by David Chapman
Staff Writer
At one of the most heavily trafficked areas in the region, there were cars, buses and tractor-trailers buzzing all around members of the Northeast Florida Women’s Transportation Seminar, but there were only parked cars in the near desolate road where they stood.
The more than 20 members of the organization dedicated to advancing women in transportation stood on a flyover of one of the most complex, multimillion dollar transportation projects under construction in Northeast Florida: the I-10/I-95 Interchange, or “The Big I” as transportation officials affectionately call it.
Three officials heavily involved with the inner workings of the project – Andre Sutherland, project manager with the Florida Department of Transportation; Gregory Nettuno, project engineer with GAI Consultants; and Alek Albach, project manager with Archer Western – led the onsite tour that was preceded by a project presentation and question-and-answer session with WTS members Friday at the Florida Department of Transportation Urban Office.
Sutherland shared some of the background and particulars of the project – the 17 new bridges, 13 concrete girders, four steel plate girders – while discussing the importance of the project,
“It will improve traffic flow and eliminate points of conflict, or weaving,” he said, discussing the term used for undesirable cross-traffic merges across multiple lanes of traffic in a limited area.
Additionally, Sutherland noted the considerable challenges the officials and crews have faced including foundation changes, the use of massive structural steel, environmental considerations that must be met and keeping the public well informed of traffic pattern changes and delays.
Even with the challenges, Sutherland is optimistic about the work that continues.
“We’re making great progress,” he said.
Nettuno agreed when asked during the question-and-answer session about unexpected challenges, calling the process “smooth” and expressing gratitude for the support from both the public and FDOT.
“I’m really happy the way things have gone so far,” said Nettuno, who later added that the continued expected completion date would be “early 2011.”
On the construction and contractual part of the project, Albach was asked how such changes affected pricing for materials and work.
“Right now we have a lot of available help,” said Albach, later adding: “It’s tough to find locked-in prices for the length of the project.”
He noted steel as one example of a material that has greatly fluctuated in the “ebb and flow of pricing” over the past couple years, as there has been no clause in contracts that could absorb drastic changes, unlike such language in fuel and asphalt contracts.
For WTS members, hearing an update on the project then seeing it firsthand was an important experience for many.
“Being onsite, it’s always kind of remarkable to watch members get that ‘Aha!’ moment,” said Joanne Diz, Northeast Florida WTS program committee chair and Jacksonville Transportation Authority project manager. “Seeing a construction site ... it’s part of showing ways transportation affects our lives.”
Northeast Florida WTS President Leena Patil said she learned a lot of the project from the session and tour, especially the necessity for night work and mobilization and maintenance of traffic patterns.
With the FDOT for more than 30 years, Patil said the firsthand experience can be invaluable.
“A lot of people don’t understand how complex and vital a project such as this can be from a presentation or a picture,” said Patil. “Getting out there and seeing it for yourself is much better than just hearing about it.”
356-2466