Georgia 8, April 20, 2022

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Vol. XXIV • No. 8

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Emergency Repair C.W. Matthews Corrects Bridge Deck On I-85

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Crews from C.W. Matthews, which is engaged in GDOT’s $111 million I-85 widening, Phase 2 project that is taking place in the area, noticed damaged concrete and immediately informed GDOT officials, which led to the emergency repairs in March.

By Irwin Rapoport

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is one of the largest and most active DOTs in the country and it recently sprang into action when emergency I85 northbound bridge deck repairs were required near Exit 137 in the city of Jefferson, between the municipalities of Braselton and Pendergrass.

Crews from C.W. Matthews, which is engaged in GDOT’s $111 million I-85 Widening, Phase 2 project that is taking place in the area, noticed damaged concrete and immediately informed GDOT officials, which led to the closure of an outside lane on March 16. The deck is above the mainline track of the CSX Railroad.

The effort had crews working nonstop to complete the repairs and ensure the safety of motorists. A detour was established to provide space for the construction workers to complete the job.

“Although this temporary detour will be a short-term inconvenience, Georgia DOT is working to protect motorists traveling this vital corridor,” said GDOT Project Manager Butch Welch. “We’re grateful to the contractor for their

CEG CORRESPONDENT

see CONCRETE page 6

$150M Major Expansion at Port of Brunswick to Add Capacity

Georgia Ports photo

The Georgia Ports Authority plans upgrades to the Port of Brunswick including a fourth berth at Colonel’s Island Terminal; 85 additional acres for auto processing; and 360,000 sq. ft. of new warehousing.

The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) unveiled a $150 million plan to grow capacity at the Port of Brunswick to benefit both the state’s flagship auto port and breakbulk terminal for forest products.

Jamie McCurry, chief administrator of GPA, explained the effort to add to the port operations over the next several years at an announcement in March.

He said Georgia’s deep-water ports in Savannah and Brunswick are dealing with a volume of traffic at speeds “unmatched in the Western Hemisphere.”

The supply chain issues and

backlog of ships waiting for cargo to be unloaded has been resolved at the Savannah port, the Brunswick News reported, and there are currently no ships waiting to be processed.

Further south, the nation’s second busiest hub for roll on/roll off ships, behind only Baltimore, the Port of Brunswick moved 650,000 units of vehicles and heavy machinery in 2021, an increase of 10 percent over the previous year.

Also known as ro/ro ships, the vessels are designed to carry wheeled cargo, such as cars, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, buses,

trailers, etc.

To accommodate the expected continuation in traffic volume, McCurry said a fourth berth will be added at the port’s Colonel’s Island, along with 360,000-sq.-ft. of new warehousing and 85 additional acres for auto processing.

The added auto storage on the south side of the island will increase the terminal’s annual capacity from 1.2 million to 1.4 million vehicles. Colonel’s Island has a total of 355 acres permitted for expansion.

The new berth, approved by the U.S. Army Corps of see PORT page 4

Page 2 • April 20, 2022 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • Georgia State Supplement • Construction Equipment Guide

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Construction Equipment Guide • Georgia State Supplement • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • April 20, 2022 • Page 3

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GUCA Honors 2022 Hard Hat Safety Award Winners GUCA held its 2022 GUCA Hard Hat Safety Award Gala March 24, 2022, to honor the 2021 Hard Hat Safety Award recipients. Awards were presented to members dedicated to making safety a priority for every employee.

GUCA members and guests gathered at the Loudermilk Center in Atlanta, Ga., to celebrate safety awareness and recognize the overall winners from the chosen category winners.

The GUCA 2021 Hard Hat Safety Award is composed of categories based upon type of work, plant or pipeline construction, and company man-hours.

By creating these different categories, GUCA was able to distinguish six companies who excelled in applying their safety programs to all of their workers and on job sites. The category winners for the 2021 GUCA Hard Hat Safety Award are as follows: • 50,001 to 200,000 Man-Hours Pipeline Contractor RDJE Inc., Newnan, Ga.; • 200,001 to 500,000 Man-Hours Pipeline Contractor Reeves Construction Company, Augusta, Ga.; • 500,0001 to 1,000,000 Man-Hours Pipeline Contractor Strack Inc., Fairburn, Ga.; • 1 Million Plus Man-Hours Pipeline Contractor Brent Scarbrough & Company Inc., Newnan, Ga.; • 0 to 500,000 Man-Hours Plant Contractor Western Summit Constructors Inc., Alpharetta, Ga.; • 501,000 to 1,000,000 Man-Hours Plant Contractor C.A. Murren & Sons Company Inc., Grayson, Ga. “Category winners are chosen on a number of judging criteria including written safety program, number of employees who have received OSHA required training such as Competent Person Excavation, Confined Space Entry, and CPR/First Aid/AED Training,” said Scott Brumbelow, GUCA executive director.

As with all awards, there must be an overall winner. These companies went above and beyond others and consistently put safety in the forefront for each employee and for each job undertaken by the company, GUCA added.

“GUCA is proud of all members that raise the bar for safety and help set the standard for the utility construction industry. GUCA members are exposed to hazards each and every day and we must continue to reward our members that go beyond what is expected by industry professionals, OSHA and other regulatory agencies,” the association said.

Reeves Construction Company Reeves Construction Company is the winner of this year’s overall Pipeline Division Hard Hat Safety Award.

“Our safety culture is just that, a culture instilled in our employees. It becomes a culture not when safety is viewed by employees as a requirement but when it is viewed as necessity.

“Safety culture is beyond the job site. It is an everyday mission that follows the employee in their personal vehicle, into their home, and into every aspect of their life in order to be successful.”

Jared Saunders, Western Summit Constructors Inc., accepts the 2021 GUCA Overall Plant Contractor Hard Hat Safety Award.

Wayne Chance, Reeves Construction Company, accepts the 2021 GUCA Overall Pipeline Contractor Hard Hat Safety Award.

Western Summit Constructors Inc. “At its core, our people are our safety program,” Western Summit Constructors said.

“Our goal of ‘Nobody Gets Hurt’ starts with management and communication where everyone has a voice. Our people and their safety come first, which transcends insurance savings, financial gains, or any other metric.”

For more information about GUCA, visit www.guca.com. 

Port of Brunswick Expansion Due to Complete in Late 2023 PORT from page 1

Engineers, is designed to include a concrete deck and system of mooring dolphins extending roll on/roll off berthing space from 3,335 to 4,630 ft.

In addition to growing the auto trade, GPA will improve Brunswick’s near-dock storage areas to better accommodate heavy machinery used in agriculture, construction and warehousing operations.

GPA reported that bulk cargo handled by terminal operator Logistec in 2021 totaled 902,000 tons at the port’s East River Terminal, while Mayor’s Point managed 88,380 tons of forest products over the same 12 months. The latter terminal is starting to bounce back after

a warehouse fire halted operations there last year, McCurry said, adding it has enjoyed a whopping 392 percent increase in business over the past seven months.

“We’ve been able to rebound and operate in a limited capacity,” he told the Brunswick news source.

The newspaper reported also that there is a study to consider widening the channel on the approach of the Sidney Lanier Bridge and expanding the turning basin, although it provided no further details.

Construction on the Port of Brunswick expansion is expected to begin at the end of this year and finish in late 2023.

Better Brunswick Port Improves Local

Economy The News noted that the port is a major employer in the region, with one in every 10 jobs being related to the Brunswick harbor operation.

“Home to more than 20 automaker brands, Colonel’s Island is poised to become the Southeast’s premier auto port,” GPA Chairman Joel Wooten said. “With more room to grow, better connections to inland markets, and an operation dedicated to rollon/roll-off cargo, Colonel’s Island is the region’s busiest gateway for autos and machinery.”

Griff Lynch, the port authority’s executive director, added, “We’re expanding berth and

terminal capacity at both Colonel’s Island and Mayor’s Point so that we are ready to take on additional trade. The investments we are making will lay the groundwork for job growth and new opportunity in the Brunswick region.”

According to GPA figures, Georgia’s deepwater ports and inland barge terminals support more than 496,700 jobs throughout the state each year and contribute $29 billion in income, $122 billion in revenue and $3.4 billion in state and local taxes to the state’s economy. The Port of Savannah handled 9.3 percent of total U.S. containerized cargo volume and 10.5 percent of all U.S. containerized exports in fiscal year 2020. 

Construction Equipment Guide • Georgia State Supplement • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • April 20, 2022 • Page 5

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Page 6 • April 20, 2022 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • Georgia State Supplement • Construction Equipment Guide

Failing Concrete Leads Crew to Perform 36-Hour Repair CONCRETE from page 1

quick, proactive actions to inform the Department and get to work repairing the bridge. We look forward to reopening the roadway as soon as possible.”

The repairs were completed in 36 hours.

Kyle Collins, a communications and marketing strategist of Georgia DOT’s Office of Strategic Communications, indicated that the bridge deck suffered from deck spalling and a compromised edge beam.

“There was a patch of deck spalling that was approximately one inch,” he said. “The patch started settling and the damage grew. The damage was not severe when it was originally discovered, but the situation changed quickly. The damage grew to 4-foot-tall by 12-foot-wide and straddled both lanes of the bridge.

“This was absolutely a well-executed emergency effort between the contractor and GDOT,” he added. “As soon as an issue is detected, the team notifies GDOT’s principal-incharge. Emergency notifications are then sent to GDOT’s traffic management center [TMC] to notify approaching motorists via the Dynamic Message Signs along the highway. Subject matter experts were dispatched from the Georgia DOT Bridge Office as well as the Office of Materials and Testing to make sure Georgia DOT standards of inspection and repair work are being upheld. Once the damage was discovered, the team closed the inside lane and performed further inspections to discern the extent of the work needed. After three to four hours the full closure was being implemented.”

The bridge is one of six mainline bridges being replaced as part of the I-85 Widening, Phase 2 project, and thus these repairs are temporary while the overall replacement is being completed.

As noted, the emergency repairs were completed in approximately 1.5 days.

“Effective traffic management and the full closure was key to performing the work quickly,” said Collins.

“Allowing crews the space to work around the clock was key to getting the work done and reopening the roadway as soon as possible. As the owner, GDOT provides the standards for quality of work, oversight and final decision-making, and direct communications with motorists.”

Crews completed the repairs in 36 hours.

With crews and equipment already on-site, it was easy for C.W. Matthews to switch gears and deal with the emergency.

The project team consists of C.W. Matthews; HNTB, the program management consultant; inspectors; and GDOT officials. An Atkins inspector noticed the damage and began notifying the rest of the project team.

Collins pointed out that traffic control was the biggest challenge.

“I-85 is a critical, heavily traveled corridor for northeast Georgia and interstate travel through the Southeast,” he said.

“Coordination with local law enforcement to implement the detour was crucial in the success of traffic management during this emergency. The project team coordinated with CSX and made sure they were aware of the work on the bridge, but there was no impact to them and train travel. No repair work happened directly around the tracks or ballasts that would impede trains.”

The work had crews repairing the bridge deck edge beam.

“Crews used a 24-hour quick cure concrete with a 5000 psi mix,” said Collins. “The team allowed time for the con-

The bridge is one of six mainline bridges being replaced as part of the I-85 widening, Phase 2 project, and thus these repairs are temporary while the overall replacement is being completed.

The bridge deck that was repaired is located above the mainline track of the CSX Railroad.

crete to cure and also utilized plates over the roadway and the shoulder.”

Several subcontractors were involved.

“Comanche Construction was involved in most of the repair work,” said Collins.

C.W. Matthews, which has been operating in Georgia since 1946, has completed emergency work for GDOT on several occasions.

C.W. Matthews purchases and rents equipment from local and regional dealerships.

It’s not often that emergency repairs for GDOT infrastructure make the news.

“We pride ourselves on swift and efficient emergency responses to road and bridge issues,” said Collins. “Georgia has more than 50,000 lane miles of interstates and state routes along with nearly 7,000 state-owned bridges. Though we have GDOT and contract staff monitoring infrastructure conditions daily, we often rely on partner agencies and the traveling public to help us identify problem areas along our highways. We appreciate public engagement and alertness to what’s occurring on their daily routes.”  CEG

Crews used a 24-hour quick cure concrete with a 5,000 psi mix.

Construction Equipment Guide • Georgia State Supplement • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • April 20, 2022 • Page 7

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