced the permanent

impacts

• Use of gantry crane

• Limited the use of large

barges for steel erection

Construction Phase Permitting

Amendments

I-495 Bridge Replacement

Project, Haverhill, MA

Existing I-495 Bridges

Project Limits

Project Description

Project Description

• The 2 existing 5-span bridges on I-495 over the Merrimack River in

Haverhill will be replaced with 2 new 3-span bridge structures.

• RFP issued with Base Technical Concept, including:

• Bridge and Highway Plans adequate for Environmental permitting.

• Concept new bridge footprint with temporary access footprint.

• Median crossover to for traffic management & staged construction.

• Stormwater management plan / typical details and wetland

mitigation

Potential Impacts

Atlantic Salmon Essential Fish Habitat

• Additional NOAA Trust Resource Species• American Shad• River Herring• American Eel• Sea lamprey

Atlantic and Shortnose

Sturgeon

Potential Impacts

I-95 – Whittier Bridge

I-495 – Haverhill Bridge

Spawning, Overwintering & Summer Habitats Upstream

Summer Migratory Habitat upstream

I-495 Bridge = Migratory Habitat & Suitable Spawning Habitat

Shortnose Sturgeon Behavior

Documented shortnose sturgeon spawning habitat located

approximately 3 miles downstream

• Acoustical Impacts

• Habitat Modifications

• Turbidity

• Vessel Collisions

Fisheries Protection BMPs

• Acoustical Impacts

• Time of Year restriction on acoustic impacts between March 1

and November 15

• Use of vibratory hammer/casing oscillators where feasible

• Impact hammer ramp-up period

• During activities that may cause acoustical effects, a fisheries

biologist will visually and acoustically monitor the area to detect

sturgeon

• Habitat Modifications• Protective shielding required to prevent debris from falling into

the water

• Overall reduction to LUW currently 8 piers, reduced to 4

Fisheries Protection BMPs

• Turbidity

• Time of Year restriction on turbidity causing work between March

1 and November 15

• All in-water work to occur within cofferdams

• Use of turbidity curtains

• Vessel Collisions

• Project associated boats limited to 6 knots per hour

• Fisheries biologist will be on-board large boats and barges

• Sturgeon training program will be conducted for small boat

operators

Fisheries Protection BMPs

D-B Entity Permit

Modifications

Highway Alignment

Original Phasing D-B Revised Phasing

D-B Entity Permit

Modifications

Floating Pier Design

Floating Pier Design

D-B Entity Permit

Modifications

• Alternative Bridge Alignment• Reduced risk associated with partial demolition• Reduced temporary impacts to vegetated wetland

• Alternative Pier Design• Maintained all original BMPs• Reduced acoustical impacts• Reduced amount of de-watering • Significantly reduced permanent LUW impacts

Conclusions

Benefits of Design Build Project Delivery Method:• Allows for accelerated project delivery• Reduces risk to MassDOT• Allows more opportunity for innovation• D-B teams can take unique approach to challenging

environmental conditions• “Big Picture” approach by all agencies can assure most

efficient project for the public