Over the past 23 years, Whitson CM’s managers have constructed hundreds of public works projects for a variety of municipalities and public agencies. These projects’ scopes have varied from AC overlays, wet utility installations, roadway widening, intersection improvements, dry utility construction, retaining wall construction, demolition, landscape projects and bridge structures. Whitson CM has experience in constructing these projects as contractors and as construction managers.
Building successful public works projects requires experience and understanding of the agency’s specifications and expectations. Whitson CM has found that while the processes of building a project are similar from municipality to municipality, the administration of the project varies by owner. In addition, every project has different stakeholders (e.g. utility owners) and each of those parties have project requirements. Understanding these facts and having a company goal of satisfying all of these parties’ interests are what make Whitson CM successful.
Because Whitson CM has extensive experience in constructing different types of projects under different capacities, we have been very successful at constructing projects on-time and within budget. Prior to producing bid documents, we generate construction CPM schedules to create a map of how the project will be built. In addition, we focus on potential conflicts within the design and specifications; by addressing these conflicts before the project begins we can minimize changes to the contract. Only by putting out a complete and comprehensive bid package can cost overruns and delays be avoided.
Public Works Projects
New Roadway Construction: Carmel Valley Road, San Diego, CA.
Carmel Valley Road was a new four lane roadway in San Diego, CA that was constructed in three phases, with a total length in excess of two miles. This project comprised over 3 million cubic yards of earthwork, 1 million cubic yards of rock removals, and over 3 million sf of surface area on the side of Black Mountain. Adding to complexity of this project, an existing 36” water transmission pipeline meandered throughout the new roadway alignment and was 42 feet above finish surface of the new road in solid rock. The project included new water line installations, various storm drain systems including two “multi-plate” culverts, a 275 feet CIP bridge structure, new dry utility backbone installations, open space management and mitigation, numerous traffic signals, extensive landscape and irrigation, and other improvements.
Intersection Widening and Pedestrian Bridge: Bernardo Center Drive, San Diego, CA.
This pedestrian safety and widening project was constructed to provide safe pedestrian access to local schools. The architectural finishes on this project were complex and interesting; the pedestrian bridge landed into a shopping complex on one side and the roadway finishes specified were to match those of the complex. While this would seem straight forward, it is not for structural concrete requiring an anti-graffiti treatment. There are only a few PCC stains that work with the specified graffiti treatment and none of those were similar to the required color template. In addition, this widening required relocation of a one mile SDG&E power transmission main that powered 35,000 businesses and residents.
New Roadway Construction: Cannon Road, Carlsbad, CA.
This project extended Cannon Road east from Route 5 to El Camino Real in Carlsbad, CA. The highlight of this project was the construction of twin 450 foot bridge spans over the east end of the Agua Hedionda Lagoon. The eastern abutment of the bridge was constructed with 250,000 CY of fill over a wick-drain system to allow for uniform settlement of the fill materials. The wick-drains and bridge piles extended to the formational material over 125 feet below finish surface. The wet unsuitable lagoon soils made the construction of these systems complex and challenging. In addition, this project included wetland mitigation, 24 inch waterline installations, gas main construction, dry utility backbone construction, architectural concrete site work, construction of a roundabout to Lego Land, extensive landscape and irrigation.