West Carson Street Viaduct Project Passes One-Year Mark

A multi-span viaduct replacement project has passed the one-year mark in Pittsburgh, Pa., headed toward a spring 2016 completion date.

Tue July 29, 2014 - Northeast Edition
Brenda Ruggiero

A multi-span viaduct replacement project has passed the one-year mark in Pittsburgh, Pa., headed toward a spring 2016 completion date.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), awarded the contract, currently valued at $40.8 million to Lane Construction Corp., with Kerry Kennedy in charge. Work began on July 8, 2013, and a substantial amount of unforeseen utility conflicts have lead to some delays to the original completion date.

The project is located 370 ft. west of SR 19 (Saw Mill Run Boulevard) in Allegheny County, Pa.

The contract includes the multi-span viaduct replacement, including cantilevered concrete slabs supported by a combination of concrete columns and walls, bituminous pavement milling and resurfacing, reinforced cement concrete pavement reconstruction, drainage, curb and sidewalk, highway lighting, signing and pavement marking, signals, sanitary sewer and water line relocation, electrical utility relocation, and other miscellaneous construction.

"Challenges with the project include maintaining the existing sewer, water, electric, and communication infrastructure while we construct the new utility infrastructure and maintain a southbound traffic travel lane and pedestrian sidewalk and maintain access to all businesses and residences along the length of the project," said Steve Cowan, PennDOT press officer. "The challenges are what makes this project unique from others. The amount of utility relocations and involvement is greater than what is encountered on most projects."

Major subcontractors for the project include:

• Beth’s Barricades, Gibsonia Pa., for supplying MPT signage;

• B & K Enterprises Inc., Strongstown, Pa., for installing temporary concrete barrier and stiffening and installing signs;

• 3 Rivers Pipe Profiling LLC, Pittsburgh, Pa., for inspection and videoing the inside of drainage culverts;

• Parking Lot Painting Company, Bethel Park, Pa., for applying pavement markings;

• Plum Contracting Inc., Greensburg, Pa., for installing under drains;

• Terra-Mechanics Inc., Gibsonia, Pa., for noise and vibration monitoring;

• The Fourth River Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., for offsite disposal of material;

• Vantage Corporation, Carnegie, Pa., for construction of temporary signals, electrical and lighting system, and signs;

• Vik-Kel Corporation, Jeannette, Pa., for pipe cleaning;

• Adams Petroleum Products Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa., for supplying fuel to construction vehicles;

• DS Hinkson Lumber and Supplies, Hermitage, Pa., for providing construction materials;

• Madura Steel Sales Inc., Hermitage, Pa., for supplying reinforcing bars and bridge railing;

• VideoTek Construction LLC, Pittsburgh, Pa., for furnishing and hauling asphalt cement;

• Golden Triangle Construction Company Inc., Imperial, Pa., for constructing new electrical manholes;

• Tesone Transport Inc., Cheswick, Pa., for providing trucking services;

• Robinson Pipe Cleaning Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., for video inspection of storm sewers;

• Green Acres Contracting Co., Scottdale, Pa., for guiderail, seeding, and mulching;

• Casper Colosimo & Son Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa., for installing new 20-in. waterline and relocating communication lines; and

• HTNE Hydrodemolition Services, New Kensington, Pa., for performing the hydro-demolition along the surface of existing concrete retaining wall.

Major equipment used on the job includes a Caterpillar 430D backhoe, a Komatsu PC228USCL-3EO hydraulic excavator, a Caterpillar 328D hydraulic excavator, a Caterpillar 321LCR hydraulic excavator, a Volvo ECR305CL hydraulic excavator, and various other equipment, both owned and rented.

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.