Randolph Construction Services

RCS Project: Mount Rainier Emergency Road Repairs

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• Project Name: Mount Rainier Emergency Repairs
• Location: Two sites (Stevens Canyon Rd & Nisqually-Paradise Rd) - Mt Rainier National Park, WA
• Client: U.S. DOT Federal Highway Administration, Western Federal Lands Highway Division
• Contract Details: Unit Priced $965,407
• Work Performed: Emergency Road Repairs

Description:

RCS was awarded this challenging project on May 27, 2009 with a notice to proceed on June 15, 2009 and a completion date of July 31, 2009. The emergency repairs consisted of rebuilding the roadway embankment in two locations in Mount Rainier National Park that were lost due to slides. The repairs would require RCS to rebuild the roadway embankments utilizing slope stabilization geotextile fabric and mechanically placing large riprap aggregate. Due to the environmental sensitivity in the National Park, RCS would be required to implement precautionary measures to prevent pollution and transportation of foreign vegetation and noxious weeds into the park.

Considerable planning and effort took place as soon as RCS received the letter of award. The short contract time and the environmental sensitivity of the park required RCS management to evaluate the project plan and schedule with an exceptional level of consideration. Heavy equipjment to be used on the project was cleaned of excess dirt and grease, and oils were changed to bio-degradable vegetable based oil. Certified weed free erosion control devices were ordered and installed prior to construction. All trucks and equipment entering the park were cleaned and free of loose soils that may have contained foreign vegetation.

The first site to be completed was the Nisqually-Paradise Road site. At the time, the road above the slide was one lane and still open to the public. Extra care was taken in traffic control and safety during the construction process. RCS utilized three excavators and a front end loader to rebuild the embankment. The embankment was rebuilt from 100 feet below the roadway on a slope of approximately 1.25 horizontal to 1 vertical. Highly skilled operators used excavators and cut benches into the slope, removing unstable soils in the process. Slope stabilizing geotextile fabric was placed on the benches and large riprap aggregate built the embankment. The three excavators and the loader worked in harmony, passing the riprap material from the street level to the bottom of the slide. The excavators with mechanical thumbs carefully placed the riprap so that it keyed in place creating a compact and stable embankment. With the roadway embankment in place, fill material and roadway base aggregate was installed followed by asphalt paving and roadway markings.

The second site on Stevens Canyon Road consisted of a slide area 145 feet below the roadway and almost 200 feet wide. Stevens Canyon remained closed through construction due to the severity of the slide. The work to rebuild the embankment mimicked that of the Nisqually-Paradise Road site. In addition to rebuilding the roadway embankment and road, RCS constructed tree well rockery walls and planting pockets out of exceptionally large riprap to protect existing trees and to allow for new growth.

RCS successfully completed this project ahead of schedule and under budget. Over 2,000 tons of special rock embankment was placed at Nisqually-Paradise Road and over 6,500 tons were placed on Stevens Canyon Road. RCS successfully coordinated delivery and installation of up to approximately 1,000 tons of material per day in order to complete this project on time. The success of this project led RCS to become part of a statewide MATOC contract with the Western Federal Lands Highway Division.

Project Snapshots