ANC Research & Development LLC (ANC R&D) and their primary subcontractor, Alaska Interstate Construction LLC (AIC), recently completed a contract to replace a Washington state bridge for the U.S. Department of Transportation. The project was completed on-time and in-budget.
“I would like to express our gratitude for the quality of work and cooperative attitude exhibited during this construction project,” said Steven F. Hinz, construction operations engineer for the Western Federal Lands Highway Division, part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). “Hopefully the future will afford us the opportunity to work together to deliver another quality project.”
ANC R&D won the 8(a) competitive contract on Jan. 8 and started construction in May. The White Chuck Bridge, located within the Mt. Baker/Snoqualmie National Forest, was severely damaged from a 2003 flood, and needed to be replaced. The project included removing the damaged bridge and building a new 240-foot single-lane bridge 200 feet downstream. The project also involved blasting 15,000 cubic yards of rock, erosion control measures, constructing bridge approaches, paving, stream diversion and re-vegetating disturbed areas.
The ANC R&D team, working in concert with the FHWA, overcame significant challenges in completing the project. The project design anticipated a substantial amount of rock would be available on-site as a result of the blasting. The rock was not present, and they had to import most of the needed backfill and riprap. Also, the flow of the White Chuck River had to be diverted in order to place the riprap that protects the bridge abutments. This involved a high level of coordination with state and federal agencies.
The old bridge was demolished and removed in such a way as to leave barely a trace of the work. This was of particular importance to the U.S. Forest Service, who manages the area, and the many hikers and outdoor enthusiasts who frequent the river.
“The average person wouldn’t be able to tell it was ever there,” said Matt Holmstrom, ANC R&D vice president of construction.
