AS CONSTRUCTION BEGAN ON THE I-105 PROJECT IN 2018, TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY AND SURROUNDING LOCAL ROADS WAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED DUE TO LIMITED OPTIONS FOR CROSSING THE WILLAMETTE RIVER. AS THE RESIDENT ENGINEER FOR ODOT, STEVE PARTNERED WITH WILDISH STANDARD PAVING TO IMPLEMENT PREDICTABLE AND EXPEDITED LANE CLOSURES BY MODIFYING DESIGN DETAILS TO ACCELERATE CONSTRUCTION.

KEY CHANGES INCLUDED REDUCING THE FOOTPRINT OF NEW CONSTRUCTION TO MAINTAIN ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC LANES DURING THE PROJECT, ELIMINATING NON-ESSENTIAL WORK THAT DID NOT ADD VALUE, AND REPHASING CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES TO ENABLE THE CONTRACTOR TO COMPLETE MAJOR PORTIONS OF WORK DURING TARGETED TIMEFRAMES.

THROUGH STEVE’S LEADERSHIP, THESE STRATEGIC ADJUSTMENTS HELPED MINIMIZE TRAFFIC DISRUPTIONS THROUGHOUT THE TWO-YEAR PROJECT. THE RESULT WAS GREATER SCHEDULING CERTAINTY FOR THE CONTRACTOR AND OVERALL COST SAVINGS FOR ODOT.