CertaPro Painters Commercial Services contracted for Christian Brothers University project

CertaPro Painters Commercial Services, a commercial painting contractor, recently completed a comprehensive re-caulking and repainting of three apartment complexes at Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tenn.

During the short, one-month period in which students were gone for summer vacation, CertaPro contractors completed the project in three phases. The first phase of the project focused on the cleaning, repairing and painting of the exterior of each apartment building. The second phase focused on the interior of each building.

CertaPro contractors completed a follow-up process during the third phase, which also included the completion of all punchlist items in a timely manner.

Report finds TDOT bridge inspections hold perfect record

The Tennessee Department of Transportation is one of only four states in the nation with a perfect bridge inspection record according to an MSNBC report released Jan. 30. MSNBC analyzed the most recent National Bridge Inventory inspections through 2006 to determine how states measure up in their efforts to inspect all bridges every 24 months.

“This report affirms the focus TDOT has placed on ensuring our bridges are safe for Tennessee motorists,” said Governor Phil Bredesen. “I’m pleased to see Tennessee ranked at the top in timely inspection and want to commend TDOT’s bridge inspection program and employees for their commitment to making sure the more than 19,000 bridges in Tennessee are checked on-time, consistently and thoroughly every two years.”

Tennessee, Georgia, Delaware and Nevada were the only states to report all bridges inspected within two years according to the MSNBC analysis of inspection records from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Federal Government.

“Bridge safety is a top priority for TDOT,” assured TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely. “No bridge inspection should ever be late. We have an obligation to ensure all or our bridges are checked regularly and we are fulfilling that obligation to public safety.”

Of the four states with perfect inspection records, Tennessee has the largest number of bridges at 19,568. Georgia inspects 14,303 bridges every 24 months and Nevada is responsible for inspecting 1,636 bridges, while Delaware inspects 841 bridges every two years. Even more impressive, Tennessee has the 10th largest number of bridges in the nation.

Smith, Seckman, Reid awarded Tennessee public works association project of the year

Smith Seckman Reid Inc., a leading engineering design and facility consulting firm, has been awarded the Tennessee Chapter of the American Public Works Association (TCAPWA) project of the year for the company’s engineering design efforts on the City of Alcoa Water Treatment Plant in Alcoa, Tenn.

Completed this year, the $24.9 million project is Tennessee’s largest membrane filtration plant in use and is one of the largest in the Southeast. Membrane filtration is the latest technology in water treatment. The system’s membranes are made up of strands of tubing with pores so small that bacteria and pathogens, such as cryptosporidium, can’t fit through.

The 40,000-sq-ft building houses a plant that can treat up to 16 million gallons of water per day and can easily expand to treat up to 24 million gallons per day.

SSR provided the overall project management, civil, environmental, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, instrumentation and structural design and construction administration for the project.

The firm also provided consultation for the plant’s hypochlorite generation technology, a process that generates dilute sodium hypochlorite on an as-needed basis, keeping plant operators from having to use and store gaseous chlorine.