The Design Build of Institute of America — Florida Region has awarded its transportation award for a FDOT emergency repairs project near Jacksonville to Superior Construction and Wantman Group, Inc. (WGI).

FDOT expedited the design-build/low bid project at Plantation Oaks Blvd. over North Prong Double Branch in Clay County after routine inspection of an existing culvert revealed a significant safety concern that resulted in the complete closure of the roadway and sidewalks, blocking access to Oakleaf High School and Oakleaf Junior High School.

Alternate routes and lengthy detours for school buses, passenger vehicles, and pedestrians (including schoolchildren) necessitated a quick regain of access. The award recognized many elements of the emergency project, most notably the exhaustive stakeholder coordination needed for expedited plans delivery and procurement of permits, an innovative cast-in-place culvert design solution, and the impressive 15-day ahead of schedule completion of this critical, time-sensitive repair, WGI said in a news release.

The design-build team provided innovation and significant cost – and time — savings by replacing the existing box culvert with a new triple 10 ft. x 6 ft. barrel cast-in-place box culvert poured at the same location. The solution to locate the structure in-kind allowed the main two permitting agencies (SJRWMD and ACOE) to approve permits within days of their submittal and put the design-build team in control and able to expedite construction.

“Every day spent in the procurement of permits and approval of design elements greatly affects the community in this situation,” said WGI president David Wantman. “We are proud of our ability to rise to the occasion and satisfy the needs of the FDOT District 2 at an accelerated pace.”

“It’s always a WGI imperative to ensure everyone’s safety. Getting kids back into their schools safely, while restoring this facility properly and ahead of schedule, is the WGI way of doing things.”