Terracon readies for bridge work

Terracon Consulting Engineers & Scientists will perform geotechnical drilling and soil testing for 68 bridges prioritized by Missouri Bridge Partners, a team of companies selected by the Missouri Department of Transportation to finance, design, rebuild and maintain the bridges for 25 years. One Greene County bridge, which spans Pearson Creek northeast of Springfield, is among those Terracon will tackle in southwest Missouri, according to MoDOT.

Last month, MoDOT issued a limited notice to proceed for preliminary geotechnical fieldwork and design, said Bob Brendel, outreach coordinator for the Safe & Sound Bridge Improvement Program, aka 800 Bridges.

Brendel said MoDOT is still negotiating a contract with Missouri Bridge Partners – led by San Antonio-based Zachry American Infrastructure – for the $700 million project. The confidential procurement process began six months ago, but Brendel was reluctant to speculate when a contract would land on the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission agenda.

“We think we’re close,” he said, suggesting construction could still get under way this fall.

Shared work

Terracon is a subconsultant to Pasadena, Calif.-based Parsons Transportation Group, the lead engineering firm for Missouri Bridge Partners. Terracon’s corporate headquarters is in Olathe, Kan., but the firm has main offices in St. Louis, Columbia, Springfield and Kansas City as well as project offices in Joplin and Camdenton. Terracon has about 200 employees in Missouri.

Dave Harwood, who leads Terracon’s national transportation sector in Denver, said engineers assigned to the 800 Bridges project are expected to start fieldwork the first week of August.

Terracon’s Springfield and Joplin offices – led by Manager Ty Alexander – will handle geotechnical work on bridges in three MoDOT districts that stretch from Joplin east to West Plains. Together, the offices have about 10 employees, two of whom will be assigned to work full time on the bridge projects.

Data collected by Terracon’s field crews will be included in reports that are forwarded to structural and civil engineers designing the bridge improvements, Alexander said.

Harwood said Terracon is still finalizing the specifics of its work schedule, based on its interaction with Parsons.

Should the commission approve a final contract with Missouri Bridge Partners, Terracon could be looking at hundreds of work sites all over the state.

“We look at this as 800 individual projects, and each has their own start and stop dates,” Harwood said.

Terracon’s Missouri offices are expected to handle all report-writing and lab analysis associated with the geotechnical fieldwork, he added.

Skepticism grows

While keeping work in the state is good news for Bruce Wylie, executive director of the Missouri Society of Professional Engineers, he said growing skepticism about the current project’s viability has prompted many members to focus on other work.

The trade group has been monitoring the 800 Bridges project in hopes the mammoth undertaking would translate into business for Missouri-based firms.

But tightening credit markets and the rising costs of both fuel and construction materials are posing some serious obstacles for builders, Wylie said, adding that MoDOT may have to consider reducing the project’s scope.

“They cannot keep all their wish list for what they want to accomplish and still be able to afford it,” he said. “I think this limited notice to proceed is, ‘Hey, we’re going to have this expense anyhow, so let’s go ahead and authorize it.’”

Brendel said MoDOT decided to issue the limited notice to proceed based on the fact that financial transactions related to the contract – once the commission approves its terms – could take another 60 to 90 days to close.

“Once a contract is executed, then the work we’ve already done just becomes part of the project,” he said. “If we’re unable to execute a contract for any reason, then MoDOT would own any work that’s already been done.”