More News from the Winter 2011 Chapter E-Newsletter

OREGON CHAPTER APWA

2011 EVERYDAY HERO – LISA JEFFRYES

Lisa is always pleasant and sincere in her communications, whether she is listening to a citizen complaint, directing a contractor to make corrections or giving advice to an inspector. She brings a team-player attitude to her relationships with her co-workers and the contractors that make her effective and enjoyable to work with and results in good quality construction projects built to last. She is versatile and is a good designer and CAD tech. She is generous with her time to train and assist others as needed, and always willing to help.

OREGON CHAPTER APWA

2011 PROJECT OF THE YEAR AWARDS

Environmental: less than $5 million

Walker Creek Fish Passage Culvert

Agency:  City of Portland Water Bureau

Consultant:  Murray, Smith & Associates, Inc.

Contractor:  Moore Excavation, Inc.

This project re-established fish passage to Walker Creek in the Bull Run watershed.  The new culvert is 58-inches tall and 18-feet wide with an open bottom to mimic natural streambed conditions.  It was installed directly below two Portland water Bureau supply conduits that provide potable water to 850,000 customers, so special care was taken to support the conduits and keep them operational during construction.

Environmental: $5- $25 million

Albany-Millersburg Talking Water Gardens

Agency:  City of Albany

Consultant:  CH2M Hill

Contractor:  C&M Construction

The City of Albany, City of Millersburg and Wah Chang formed a municipal/industrial partnership to address TMDL thermal discharge limits for wastewater effluent to the Willamette River.  The solution was the construction of a wetland treatment, which has had the affect of creating habitat for many species.  The partners also used the project as an educational opportunity, and as a public use area.  The project included outreach and involvement of public school and OSU as well as providing for community events.

Environmental: over $75 million

Lake Oswego Interceptor Sewer

Agency:  City of Lake Oswego

Consultant:  Brown & Caldwell

Contractor:  Advanced American Construction

                  James W. Fowler Company

The Lake Oswego interceptor sewer is the first known buoyant gravity sewer in the world.  The serpentine alignment of the 22 to 42-inch HDPE pipe allows for thermal expansion of the pipe which can be considerable with 29,000-feet of pipe.  The pipe is submerged and held in place through the use of buoys and 428 ground tethers.  Access to the manholes is through removable stainless steel caissons.  Extensive public outreach was done as this was an extremely visible project that even included temporarily draining Lake Oswego.

Transportation: less than $5 million

Banks – Vernonia Trail and Trailhead

Agency:  Washington County

Consultant:  OBEC Consulting

                    Wiser Rail Engineering

Contractor: Kerr Contractors

                   Railworks Tracks System, Inc.

                  Carter & Company, Inc.

This project extended the new trail to the City of Banks and created a trailhead for easy public access.  Anecdotal information indicates that since the completion of the project the public has been using the facilities extensively.  The project included the re-alignment of Sellers Road, a new rail crossing, a bridge, bio-swale, stream restoration, trail extension, parking lot and an upgrade to the City water distribution system.  There were five funding sources, multiple agency involvement, multiple design engineers and multiple contractors due to the varied aspects of the project.

Transportation: $5- $25 million

S.W. Burnham Street Improvements

Agency:  City of Tigard

Consultant:  Otak, Inc.

Contractor:  Kodiak Pacific Construction

The 2,000-foot total rebuild of SW Burnham Street in Tigard was expanded into a community project.  It was aimed at improving multi-modal transportation, created public space for events, used sustainable design elements as much as possible, improved the dog park, created a gateway monument and was used to spur private improvements.  As many as 11 businesses along the street have since done improvements to their storefronts, some of them using the loan program set up by the City for just such improvement.

Historical Preservation: less than $5 million

McLoughlin Promenade

Agency:  City of Oregon City

Consultant:  Wallis Engineering

Contractor:  Pioneer Waterproofing

In 1851, before Oregon was even a state, Dr. John McLoughlin the father of Oregon and factor of the Hudsons Bay Fur Trading Company dedicated 7.8 acres of land for a park in Oregon City.  In 1938 Franklin D. Roosevelt funded improvements to the park through the WPA program.  And in 2009 restoration of the park was funded through ARRA.  Great care was taken to match construction material and techniques used in 1938 even done to matching the color of the motor and concrete used.  In addition, custom containment facilities were constructed for safety as the work was done at and over the edge of an 80-foot cliff with public right-of-way directly below.

PROJECT OF THE YEAR AWARD – HONORABLE MENTIONS

Cascade Well #5

Agency:  Rockwood Water PUD

Consultant:  Murray, Smith & Associates Inc.

                   GSI Water Solutions Inc.

Contractor:  Boart Longyear

                   Ward Henshaw

Delta Ponds Bridge

Agency:  City of Eugene

Consultant:  OBEC

Contractor:  Mowat Construction

SW Greenburg Road, Hall Blvd & Hwy 99 Intersection Improvements

Agency:  Washington County

Consultant:  WH Pacific

Contractor:  Kerr Contractors

Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation

Agency:  City of Springfield

Consultant:  Murray, Smith & Associates Inc.

Contractor:  H & J Construction

                   K & R Plumbing

                   Emery & Sons

                   Insituform

ODOT Certification Program

The Certification Mission
The mission of the Oregon Department of Transportation’s Local Agency Certification Program is to put in place the people, processes and products enable local agencies to become certified to deliver federally funded projects in a timely and cost-effective manner. With continual monitoring and improvement processes, the Certification Program strives to increase the benefits to Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and local agencies. The benefits include cost and time savings in project delivery, provides the local community more control over the project.

To successfully realize its mission and goals, the Certification Program publishes a Local Agency Guideline Manual, “LAG Manual” which outlines each step involved in transportation projects, from “cradle to grave.” The LAG Manual includes comprehensive checklists, resource links, contacts, clearly outlined requirements and examples of how to meet federal requirements for transportation projects. Over 100 people contribute input to the LAG Manual annually. In keeping with ODOT’s sustainability values, the LAG Manual has been maintained electronically for ease of use and access.

What is Certification?
Local agencies may pursue certification in four areas: Consultant Selection; Design, Advertisement, Bid and Award; and Construction Contract Administration. In this way, local agencies can procure services, design projects, own and administer their local project contracts, and manage project construction. Becoming certified involves completing interviews with the various subject matter experts, refining local agency processes to meet State and Federal regulations, and lastly, successfully completing two to four test projects.

Where is Certification?
Until recently, the Certification Program was a part of the Highway Division, Local Government Section. To promote multi-modal and sustainable strategies for future transportation solutions, Director Matt Garrett created the “Active Transportation Section” under the Transportation Development Division. Active Transportation Section has been charged with strategically integrating funding and programs to promote multi-modal and sustainable transportation solutions. The Certification Program has a unique role in providing continued advocacy and customer focus for local agency stakeholders.

Who are the local agencies?
Currently there are twelve local agencies involved in certification. Three local agencies, Portland, Eugene and Corvallis have earned Full Certification Status in three areas of certification. The agencies currently in the test phase of the program include Lane County, Linn County, Marion County, Multnomah County, Clackamas County, and the cities of Springfield, Salem, Medford and Gresham. Washington County will be starting the process in early 2012. The Certification Program has reached across Oregon and into a variety of different local agencies.

Certification Training
Along with developing and maintaining the LAG Manual, the Certification Program plays a key role in developing and facilitating local agency trainings. The trainings concentrate on increasing awareness of federal requirements for transportation projects, sharing ODOT’s depth of knowledge for delivering transportation projects and collaborating on local agency successes and challenges. In 2011, the Certification Program facilitated a “Certification Academy” that instructed local agencies on the planning, development, delivery and construction of a federally funded project. In response to feedback, the Certification Program is coordinating an “Information Sharing” round table session among all the local agencies in the Certification Program. This session will encourage the continued collaboration, improvement and coordination between local agencies and ODOT. This event is being scheduled for early 2012.

Certification Program staff frequently field questions, respond to issues, mediate differences and continually improve communication with the various stakeholders involved in local agency transportation projects. Certification Program has built a team of subject matter experts from all across ODOT, local agencies, the Department of Justice and the various external committees and counsels in order to develop guidelines, procedures and policies for improving the way federally funded projects are delivered at the local agency level. These experts serve as the local agency advocate and work continuously to improve the collaboration and working relationships between FHWA, ODOT and the local stakeholders.

For more information, visit the Certification Program online.

Authors:
Beth Vargas Duncan, a long time public servant, as a lawyer, negotiator, lobbyist, and local agency guru for sixteen years. She came to ODOT six years ago to ramp up the Local Government Certification Program. Having earned her Master’s in Public Administration and a Law Degree in the Midwest, she returned to Salem to continue her public service career in her home town, Salem. As her father worked in as an Engineer in Salem, Gresham and Portland, and the only living founding member of the APWA Oregon Chapter, she knew the commitment and effort it takes to participate in public service.

Jerrica Pierson Seeger, a newly hired limited duration employee for the Certification Program, actually started at ODOT back in 2007 as a volunteer. She came back to the Local Government Section twice as an intern during her graduate studies. After contracting as a consultant to ODOT’s Office of Civil Rights for 18 months following graduating with her MBA/JD, she took this position in the Certification Program in August. A lawyer in Washington and Oregon, she is committed to public service, supports local communities and advocates for vulnerable populations. She is a lifetime soccer player, mother of two and the proud spouse of an active military soldier in Afghanistan.