2004 Eminent Conceptor | 2004 Honor | 2004 Special Achievment | 2004 Merit

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS are given for those projects worthy of special recognition of the engineer and the owner/client for achieving engineering excellence. This year, 9 Special Achievement Awards were given in six categories, as follows:

STUDIES, RESEARCH, CONSULTING ENGINEERING SERVICES

THE LOUIS BERGER GROUP
US 20 Glacier Shadow Pass
Owner: Illinois Department of Transportation, District Two
Consultants: Johnson, Depp & Quisenberry, Springfield;
American Surveying Consultants, Dixon

During the 1980s, the city of Galena, Illinois and surrounding communities were growing local and tourist destinations. It became apparent there was a need to expand the two-lane portion of U.S. Route 20 from Freeport to Galena to safely accommodate the increasing traffic and provide continued economic growth to the cities and towns along U.S. Route 20.

The Illinois Department of Transportation contracted The Louis Berger Group, Inc. (Berger) to complete a Complex EIS and Design Report for the 50-mile corridor between Freeport and Galena. Berger worked closely with residents to develop an open, two-way line of communication which promoted local understanding and support of the project. A context sensitive approach was adopted at the onset of the project to ensure mobility, safety, community values and enhancement of the natural environment. As a result, the preferred improvement location presented in the EIS was unanimously recommended by the public.

STUDIES, RESEARCH, CONSULTING ENGINEERING SERVICES

TRANSYSTEMS CORPORATION
I-80 / 94 Phase I Study
Owner: Illinois Department of Transportation
Consultants: Huff & Huff, Inc., LaGrange

Interstate 80/94 is a vital link in the transportation network for the Chicago Metropolitan Area and Northwestern Indiana. It provides the conduit for traffic from Interstates 94, 294, 55, and 57 on the west and Interstates 90, 94, and 65 on the east to go around Lake Michigan. With 159,000 vehicles a day and 27% multiple unit trucks, Interstate 80/94 has outlived its original 1940's design. Unacceptable traffic congestion and dangerous weaving maneuvers occur everyday.

The project involves the widening and reconstruction of 4 miles of Interstate 80/94 from Interstate 294 in Illinois to U.S. Route 41 in Indiana. The project also includes reconstruction of 4 miles of Interstate 94, Illinois Route 394, and multiple cross roads; interchange reconfigurations with collector-distributor roads, tri-level flyover bridges, and single point urban interchange (SPUI) design; complex drainage issues; noise abatement; and sensitive environmental areas. This complex project initiated a streamlined coordination effort with multiple environmental resource agencies as the Phase I Studies were prepared for this $320 million reconstruction project.

BUILDING / TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS

BRiC PARTNERSHIP, LLC
TES Tank Installation
Owner: Southern Illinois University @ Edwardsville
Consultants: Farnsworth Group, Madison, WI; Hanson Professional Services, Springfield

Scope included installation of a 3.3M gallon chilled water storage tank, new 1,500-ton centrifugal chiller, and pumps, piping, controls, etc. The chilled water pumping system was upgraded to primary-secondary system. Each chiller was provided a dedicated primary (production) pump that operates whenever the respective chiller is operating. Secondary (distribution) pumps were added for distribution of chilled water to the campus. Secondary pumps are variable volume pumps with one pump available for standby operation.

Existing energy management system was expanded to control and monitor new thermal storage system and ancillary equipment. Flow meters and temperature sensors were incorporated into thermal storage system to allow continuous monitoring, control, and optimization of system. Campus cooling load profiles will be developed through energy management system to predict system operational requirements and optimize performance of thermal storage system. The project attained capital cost savings of approximately $600,000 and projected annual operating cost savings of $500,000.

STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS

ALFRED BENESCH & COMPANY
Bridge A 2 1/2 Over Chicago Avenue
Owner: Metra
Consultants: Nakawatase & Associates, Chicago

Alfred Benesch & Company prepared contract documents for the replacement of Bridge A-2 ½ over the Chicago Avenue on Metra's Milwaukee District Main Line. The existing four-span through girder bridge was replaced with a single clear span. The existing bridge carried five tracks. The severe skew angle of the crossing and restrictive geometric site constraints posed some unique track alignment problems.

The new bridge accommodates the three commuter tracks and the yard lead track. The interior girders are common to adjacent tracks and the floor beams for each track bay were staggered in order to facilitate staged construction. The substructure is comprised of full depth concrete abutment caps supported on drilled shafts.

Rail service was maintained on three tracks at all times during construction. Traffic was relocated to the north side of the existing bridge while the construction began on the south side and progressed north, one track at a time.

STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS

STV INCORPORATED
Chicago Skyway Rehabilitation
Owner: City of Chicago, Department of Transportation
Consultants: Shah Engineering, Chicago; Ground Engineering Consulting, Northbrook; KL Consultants, Glenview; Daniel Weinbach & Partners, Chicago; Baird & Company, Lockport

The Chicago Skyway viaduct structure between 75th-79th Streets consists of eight bridge units made of different structural systems. The Chicago Department of Transportation turned to STV to provide engineering design for the rehabilitation of this portion of the viaduct, which included structural repairs and the addition of safety shoulders.

Two lanes of traffic were required to remain open in each direction during the project's construction. This presented a major challenge to the design team, who was faced with finding a way to rehabilitate the eight unique structural units while maintaining structural integrity under four lanes of temporary traffic.

The team met this challenge by developing a special shoring and repair staging system. A total of five shoring systems were developed as construction was carried out in a three-stage longitudinal sequence. This approach enabled the team to meet the four-lane traffic requirement, while providing a continuous full length staged reconstruction.

STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS

TENG & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Sofitel Chicago Water Tower
Owner: ACCOR North America Business and Leisure Division
Consultants: Jean-Paul Viguier s.a. d'architecture, Paris; Clevenger Frable LaVallee, NY; Perkins & Will, Chicago; Pierre Yves Rochon, Paris; Lerch Bates North America, Chicago; Paul Helms and Associates, GA; ArchiTech Consulting, Chicago; Terra Engineering, Chicago; Shiner + Associates, Chicago; Constructa, FL; Rowan Williams Davies & Irwin, Canada

Hotel Sofitel Chicago Water Tower is a 4-star, 415 room business and leisure hotel. It is located in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood at North Wabash and East Chestnut Streets. This 33-story high rise building is among the first North American developments for Paris based Accor Services Transversaux and their Dallas, Texas based operating branch, Accor North America Business and Leisure Hotels.
The design of this hotel is a design benchmark for a North American expansion of the Sofitel brand. Catering to the international business and leisure traveler, notable amenities of this luxury hotel are two full service restaurants, a bar and an 11-room business conference center with ballroom.

Deviating from a standard rectangular form, the building's prismatic shape allows guestroom views of Lake Michigan and the downtown Chicago "Loop". The architectural composition made possible by special engineering combines several opposing program requirements into a unique and dramatic form.

WATER & WASTEWATER

MCCLURE ENGINEERING ASSOCIATES, INC.
Ottawa Water Filtration Plant
Owner: City of Ottawa, LaSalle County, Illinois
Consultants: Basalay, Cary & Alstadt, Ottawa, IL

The Ottawa Water Treatment Facility takes water from four deep rock wells with radium levels ranging from 2.6 pci/l in well 11 to 16.9 pci/l in well 8 and processes the raw water in two reverse osmosis treatment facilities. The Well 10 facility has a capacity of 1.65 MGD and the Central Plant a capacity of 4.95 MGD for a total finished water capacity of 6.6 MGD. The Central plant was designed to add a fourth treatment train for an additional 1.65 MGD in the future. Finished water has been consistently tested at below the radium standard of 5 pci/l.

The treatment facility consists of four stainless steel reverse osmosis treatment trains manufactured by GE Osmonics. Each train is fitted with 30, seven foot long membrane vessels arranged in a 22-8 array and holding 210 membranes. Raw water is pumped through the membranes with vertical turbine pumps manufactured by Afton Pump Company. Permeate water is mixed with 32% raw water and stored in clearwells located below the treatment plant. 1300 GPM vertical turbine pumps pump the finished water from the clearwells into the distribution system.

TRANSPORTATION

MISSMAN, STANLEY & ASSOCIATES, P.C.
Veterans Parkway, South Section
Owner: Illinois Department of Transportation; Division of Highways / District 3
Consultants: Lin Engineering, Chatham; ASC American Surveying Consultants, Dixon

Veterans Parkway was built in 1940 as a rural four-lane divided expressway in the cornfields of central Illinois. Now it provides local access to a heavily developed strip of business and commercial enterprises in Bloomington / Normal, one of the Midwest's fastest growing areas.

This project upgrades the roadway to an urban six-lane facility with raised median and additional turn lanes. Severe right-of-way constraints required curb and gutter, storm sewers and retaining walls. Traffic control planning kept four lanes open for use by heavy local traffic during construction.

Safety and efficiency are provided by a computerized traffic signal system incorporating video detection, fiber optic interconnect and video surveillance, allowing remote intersection monitoring and control by the local municipality.

In addition, context sensitive design was incorporated via colored brick-patterned medians and islands, earth-tone, textured noise wall, decorative retaining walls and median landscaping that includes wildflower plantings.

SPECIAL PROJECTS

MWH AMERICAS, INC.
The Glen Redevelopment Project
Owner: Village of Glenview
Consultants: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Chicago; Mesirow Stein Real Estate, Chicago; URS Woodward Clyde, Chicago; Civiltech Engineering, Chicago; CYLA Design Associates, Oak Park; Wolfson Engineering Company, Chicago; Soil & Material Consultants, Arlington Heights

The Glen Redevelopment Project is an outstanding example of successful large-scale, community-based economic redevelopment. The project's successes in the areas of social impacts, economic resource development and environmental protection have set the highest of standards for the base closure and redevelopment program. The proactive efforts of the Village of Glenview and its partners have resulted in the conversion of more than 1,100 acres of the former Glenview Naval Air Station into a vital addition to the residential, commercial, recreational and open space areas that make up the Village of Glenview. The centerpiece of the project is the Great Park and Lake Glenview. This 140-acre area includes a 40-acre lake, as well as athletic playing fields, a sledding hill, hiking and bike trails, a children's garden, and a new community center and middle school. Protected natural areas within the Glen include 18 acres of wetlands and a 40-acre prairie preserve.