SubscribeProject wins two national awards for safe-guarding the environment.
CLEVELAND, September 18, 2003 - With approximately one year until completion of the new runway extension at Cleveland Hopkins, the project has already made history and won awards. "I'm pleased with the work we've accomplished to date at Cleveland Hopkins," said Mayor Jane L. Campbell. "And I am confidant we'll continue that progress well into the future. The recognition our management team have received simply underscores the importance of having experienced professionals to provide direction and leadership." On September 12, 2003 the American Road and Transportation Builders Association recognized the airport expansion program with two of its eight annual Globe Awards during a ceremony in Washington, D.C.
The first Globe Award honors the environmental remediation undertaken by the City of Cleveland to restore water quality, construct 350 acres of wetlands, and compensate for construction impact on Abram Creek as culverts are installed and then back-filled for construction of the new runway. The Globe Award was given to the City of Cleveland Department of Port Control and its program manager, Parsons Transportation Group, and also recognizes the roles of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the Chagrin River Land Conservancy and the Cleveland Metroparks. The second Globe Award provides special recognition for the creative re-use of waste foundry sand that was recycled into a lean concrete mix that served as backfill for the culvert installation. This idea, developed by Kurtz Brothers, Inc., reduced the project budget significantly and alleviated the need to remove the sand to a landfill.
"We're proud that this project has successfully addressed environmental issues by pioneering methods to conserve valuable natural resources and meet established water quality goals through wetland and stream bank restoration," said Port Control Director John C. Mok. NASA Glenn Research Center, has partnered with Cleveland Hopkins for the relocation of NASA facilities and the safeguarding of environmental issues. Several NASA facilities sat in the path of the runway extension, and NASA identified alternative locations where replacement facilities could be constructed by the City. Today the record-setting 3 millionth cubic yard of dirt will be excavated for use as fill dirt as crews proceed to build the base for the runway that will move aviation traffic into a new era at Hopkins.
Three million cubic yards is enough to fill Cleveland Stadium to the height of the Empire State building. The dirt has been removed from an area, which will serve as a stormwater retention basin and also assist in the rerouting of Abrams Creek a tributary of the Rocky River. "While there is no question completion of this runway is vital to the economy of the greater Cleveland area, the project has been the catalyst for environmental firsts which have received wide-range attention noted above and has now set a regional record for Northeast Ohio with the placement of over 3 million cubic yards of dirt," states Chris Nielson, Project Director for Port Control.
Joining Nielson is Tony DiGeronimo of Independence Excavating, the Abram Creek construction contractor. "Our company is extremely proud to be the contractor for this exciting project. It's infinitely gratifying to have the opportunity and privilege to contribute to the future of our region while performing record amounts of work in an environmentally sensitive area." Media are asked to gather at the Independence Excavation Construction trailer positioned at the end of IX Center Drive and Grayton Road just past the IX Center no later than 1:50 p.m. where they will be escorted onto the active construction site.
