Huey P. Long bridge widening project gets social

With the growing need to stay connected and informed, the Huey P. Long bridge widening project has joined two of the most popular social networking Web sites, Facebook and Twitter. The bridge widening project has created web pages on these sites as a way to embrace new communication channels.

On Facebook, a fan page and a group page were created.

“As trends change, we must stay current and flexible with the way information distribution is evolving. We want to change with the times. We are particularly excited about Twitter because it will enable us disseminate information quickly and efficiently,” said Indira Parrales, Huey P. Long widening project spokesperson.

Twitter, a free social network and micro-blogging service, uses short text-based posts known as tweets. Tweets can be received either by computer or cell phone for people on-the-go. You can follow the Huey P. Long Bridge Project at http://www.twitter.com/hueypbridge or simply follow the link located on the homepage of the Huey P. Long Bridge Widening Project, www.hueypbridge.com.

“The nature of these short text-based messages will work perfectly during the bridge closures brought on by the upcoming steel truss installation process. Because bridge closures will occur at non-specified times during non-peak traffic hours, Twitter will enable us to send tweets when a closure happens creating a more efficient way to communicate with motorists,” said Parrales.

The Huey P. Long Bridge Widening Project is a TIMED (Transportation Infrastructure Model for Economic Development) Program project.

The TIMED Program was created by Act 16 of the 1989 Louisiana Legislature, was voted for by the people and is the single largest transportation program in state history.

DOTD among 10 states selected as finalists for national awards

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development received national recognition when the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce named the department as one of the top ten finalists in the country to be considered for the 2009 America’s Transportation Award and People’s Choice Award.

A panel of judges evaluated 50 highway projects from 33 states in three categories: On Time, On Budget and Innovative Management. Under the On Time category, DOTD received recognition for its efforts to preserve history during the Front Street Natchitoches Restoration Project.

“The department is honored to be among the top 10 finalists competing for these prestigious awards,” said DOTD Secretary William D. Ankner. “Despite facing several hurdles, which included the destruction caused by Hurricane Gustav and the unique challenge of doing both a construction and archaeological project, Front Street was completed on schedule. I am very proud of my employees for their hard work and coordination on this project.”

The competition continues as DOTD competes for the America’s Transportation Awards’ Grand Prize and the People’s Choice Award. The America’s Transportation Awards’ Grand Prize is a cash prize of $10,000, which will go toward transportation education for the department or the community. The winner will be determined by an independent judging panel.

The People’s Choice Award is also a cash prize of $10,000, which will go toward a charity or community organization of DOTD’s choice. The winner of the People’s Choice Award is determined by popular vote.

Cajun Maritime expands gas production platform with help from Liebherr crane

To undertake the Flatrock Expansion Project, Cajun Maritime purchased a new Liebherr LR 1300 lattice boom crawler crane from Liebherr Nenzing Crane Co. of Houston, Texas.

Flatrock is a multiple reservoir deep-gas discovery below the Chevron-operated Tiger Shoal Field in the Gulf of Mexico, 12 mi southwest of Vermilion Bay, Louisiana.

Gas produced at Flatrock is processed at the South Marsh Island Block 217 platform. Already the most productive offshore natural gas handling hub, SMI Block 217 just got bigger. Prior to expansion, Block 217 was already producing double the Gulf of Mexico average for a single platform. Following expansion, carried out between February and July, its capacity has been doubled.

“This one platform alone could increase U.S. natural gas production by 13%,” says J.P. Quackenbos Jr., president of Cajun Maritime LLC, Chevron’s main contractor on the Flatrock Expansion Project.

Cajun Maritime, headquartered in Baton Rouge, La., is the specialized marine subsidiary of the civil and mechanical contracting group Cajun Industries.

To undertake the Flatrock Expansion Project, Cajun Maritime purchased a new Liebherr LR 1300 lattice boom crawler crane from Liebherr Nenzing Crane Co. of Houston, Texas.

Quackenbos explained that this machine was selected on the basis of quality, lifting capacity and price.

The LR 1300, rated at 330-ton capacity, was introduced by Liebherr Nenzing at the 2007 Bauma exhibition in Munich, Germany.

On the Flatrock Expansion Project, Cajun Maritime required the LR 1300 for several major installations, including 32-, 42- and 76-in diameter pipe piles, a new service crane and a water treatment deck platform.

“There were several lifts that we could not have made without a 330-ton capacity crane,” says Ronald Mashon, Cajun Maritime’s construction manager.

Among these big lifts was a 132,600 lb (60.1 metric tonne) separator package set at a radius of 66 ft (20.1 metres) and a 156,941 lb (71.2 metric tonne) well deck placed at a radius of 60 ft (18.3 metres).

Although the Liebherr was mounted on a barge, Cajun Maritime’s engineered ballast plan ensured that the barge maintained a zero degree list at all times, allowing the crane to lift to its full load chart with no reductions.

Stanley Consultants named eighth on AARP’s best employer list

For the seventh year, Stanley Consultants has been recognized by AARP as a Best Employer for Workers Over 50.

The company ranked eighth on this year’s list of the 50 top firms from across the country. AARP’s annual recognition program acknowledges companies and organizations with policies that best address an aging workforce.

In 2005, Stanley Consultants garnered the top spot on AARP’s list.

The Best Employers list recognizes companies for demonstrating exemplary practices in the recruitment, retention and promotion of mature workers. It also distinguishes companies that foster a workplace that supports the aging workforce and that encourages workers to remain active. More than 200 employers applied for Best Employer honors, the highest total in the nine-year history of the program.

Stanley Consultants has provided engineering, environmental and construction services in Baton Rouge since 2006.