Page 18 - Jan/Feb 2023 Vol 40 No 6

CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
Mark Miller Tennessee PW Project of the Year

Alcoa’s Marconi Boulevard Project

The imminent development of the City
of Alcoa’s Springbrook Farm area, coupled
with the growing volume of traffic in
the area due to schools and residential
neighborhoods, called for a new roadway
to support multimodal accessibility.
The City called on Gresham Smith
to serve as the lead engineering firm.
The team provided a number of
services, including conceptual planning,
bidding, NEPA document preparation,
a remediation action plan, a soils
management plan, wetland mitigation,
roadway and bridge design and the
preparation of a no-rise certificate and
Construction Engineering and Inspection
(sub-consultant to CDM Smith).
The project scope included a complex
roundabout design, the rehabilitation of In addition to saving an abandoned the plan that was developed.
three historic railroad bridges, one new structure, the team designed one new EnSafe served as the environmental
bridge, pedestrian amenities, concept bridge that required out-of-the-box consultant taking the lead in preparing the
planning and low-impact stormwater thinking that would accommodate a remediation action plan and soil
design. The end result is an integral single lane of travel plus a sidewalk for management plan. Geoservices was the
corridor that serves as a critical piece of pedestrians. Bridge engineers designed a geotechnical sub-consultant responsible
infrastructure while also complementing structure that matches the existing two, for both testing and engineering
the aesthetics of the former structures, while the roadway team developed the recommendations.
improving safety and creating community concept of a boulevard with one lane in Summary
connectivity. each direction. The new structure utilized
steel piles for a deep foundation, cast-in- Gresham Smith has been an early
Bridge Rehab and Design place abutments and wings to match the partner to the City of Alcoa, working for
Two 100-year-old existing concrete arch adjacent existing arches, prestressed beams over ten years to transform the former
structures were evaluated and determined and a faux-arch facade to provide a similar ALCOA West Plant property into a new
structurally adequate to carry a proposed look. and vibrant city center. The resulting new
pedestrian trail. However, a detailed roadway allows the local community to
preservation plan was required to Environmental Complexity better manage current and future traffic
rehabilitate the structures in order to The complexity of the project was driven demands by enhancing travel, maximizing
provide a low-maintenance structure that by the fact that it was once an industrial safety and improving multimodal
could be incorporated into the overall site and classified as a brownfield by connectivity.
project. Tennessee Department of Environment This project was a TDOT Local
Concrete spall repairs were performed and Conservation (TDEC). Given that the Programs job, where the Gresham
on the vertical surfaces of the wingwalls site was once an industrial aluminum mill Smith team worked directly with the
and also to the underside of the deck. and as part of the Brownfield Voluntary City of Alcoa. The Gresham Smith
Epoxy injection was performed to seal the Agreement, TDEC documents show the team collaborated with the City and
cracks, and a textured finish was applied 16.64 acres of land needed for the road do other stakeholders to ensure their plans
to the exposed concrete for both aesthetics not include any “waste management units.” complemented TDOT’s Alcoa Parkway,
and preservation. The bridge deck was The team followed a soil management accommodated the environmental
resurfaced and a new metal railing, plan during design and construction and concerns of TDEC (and other overseeing
that matches the other structures, was performed assessments to ensure that agencies), and maximized the opportunity
added to rebuilt walls. Reusing the older the area was safe. Areas encountered for mixed residential, commercial and
infrastructure saved money, materials during construction, like railroad ties and professional developments, together
and energy while preserving two historic undocumented oil separator pipes, were with meaningful public spaces and
structures. removed, contained and disposed of per transportation options.

18 TPW January/February 2023