JEA Construction Engineering Services, Inc. (JEAces) is part of a team that received a Significant Structures Award from the Florida First Coast Chapter of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) in recognition of work performed on the Mathews Bridge Deck Replacement Project.
The award was bestowed at the ACI Chapter’s 2007 Annual Awards Banquet on Nov. 15 at the River Club in Jacksonville. It acknowledged the challenging nature of the work, especially in its unique use of concrete. Located near downtown Jacksonville, more than 68,000 cars per day use the Mathews Bridge to cross the St. Johns River.
“We were honored to work on this project with such a professional and dedicated team,” Kathy Caldwell, president of JEAces, said. “The success of the project is attributable to the hard work and unwavering dedication to the common goals held by the project partners.”
JEAces was recognized along with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)–the owner, and the other Mathews Bridge project team members including the contractor, PCL Civil Constructors; the engineer of record, Hardesty & Hanover; and the concrete supplier, Tarmac Limited. Muirfield Partners Inc. another Jacksonville-based firm, also supported the team with Construction Engineering Inspection (CEI) services.
Thomas W. Woods, E.I., JEAces’ project administrator, gave a slide presentation to the banquet audience on the $13.5 million project. His presentation reviewed the major aspects of the project including the removal of the bridge grating and grating support structure on the channel span over the St. Johns River and replacement with a steel and concrete composite modular deck system.
The project represented significant challenges in its use of unique concrete materials as well as with public relations and traffic maintenance and control. Crews worked 24 hours a day, alternating between 6- and 7-day work weeks to minimize the impacts to the traveling public. The goal of replacing the deck in 90 days was achieved and the bridge opened on July 14, 2007.
