Innovative Fisheries Protection for MassDOT Design-Build ... · Innovative Fisheries Protection for MassDOT Design-Build Projects Frank Welch ... (Required permit amendment) New bridge

Innovative Fisheries Protection for

MassDOT Design-Build Projects

Frank Welch

Resident Engineer

MassDOT District 4 Construction

Agenda

• Design Build Process Overview• Design Build Project Examples:

• I-95 Amesbury/Newburyport over the Merrimack River• Fish Habitats and Behavior• Permitting Restrictions• Design-Build Changes/Advantages

• I-495 Haverhill over the Merrimack River• Fish Habitats and Behavior• Permitting Restrictions• Design-Build Changes/Advantages

• Conclusions

Design Build Process Overview

D-B Process Overview• Alternative project delivery method

• Combines project design and construction, into one contract

• MassDOT develops preliminary design• Obtains permits based on preliminary concept

• Best Value Selection Process• Request for Proposals• Short List Design-Build Entities• Technical and Price Proposals• Award of Contract based on best value

• Begin Design and Construction

I-95 Over the Merrimack RiverNewburyport/AmesburyWhittier Bridge Project

I-495 over the Merrimack RiverHaverhill

Highlighted Projects

Whittier Bridge I-95 Improvement Project

Amesbury, Newburyport & Salisbury, MA

Project Description

• The existing six lane I-95 Whittier Bridge over the Merrimack River replaced

with two new 4 lane structures (8 total lanes).

• Highway widening improvements from the existing six lanes to eight lanes

along the 4.25-mile project alignment from Exit 57 in Newburyport to Exit 59 in

Salisbury.

• Widening, rehabilitation, or replacement of seven adjacent bridges along the I-

95 alignment to accommodate eight lanes of traffic on I-95.

Project Description

• Existing Whittier Bridge

• Built in 1951

• 5 Span Structure

• Carries I-95 NB and SB over

the Merrimack River

• New Whittier Bridge

• 4 Span Structure

• Separate structures for I-95

Northbound and Southbound

• Total of 6 new bridge piers

• New NB structure will include

shared-use path connecting

Amesbury and Newburyport

Notable Aspects

• Complex and Signature Bridge• Network-Tied Arch

• Historic bridge on Interstate

• Accelerated Bridge Program

• Environmentally sensitive area

• Necessity to keep three lanes of traffic throughout

project durration

Design Phase Permitting

List of Permits / Authorizations

• MA Wetlands Protection Act – Local Conservation Commissions

• 401 Water Quality Certification – MassDEP

• 404 Permit – USACOE

• Atlantic Salmon Essential Fish Habitat – NMFS

• Section 7 Fed. Endangered Species Act – NMFS

• Diadromous Fish Review – MA Marine Fisheries

• MA Endangered Species Act - MassWildlife

• Coastal Zone Management Review – MA CZM

• Chapter 91 Waterways License - MassDEP

• U.S. Coast Guard Bridge Permit

• Section 106

• MEPA/NEPA EA/EIR

Design Phase Permitting

Potential Impacts

Potential Impacts

• Shortnose & Atlantic Sturgeon (ESA listed species)

• Atlantic Salmon, River Herring, American Eel, etc. (EFH)

• Primary construction concerns: acoustic & turbidity

impacts, and maintaining fish passage

Section 7 & EFH

Atlantic and Shortnose

Sturgeon

Atlantic Sturgeon Critical Habitat

Designations

Shortnose Sturgeon Behavior

I-95 – Whittier Bridge

Spawning, Overwintering & Summer Habitats Upstream

Summer Habitat Downstream

Whittier Bridge = Migratory Habitat


- No work within “thalwegs”

- No impact driving

- Low turbidity impact potential

- Limited impact on open waterway

- Install one cofferdam at a time

Result: No Time of Year

Restrictions

Section 7 & EFH

Construction Phase Design Build

Changes

Design-Build Changes in

Construction

Base Technical Concept(Originally permitted)

Construction-Phase Concepts(Required permit amendment)

New bridge piers to be constructed w/in cofferdams in the dry

Drilled micro piles for foundations to be constructed w/in cofferdam in the wet

Poured concrete piers with granite façade installed after

Precast pier walls with cast-in granite

Construct superstructureon barges, raise onto piers & abutments using jacks @ high tide

Gantry crane system w/support trestle & temp. towers, and access work trestle in the river

Drilled micro piles for foundations w/in

cofferdams “in the wet”

Base Concept D-B Alternative







Precast Pier Bases

Gantry Crane System

Gantry Crane System

Gantry Crane System

Gantry Crane System

Gantry Crane System

Gantry Crane System

Gantry Crane System

Construction Phase Permitting

Amendments

• 404 Permit – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

• 401 Water Quality Certification -MassDEP

• Additional fisheries consultation – NMFS & MA Marine Fisheries

• MA Wetlands Protection Act – Local Conservation Commissions

• Use of micro-piles

• Allowed DB team to limit

dredging and dewatering

• Use of pre-cast pier

walls

• Reduced the permanent

impacts

• Use of gantry crane

• Limited the use of large

barges for steel erection

Construction Phase Permitting

Amendments

I-495 Bridge Replacement

Project, Haverhill, MA

Existing I-495 Bridges

Project Limits

Project Description

Project Description

• The 2 existing 5-span bridges on I-495 over the Merrimack River in

Haverhill will be replaced with 2 new 3-span bridge structures.

• RFP issued with Base Technical Concept, including:

• Bridge and Highway Plans adequate for Environmental permitting.

• Concept new bridge footprint with temporary access footprint.

• Median crossover to for traffic management & staged construction.

• Stormwater management plan / typical details and wetland

mitigation

Potential Impacts

Atlantic Salmon Essential Fish Habitat

• Additional NOAA Trust Resource Species• American Shad• River Herring• American Eel• Sea lamprey

Atlantic and Shortnose

Sturgeon

Potential Impacts

I-95 – Whittier Bridge

I-495 – Haverhill Bridge

Spawning, Overwintering & Summer Habitats Upstream

Summer Migratory Habitat upstream

I-495 Bridge = Migratory Habitat & Suitable Spawning Habitat


Documented shortnose sturgeon spawning habitat located

approximately 3 miles downstream

• Acoustical Impacts

• Habitat Modifications

• Turbidity

• Vessel Collisions

Fisheries Protection BMPs

• Acoustical Impacts

• Time of Year restriction on acoustic impacts between March 1

and November 15

• Use of vibratory hammer/casing oscillators where feasible

• Impact hammer ramp-up period

• During activities that may cause acoustical effects, a fisheries

biologist will visually and acoustically monitor the area to detect

sturgeon

• Habitat Modifications• Protective shielding required to prevent debris from falling into

the water

• Overall reduction to LUW currently 8 piers, reduced to 4


• Turbidity

• Time of Year restriction on turbidity causing work between March

1 and November 15

• All in-water work to occur within cofferdams

• Use of turbidity curtains

• Vessel Collisions

• Project associated boats limited to 6 knots per hour

• Fisheries biologist will be on-board large boats and barges

• Sturgeon training program will be conducted for small boat

operators


D-B Entity Permit

Modifications

Highway Alignment

Original Phasing D-B Revised Phasing

D-B Entity Permit

Modifications

Floating Pier Design

Floating Pier Design

D-B Entity Permit

Modifications

• Alternative Bridge Alignment• Reduced risk associated with partial demolition• Reduced temporary impacts to vegetated wetland

• Alternative Pier Design• Maintained all original BMPs• Reduced acoustical impacts• Reduced amount of de-watering • Significantly reduced permanent LUW impacts

Conclusions

Benefits of Design Build Project Delivery Method:• Allows for accelerated project delivery• Reduces risk to MassDOT• Allows more opportunity for innovation• D-B teams can take unique approach to challenging

environmental conditions• “Big Picture” approach by all agencies can assure most

efficient project for the public

Innovative Fisheries Protection for MassDOT Design-Build ... · Innovative Fisheries Protection for MassDOT Design-Build Projects Frank Welch ... (Required permit amendment) New bridge

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