15th Annual Transportation ConferenceMarch 19 – 20, 2012

Sheraton Hotel, Red Deer, Alberta

Aamer Shakoor

Urban Construction Engineer - Edmonton

Alberta Transportation

Alberta’s Transportation’s First Design-Build (DB) Project –

Stony Plain Road Interchange

Why Design-Build (DB)?• The stimulus for a new project delivery mechanism was Alberta Transportation’s need

to deliver medium to large complex transportation projects on time and budget.

• Prior to development of the new DB framework, Alberta Transportation had two delivery mechanisms, traditional Design-Bid-Build (DBB) and Public-Private-Partnership (P3) or Design-Build-Finance-Operate (DBFO) contracts.

• The department had issues in delivering medium to large projects on time and budget using the traditional DBB delivery. For example, projects like Southwest Anthony Henday Drive, Northwest Stoney Trail and Highway 63 had timing and budget issues.

• The key issue was the development of a new contracting process for timely delivery of such projects which are too small to be successfully delivered through P3 or DBFO contracts, and too large to be delivered by a multitude of contracts in a traditional way using the DBB approach.

• The new DB process expanded the department’s “toolbox” of project delivery options and provided value for money through a fixed cost and schedule.

Principal Features Of Alberta Transportation’s DBB Process

• Alberta Transportation has comfort in its established standards of design and construction.

• Designers and builders are familiar with this process.

• The project delivery schedule can be lengthy due to the consecutive nature of the process.

• Final costs are unknown until the project is completed and the actual cost may exceed the predicted cost in the lowest bid at tender/award stage.

Concerns Regarding Delivery Of Medium To Large Transportation Projects Via Traditional DBB Delivery

• Budget reductions during delivery process.

• Contractors' preference for separate bridge and road contracts and not combination contracts.

• Domino effect created by one contractor being late.

• Budget overruns due to scope change, and cost escalation through the course of the project as each contract gets tendered.

• Difficulty in managing large complex projects using multiple contracts (department and consultants).

Principal Features Of Alberta Transportation’s P3 Process

• A fixed price for the project is known at the time of award.• A firm commitment to the construction completion date is made by

the successful proponent upon execution of the DBFO Agreement since payments do not begin until the operation and maintenance period commences.

• Since price and payments are based on a program of maintenance and rehabilitation proposed by the team, the operation and maintenance contractor is strongly motivated to ensuring the quality of the project during both the design and construction phases. The financial entity on the proponent’s team shares the same interests.

• The procurement process (RFQ and RFP) has been well accepted to date.

• Alberta Transportation has less control over design and construction methods.

Main Reasons For Success Of P3 Projects

• Teaming up of consultants and contractors at an early stage.

• Risk transfer to the party best in position to manage the risk.

• Operation and maintenance transferred to the contractor for a 30-year period.

Edmonton Ring Road (Anthony Henday Drive) P3 Projects:

• Northwest Ring Road $1,420 Million • Southeast Ring Road: $493 Million

Anthony Henday Drive

Development Of The DB Process Included:

• Researching other jurisdictions’ DB processes.• Assessing the benefits & shortcomings of the departments’ DBB &

P3 processes in order to implement the best features from each as appropriate.

• Development of a risk allocation matrix.• Preparation of standard templates for Request for Qualifications

(RFQ) and Request for Proposals (RFP).• Preparation of a standard template for DB Agreement.• Preparation of Technical Specifications. (This took approximately

six months and resulted in 647 pages of new specifications). • Feedback from Consulting Engineers of Alberta (CEA) and Alberta

Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association (ARHCA) was obtained during the process development.

Key Features Of The DB Procurement Model

• Progress Payments- Monthly progress payments.

• Holdback - 10% holdback deducted from each progress payment.

• Warranty- A 2-year warranty for both road and bridge works.

• Penalty for late completion- A $10,000 per day penalty implemented for late completion.

• Quality Management- For the first DB project for the department, it was decided to implement a rigorous quality management plan.

• Honoraria- The honoraria paid to the unsuccessful RFP proponents was $600,000.

Procurement Of Stony Plain Road Interchange

• Anthony Henday Drive (AHD) and Stony Plain Road (SPR)/100 Avenue (AHD/SPR) interchange was identified as a pilot project for DB delivery. This interchange is the largest of the southwest AHD interchanges.

• The DB procurement process generated a lot of interest from the construction and consulting industry.

• The DB procurement model used on this project resulted in substantial cost savings compared to a traditional DBB model.

• The DB process allowed the completion of this interchange one year earlier than the traditional DBB method of project delivery.

• “New Design-Build (DB) Project Delivery Framework” received 2011 Minister's and Premier’s Awards of Excellence.

Project Scope• The Stony Plain Road project is a full

systems interchange with seven bridges and free flow in all directions.

• Conversion of 6 km, four lane section of Anthony Henday Drive to a six lane freeway standard with grading for an eight lane ultimate configuration.

• Rehabilitation of 3 km of existing road.• Elimination of 4 signalized at-grade

intersections.• Median widening for safety. • All bridges comprised of pre-cast NU girders.• Wick drains used under all approach

embankments. • Borrow obtained within the TUC.• The ultimate stage will be triggered by traffic

volumes and is forecast to take place in about 25-30 years.

Project Schedule

• RFQ – August 5, 2008• RFP – September 22, 2008• Contract Awarded – March 3,

2009• Contract Value – $168.6 Million• Traffic Availability – November 4,

2011• Warranty Period – 2 years

The Team

• Client– Owner – Alberta Transportation

– Owner's Engineer – AECOM

• Contractor’s Team– Prime Contractor – Kiewit/PCL,

a Joint Venture

– Designer – CH2MHill

Challenges

• Construction on existing roadway

• Traffic accommodation – keeping minimal disruption to existing traffic & local businesses.

• Unfavourable geotechnical conditions – Compressible soils, up to 4.5 m peat/moss encountered – 125,000 m2 of 50 mm thick insulation was installed in the roadway to prevent frost heave.  

• Utility relocations including major pipelines

• Inclement weather

Precast Concrete Deck Panels

Alberta Transportation used pre-cast concrete deck panels  for the first time on this project.

These panels measured 3m by 2.5m by 90 mm and were placed on top of bridge girders.

These panels accelerated the construction schedule and reduced traffic delays for motorists. 

These panels reduced work hazards and number of workers required on site to place panels.

There was no need for extensive bridge formwork.

Placement of these panels is not weather-dependent, so these can be placed throughout winter and with minimal disruption to traffic.

Performance of these panels will be monitored over time to assess how well these perform under Edmonton's climate.

Any Questions?