The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) awarded the I-35W
bridge contract to the Flatiron-Manson construction team on Monday
(Oct. 8).
by T.W. Budig
ECM capitol reporter
The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) awarded the I-35W bridge contract to the Flatiron-Manson construction team on Monday (Oct. 8).
The awarding came the same day the Minnesota Department of Administration opined that no aspect of the design-build contract letting process used by Mn/DOT for the bridge had been arbitrary or capricious.
The accepted Flatiron-Manson bridge bid was for $234 million - not the lowest bid submitted. Flatiron is based in Colorado.
But other factors beyond price are weighed.
Arches, water and reflection
The primary theme of the Flatiron-Manson bridge design, unveiled on Monday, is arches, water and reflection.
The new bridge will be built of high performance concrete with graceful, arching piers on the Mississippi River edge with an arch of lights reflecting onto the river from the bridge deck above.
From river edge to river edge, the bridge will span 504 feet though its overall length will be about 1200 feet.
Lead designer on project Linda Figg, president and director of Bridge Art for Figg Engineering of Florida said the downtown Minneapolis bridge site was "a very exciting site," saying the new bridge design will enhance the modern and historic aspects of the river front. "It will be a model for other bridges in America," she said.
The public will be able to help determine some design features of the bridge - its color, the design possibilities of the its piers.
Design session planned Oct. 22
A design session is expected to take place the week of Oct. 22 where local government officials, business leaders, and residents will be able to offer suggestions on the final appearance of the bridge.
Some structural features of the bridge, besides the use of high performance concrete and design redundancies, will be the use of state-of-the-art sensor and monitoring system built into the bridge.
"This will be a smart bridge," said Figg.
The bridge is designed so that at some future date a pedestrian bridge can be suspended beneath it.
The construction schedule calls for the new bridge to completed by the end of 2008, with ribbon-cutting anticipated for Christmas Eve.
"Our top priority is safety - both throughout construction and during the entire life of the bridge," said Flatiron-Manson project manager Peter Sanderson.
Bridge will mean 400 jobs
Sanderson said the bridge project will translate into about 400 full-time jobs.
An emphasis will be placed on the use of Minnesota materials and labor, he explained.
Ground breaking on the project is planned for Oct. 15.
Lt. Gov./Mn/DOT Commissioner Carol Molnau in a statement said the City of Minneapolis had signed off on the project and all of the partners are onboard.
Molnau did not personally attend the Capitol press conference, Mn/DOT staff saying she had been called away on family matters.
Flatiron is based in Longmont, Colo., and Manson Construction is out of Seattle, a company specializing in bridge and waterway construction.
ECM capitol reporter
The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) awarded the I-35W bridge contract to the Flatiron-Manson construction team on Monday (Oct. 8).
The awarding came the same day the Minnesota Department of Administration opined that no aspect of the design-build contract letting process used by Mn/DOT for the bridge had been arbitrary or capricious.
The accepted Flatiron-Manson bridge bid was for $234 million - not the lowest bid submitted. Flatiron is based in Colorado.
But other factors beyond price are weighed.
Arches, water and reflection
The primary theme of the Flatiron-Manson bridge design, unveiled on Monday, is arches, water and reflection.
The new bridge will be built of high performance concrete with graceful, arching piers on the Mississippi River edge with an arch of lights reflecting onto the river from the bridge deck above.
From river edge to river edge, the bridge will span 504 feet though its overall length will be about 1200 feet.
Lead designer on project Linda Figg, president and director of Bridge Art for Figg Engineering of Florida said the downtown Minneapolis bridge site was "a very exciting site," saying the new bridge design will enhance the modern and historic aspects of the river front. "It will be a model for other bridges in America," she said.
The public will be able to help determine some design features of the bridge - its color, the design possibilities of the its piers.
Design session planned Oct. 22
A design session is expected to take place the week of Oct. 22 where local government officials, business leaders, and residents will be able to offer suggestions on the final appearance of the bridge.
Some structural features of the bridge, besides the use of high performance concrete and design redundancies, will be the use of state-of-the-art sensor and monitoring system built into the bridge.
"This will be a smart bridge," said Figg.
The bridge is designed so that at some future date a pedestrian bridge can be suspended beneath it.
The construction schedule calls for the new bridge to completed by the end of 2008, with ribbon-cutting anticipated for Christmas Eve.
"Our top priority is safety - both throughout construction and during the entire life of the bridge," said Flatiron-Manson project manager Peter Sanderson.
Bridge will mean 400 jobs
Sanderson said the bridge project will translate into about 400 full-time jobs.
An emphasis will be placed on the use of Minnesota materials and labor, he explained.
Ground breaking on the project is planned for Oct. 15.
Lt. Gov./Mn/DOT Commissioner Carol Molnau in a statement said the City of Minneapolis had signed off on the project and all of the partners are onboard.
Molnau did not personally attend the Capitol press conference, Mn/DOT staff saying she had been called away on family matters.
Flatiron is based in Longmont, Colo., and Manson Construction is out of Seattle, a company specializing in bridge and waterway construction.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
