Global multidisciplinary engineering consultancy Stantec has been selected by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) to assist in the planning, development, management, delivery and oversight of the new ‘Bridging Kentucky’ rehabilitation and replacement program.
The Stantec-led Bridging Kentucky Program Team will have responsibility for more than 1,000 bridges across the state. As a critical first step, the team will help evaluate and prioritize the bridge improvements through a data-driven screening process focused on determining the appropriate restoration solution for each bridge.
The program team will establish the program controls; perform preliminary and some final designs (structural, roadway, geotechnical, right-of-way, utility coordination, environmental, and permitting); evaluate delivery mechanisms (bridge bundling, traditional packages and design-build); oversee projects if design-build contracting is employed; and assist local district personnel with construction engineering inspection.
The Stantec team was awarded the contract after a public request for proposal (RFP) and interview process. With significant transportation needs and limited transportation funding, the team will focus on improving the condition and lifecycle of existing bridges.
In many cases, the Canadian company anticipates to cost-effectively add at least 30 years of life to bridges through repairs and improvements. Where a full replacement is appropriate, the team will design and build new bridges with at least 75 years of useful life.
The Bridging Kentucky program is an estimated US$700m investment and will impact all 12 KYTC Highway Districts and 120 counties across the state. The initial program funding was budgeted in Kentucky’s recently enacted 2018 Highway Plan.
The Stantec team has already begun evaluating and prioritizing bridge improvements, focusing first on bridge projects approved in the state’s biennium spending plan. Following the evaluation process, the Bridging Kentucky team will develop plans to quickly implement improvements, allowing construction on some structures to begin in late 2018. Stantec’s Bridges Group is highly experienced, and has worked on projects in 12 countries for more than 1,000 owners.
“This is a transformational program for the bridge infrastructure in Kentucky, and we are excited to be a part of it. The contract is ambitious, but we’ve developed a strong team and approach to make sure the program is successful,” commented Tony Hunley, Stantec’s vice president for bridges, and program manager for the Bridging Kentucky Program Team.
“The combination of innovative approaches, aggressive timing and commitment at the highest levels of the Transportation Cabinet will serve as a model to other states looking to address their aging infrastructure needs in a bolder way.”
