The Inland Northwest AGC presented the 2007 Build Northwest Awards for project excellence in January during its annual convention at the Davenport Hotel. These awards recognize excellence in construction throughout the Inland Northwest.
Projects are judged by an independent panel on the following criteria: meeting the challenge of a difficult job; excellence in project management; contractor's innovation in construction techniques or materials; contractor's state-of-the-art advancement; contractor's sensitivity to the environment and surroundings; excellence in client service; and contractor's contribution to the community.
The 2007 award winners are as follows:
Heavy/Highway, Under $5 million: Westway Construction for the Mosquito Creek Bridge. The Mosquito Creek Bridge project required the construction of a 120-foot-long, single-span bridge and the realignment of a portion of Highway 200 near Clark Fork, Idaho. The project presented several challenges, including a very narrow right-of-way with environmentally sensitive wetlands on all sides, as well as environmental time constraints due to bald eagle nesting, fish spawning and the grizzly bear habitat. Westway Construction and the Idaho Transportation Department worked together closely to overcome each of these environmental challenges and finish the project on time and within the environmental constraints.Heavy/Highway, Over $5 million: Max J. Kuney Co. for Setters Road to Bellgrove, Stage 2 Project. The Setters Road to Bellgrove, Stage 2 Project completed another link in the revitalization of U.S. Highway 95 in Kootenai County, Idaho. The old highway was one lane in each direction with narrow shoulders, dangerous corners and limited sight lines. This project completed a major section of the newly rerouted highway, which now has four lanes divided with wide shoulders. The new routing eliminates the dangerous corners and allows for a safer, more streamlined traffic flow both north and southbound on Highway 95. The Setters Road Project consisted of constructing the landmark bridges over Lake Creek, another pair of bridges over the railroad tracks, constructing a de-icing building, and creating the new four-lane divided highway connecting the bridges for a total contract amount of $35 million. The bridges over Lake Creek presented difficult access issues, as well as many environmental issues and restrictions. Max J. Kuney Co. was able to work within those conditions and successfully construct these impressive bridges that stand over 120 feet high and span 780 feet over the Lake Creek Canyon.Building Project, Under $5 million: Lydig Construction for Hospice House Spokane. With over 80 local businesses and many private donors contributing to the design and construction, the Hospice House is truly a community building built by community funds. The Hospice House is a structure that will be a point of pride for the community and will provide a loving, home-like environment for those in need of specialized in-patient care. The fact that the Hospice House was built mostly by private donations meant that the quality and functionality were especially important. Because each construction dollar was earned from years of fund raising, expectations were high. The construction team generated more than 30 value-engineered items, leading to approximately $175,000 in savings without the concept or quality altered.Building Project, Over $5 million: Graham Construction & Management for the Wenatchee Valley College Allied Health Building. The Wenatchee Valley College Allied Health Building is a remarkable example of how collaboration and commitment to excellence can truly improve a community. The project began with a massive community effort to raise the nearly $3 million required for the state to provide funding for the structure. The first project built on the campus in nearly two decades, Allied Heath serves as a training facility for healthcare workers and a revitalization tool to a campus that had lost its connection to the community. The 82,000-square-foot building, designed by a seven-person architect team from Integrus Architecture, features a dramatic three-story glass atrium accented with stone and exposed structural steel. It was built to give the impression of a glowing lantern at night from the exterior.Special Project: Cameron-Reilly LLC for US 395/Hastings Intersection Rehabilitation. The US 395/Hastings intersection rehabilitation project was a partnership between the Washington State Department of Transportation, Spokane County and the Spokane Transit Authority. The contract replaced the existing asphalt concrete pavement at the US 395/Hastings intersection with Portland Cement Concrete Pavement. Due to the surrounding large "box" store businesses and strip malls, topography of the area, schools located on Hastings Road, the park-and-ride lot adjacent to the intersection, and the limited existing roadway network, a significant amount of traffic is funneled through the intersection. Cameron-Reilly completed this project ahead of schedule while minimizing the impact on traffic flows.
