Structural monitoring to ensure performance of Huey Long Bridge

CTL Group has been selected to design and install a custom instrumentation system to monitor structural behavior during a major bridge rehabilitation project currently under way.

The Skokie, Ill.-based firm has experience in the structural monitoring, nondestructive testing, evaluation and repair of bridges around the world.

“The instrumentation is designed to measure stresses in both new and existing structural members, alerting the construction team to any unexpected or unusual changes in loading as the construction proceeds,” says Thomas L. Weinmann, manager of CTLGroup’s Sensors and Structural Diagnostics team.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation Development is widening the Huey P. Long Bridge over the Mississippi River in Jefferson Parish. The cantilevered steel through-truss bridge, which opened in 1935, serves about 50,000 vehicles daily, as well as carrying a dual-track rail line.

By increasing the width of the bridge roadways from two 9-ft lanes in each direction to three 11-ft lanes with shoulders, officials expect to improve traffic flow in the area. The bridge piers are being modified with an encasement and steel frame to support the two new widening trusses that run parallel to the existing trusses.

The construction team for the unique widening project includes Massman Construction Co., Traylor Bros. Inc. and IHI Inc., a joint venture.

Home Builders group names New Orleans site as pilot project

The Home Builders Association of Greater New Orleans  (HBAGNO)  announced recently that Green Coast Enterprises’ project,  the Arabella at Fortin Street, will be  the pilot project  for  the HBAGNO’s Crescent City Green program.  

Crescent City Green  is one of two pilot  initiatives  of  the National Association  of Homebuilders, which  is  establishing  a national certification program around its NAHB Green Buiding Guidelines.  

In  addition,  the HBAGNO  announced  that  the Arabella  at  Fortin  Street will  be included  in  the  prestigious  tour  of  local  green  homes  during  the NAHB Green  Building Conference in New Orleans in May 2008. 

Thousands of builders from across the country will  have  the  opportunity  to  see  the  Arabella  first  hand  and  learn  about  the  innovative building techniques Green Coast and its partners have included in the project.

The Arabella  at  Fortin  Street  is  Green  Coast’s  latest  project:  four condominium units adjacent to the Fairgrounds on the corner of Lopez and Fortin streets in New Orleans. The project marks a critical break from industry practice because it intentionally blends the best of local construction aesthetics and techniques with new technologies. 

GBRIA presents 2007 Contractor Safety Excellence Awards

The Greater Baton Rouge Industry Alliance Inc. recently announced the winners of its 2007 Contractor Safety Excellence Awards. The awards were presented at a banquet held Oct. 25 at the Marriott Hotel in Baton Rouge, La.

Approximately 300 guests attended the event, which featured guest actor, comedian and engineer Don McMillan, who is a $100,000 Star Search winner, has appeared on The Tonight Show, Larry King Live and many other shows.

McMillan has also appeared in numerous television commercials and films including Air Bud III, Partycrashers and Star Trek Voyager.

The award program was established in 1996 under the leadership of Hal G. Ginn, plant manager of DSM Copolymer at the time, in an effort to recognize excellent safety performance by contractors working in industrial facilities.

Ginn played an instrumental role as the chairman of GBRIA in raising safety standards and expectations in area industry. The winning companies each year have demonstrated a level of safety excellence that includes thousands and millions of hours worked without injury, a commitment by management to educate workers, and a culture where accidents do not happen.

The following companies were announced as GBRIA’s 2007 winners:

In the category of Manufacturing and Industrial Building Construction and Maintenance General Contractors, first place awards were presented to Performance Contractors in the small and medium size contractors category, and Turner Industries Group, LLC in the large contractor category.

In the category of Construction and Maintenance Specialty Trade Contractors, Midwest Cooling Tower Services Inc. was awarded first place in the small contractor category. A tie for first place was awarded to Petrin Corp. and Triad Electric & Controls Inc. in the medium contractor category and in the large category another tie for first place awards were presented to Industrial Specialty Contractors and Protherm Services Group.

In the category of Technical Support Contractors, first place awards were presented to John L. Lowery & Associates Inc. in the small and medium size category and to SGS Petroleum Service Corp. in the large size category.

The top award, the 2005 Hal G. Ginn Safety Excellence Award, was earned by Turner Industries Group LLC for the best overall performance.

DOTD announces results of October bid letting

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) considered bids totaling more than $102 million at its Oct. 31 public bid opening, according to Gov. Kathleen Blanco and DOTD Secretary Johnny B. Bradberry.

With a bid of $24,778,565.19, Eutaw Construction Co. Inc. of Jackson, Miss., was the apparent low bidder on the state’s most expensive job, a project in Morehouse Parish calling for installing drainage pipe, asphalt overlay, concrete girder span bridge and related work on U.S. 425 from 1 mi north of La. 140 to La. 142.

DOTD inducts Jack B. Harper into Hall of Honor

Jack B. Harper, founder and CEO of Gulf Industries Inc., was inducted posthumously into the Louisiana Highways and Transportation Hall of Honor recently during a ceremony held at the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development’s (DOTD) headquarters building in Baton Rouge, La.

The Hall of Honor recognizes those individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the development and improvement of Louisiana’s transportation network. Their achievements benefit road design, construction techniques, highway safety and legislative programs.

“DOTD values the safety of our employees, our contractors and those who drive our highways,” said DOTD Secretary Johnny B. Bradberry. “Naturally, we appreciate those individuals and companies who also make safety their top priority.”

Harper started his highway career after being a successful fence contractor in New Orleans. In 1963 he started Gulf Industries Inc., and its contracting company, Jack B. Harper, which specialize in the sale and installation of highway safety products. These include pavement markings, delineators, barriers, crash attenuators, bridge and street lighting, traffic signals, emergency call boxes, Motorist Assistance Patrol (MAP) and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS).

One of Harper’s first major contributions to the industry was his early use of raised pavement markers. He also was one of the first distributors of crash attenuation devices, which have saved countless lives and reduced an incalculable number of injuries.

Guest speakers at the ceremony included Bradberry, Louisiana Good Roads and Transportation Association (LGRTA) President W.P. Wray Jr., LGRTA Vice-President Willie T. Taylor Jr., Former DOTD Secretary Neil Wagoner and Gulf Industries Senior Vice President Roger Melancon.

Established in 1974, the Louisiana Highways and Transportation Hall of Honor is sponsored by the LGRTA in conjunction with DOTD, the Louisiana Engineering Society, the Louisiana State Police, the Consulting Engineers Council and the Louisiana Associated General Contractors. 

Lincoln Builders selected for $35.9 million campus housing

Lincoln Builders of Ruston, La., was recently selected to provide pre-construction and construction services for new $35.9 million on-campus student housing and modifications to Lambright Student Recreation Center at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston.

These facilities are the second phase of development by Innovative Student Facilities Inc. to upgrade university housing and recreation amenities.

The project consists of relocating tennis courts across the street from their current location; constructing residential facilities on two sites that will add approximately 500 beds and 170,000 sq ft; and modifications to the intramural sports center which include a new entrance lobby/atrium, three new pools and eight bowling lanes to replace existing racquetball courts.