PennDOT selects out-of-state team for $899M bridge replacements

A massive statewide bridge replacement project worth $899 million was awarded to a construction group headed up by firms from California and Illinois.

Plenary Walsh Keystone Partners was selected for PennDOT’s rapid bridge replacement project, a public-private partnership to replace 558 bridges across the state, according to a news release from the department. The team was one of four that bid on the project.

The key members of the group include Plenary Group, U.S. headquarters i

n Los Angeles; The Walsh Group, Chicago; Granite Construction Co., Watsonville, Calif.; HDR Engineering, Alexandria, Va.; HNTB Corp., Kansas City, Mo.; and Infrastructure Corp. of America, Arlington, Va.

The team includes 11 Pennsylvania-based subcontractors in its proposal, none from the midstate, according to the release. The team must begin construction next summer and complete the replacements within 36 months. The commonwealth retains ownership of the bridges, but the team is responsible for maintaining each bridge for 25 years after its replacement, according to the release.

The team will manage the bridges’ design, construction and maintenance. It is responsible for financing the effort and PennDOT will make performance-based payments based on the contractor’s adherence to the contract terms. PennDOT will be responsible for routine maintenance, such as snow plowing and debris removal.

The average cost for design, construction and maintenance per bridge in the project is $1.6 million, according to the release. PennDOT estimates the cost to design, construct and maintain a bridge for 28 years will be an average of more than $2 million.

The Pennsylvania subcontractors in the team’s proposal are A.D. Marble & Company of Conshohocken, Montgomery County; M.A. Beech Corporation of Carnegie, Allegheny County; Carmen Paliotta Contracting of South Park Township, Allegheny County; Clearwater Construction Inc. of Mercer, Mercer County; Francis J. Palo Inc. of Clarion, Clarion County; Glenn O. Hawbaker Inc. of State College, Centre County; J.D. Eckman, Inc. of Atglen, Chester County; J.F. Shea Construction Inc. of Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland County; Larson Design Group of Williamsport, Lycoming County; Swank Construction Co. of New Kensington, Westmoreland County; and TRC Engineers, Inc. of Export; Westmoreland County.

York County contractor Wagman Cos. was part of Pennsylvania Crossings, one of the other three teams to bid on the project.

Source: Central Penn Business Journal