DOT: Announces excellence in construction awards

For more information, contact:

Don Miller, Project Development Manager

(608) 266-3707, donald.miller@dot.wisconsin.gov

Projects in Oconto, Outagamie, Rock, Sauk, Shawano, Taylor, and Winnebago counties feted

A grading project in Oconto County, an asphalt paving project in Shawano County, a concrete project in Winnebago County, a small bridge construction project in Taylor County, a large bridge project in Outagamie County, and an airport project in Rock County were announced as winners of the annual Wisconsin Department of Transportation Construction Awards. A specialty award for replacement of a county highway following massive flooding in Sauk County was also announced during the 2010 Contractor-Engineer Conference in Madison on January 20.

“These projects reflect the outstanding work done by our contractors and engineers on projects all across the state,” said WisDOT Project Development Director Don Miller, who presented the awards. “Each of the winning projects was the best of the best, and contained features that made them stand out among the hundreds of projects constructed during 2009. We are very proud of the work done by all our contractors and engineers, but these projects were exceptional.”

The Excellence in Grading Award went to Hoffman Construction Company of Black River Falls, Wis. for its work grading US 41 in Marinette County. It was a $26.7 million, four-mile project that featured the use of global positioning system equipment that not only increased productivity but also the quality of the project.

The Excellence in Asphalt Paving Award went to Northeast Asphalt, Inc. of Greenville, Wis. for its work on US 45 in Shawano County. The $6.1 million, 15-mile project pulverized and replaced the pavement, all while keeping the highway open to traffic. Some 112,000 tons of asphalt was used in the project and, through the contractor’s dedication to their Quality Control Plan and innovative paving techniques, the project resulted in an extremely smooth riding surface.

The Excellence in Concrete Paving Award was given to Vinton Construction Company of Manitowoc, Wis. for its work on WIS 114 in Winnebago County. The $2.2 million project reconstructed the highway and incorporated community sensitive design features to enhance an inner city neighborhood in Menasha.

The Excellence in Small Structures Award was presented to Lunda Construction Company, Inc. of Black River Falls, Wis. for its work on the Allman Street Bridge over the Black River in the city of Medford. The $700,000 bridge project incorporated several aesthetic features including a fieldstone surface treatment. It was an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act project that was completed ahead of schedule and within budget.

The Excellence in Large Structures Award went to Edward Kraemer & Sons, Inc. of Plain, Wis. for construction of a $16.2 million, 10-span structure over the Fox River in Appleton. The bridge is 76 feet wide and accommodates four 11-foot travel lanes, two 5-foot shoulders for bikes, interior parapets, 8-foot wide sidewalks on each side, and exterior parapets. The structure spans the river, a hydro electric canal, and a rail bridge.

A Specialty Award was presented to Hoffman Construction Company for its work on the Highway A, Lake Delton project. Following massive flooding that washed away Sauk County Highway A and drained Lake Delton, a response team was formed, which developed and implemented concepts that met state and federal requirements. Hoffman Construction was contracted to restore the lake and replace the highway. Working 20-hour days, Hoffman was able to mobilize the people and equipment needed to get the job done on schedule, including locating a hydraulic clam shell and crane system, one of only two such systems available in the United States. The $4.2 million project resulted in the road reopening within six months of the flooding and the lake being refilled less than a year later.

The Outstanding Airport Construction Award went to Zignego Company, Inc. of Waukesha, Wis. for its work at the Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport in Rock County. The $1.8 million project constructed a new 2,800-foot long, 60-foot wide taxiway parallel to the airport’s north-south runway. In all, some 18,500 square yards of concrete pavement was poured during the project.