Over the past 6 months, SPS performed a significant amount of work to replace the Dorchester Avenue Bridge over the MBTA Red Line and Old Colony Commuter Rail Tracks. As of September 23, 2024, the bridge has been reopened to pedestrian and vehicle traffic.
This month’s SPS Safety Focus is all about Fire Prevention. Have you inspected your fire extinguishers lately? Are they fully charged, strategically located, accessible and ready for use? Or, are they laden with dust, obscurely hidden in some corner, affording a false sense of security?
The following is a brief resume of the classification of fires, and the recommended extinguisher to be used on each…
Fire at a construction site can endanger the lives of workers and others who happen to be on the site. A fire during construction can also result in severe structural damage, and destruction of machinery, equipment, or materials, and untimely delay in project completion.
The fire tetrahedron consists of four elements that must be present for the occurrence of fire. The four elements are oxygen, heat, fuel, and a chemical chain reaction. If you remove any of the essential elements, the fire will be extinguished.
From ConstructionEquipmentGuide.com
September 19, 2024
SPS New England of Salisbury, Mass., is the lead contractor after offering a low bid of $107.5 million.
The long-planned project will be paid with 80 percent federal funds with the state’s 20 percent match coming from turnpike toll credits, according to Jennifer Reczek, a New Hampshire Department of Transportation bridge engineer.
The bascule bridge was built in 1949 and replaced a wooden bridge originally constructed for trollies and cars, known as the “Mile-Long Bridge,” according to NHDOT. It has been rehabilitated multiple times, in 1963, 1978, 1983, 1990, 2002 and 2010. Emergency repairs to the bascule span mechanical were undertaken in 2018.
According to SPS New England, the project will replace the State Red List Neil R. Underwood Bridge that carries NH 1A (Ocean Boulevard) over the Hampton River at the inlet to Hampton Harbor. The project limit begins on NH 1A in the town of Seabrook approximately 1,500 ft. south of the proposed bridge and continues northerly on NH 1A 3,900 ft. across the bridge to a point approximately 100 ft. south of the intersection with Ashworth Avenue in the town of Hampton.
The existing bridge is 1,193 ft. between abutments and consists of 13-spans with a moveable single-leaf bascule span in the center at the navigational channel. The bridge width is 26 ft. between curbs. The 150-ft.-wide federal navigational channel is reduced to 40 ft. as it passes beneath the movable bridge span.
“The proposed bridge will be a fixed high-level steel girder structure on a new horizontally curved alignment west of the existing bridge. The bridge will consist of seven spans and have a length of 1,300 feet between abutments. The bridge width will be 38 feet between two curbs [two 11-foot travel lanes and 8-foot shoulders] and include two 6-foot sidewalks with overlooks at Piers 2 and 5. The bridge will accommodate the full 150-foot-wide channel with a vertical clearance of approximately 48 feet. The improvements to the navigational channel will provide clearance for all regular waterway users, including U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredging equipment that is currently too large to transit the existing bridge for the harbor channel to the west,” SPS New England said.
Thank you to Laborers Local 976, Piledrivers and Divers Local 56, Iron Workers Local 7, Carpenters Local 349, and Operating Engineers Local 4 for their participation and attendance yesterday morning signing a partnership agreement with OSHA. The partnership agreement signifies this group’s commitment to a safe and healthful jobsite at the NH1A Over Hampton River Bridge Replacement Project.
We look forward to a safe and successful project!
Seabrook-Hampton Project Update: Crews have finished the northern bulkhead to enable access for bridge construction in Hampton. We have shifted operations to the southern workzone in Seabrook and set up the job site and mobilized in our HC 150 Crawler Crane. Our focus is installing the southern abutment cofferdam sheet pile wall and the southern bulkhead to allow access for bridge construction in Seabrook.
SPS New England is nearing completion at the City of Boston Glenwood Avenue Pedestrian Bridges in Hyde Park. The new timber decking was completed last week following structural steel repairs and bridge painting that began in June 2023. The bridge will be opened this fall for pedestrian traffic.
It’s OK to ask for help. September is Recovery Month and a good time to make sure you have the support you need to recover. Explore your support options at samhsa.gov/find-support/health-care-or-support.
Feeling connected to others can help anyone on their path to recovery. This Recovery Month, check out inspiring stories of hope and recovery: 988lifeline.org/stories/
Relationships and social networks lead to friendship, love, hope, and support. Recovery can be a more manageable journey with the support of others. samhsa.gov/find-support
his month’s SPS Safety Focus is all about Hand and Power Tools. Employees who use hand and power tools have the potential to be exposed to various hazards including falling, flying, abrasive, and splashing objects, or to harmful dusts, fumes, mists, vapors, or gases.
Five basic safety rules can help prevent hazards associated with the use of hand and power tools…
Hazards of hand and power tool use can include the following, and more. Using engineering and administrative controls, as well as appropriate personal protective equipment we can take steps towards eliminating or controlling tool-related hazards.
During the MBTA‘s recent 10-day Green Line shutdown from August 2nd – August 11th, the Railroad-SPS JV completed various track and site improvements in Boston’s Allston neighborhood along Commonwealth Ave. Our work included over 2,200 feet of full depth track replacement, including more than 450 feet of grade crossing replacement at Warren Street and Allston Street. The JV also installed 1,600 feet of new track drainage pipe, replaced 2,000 feet of restraining rail, reset hundreds of granite curbs, installed 4 new duct banks to support MBTA traction power, and installed new asphalt platforms at Warren and Allston stations. This extensive work resulted in 8 speed restrictions being removed from the Green Line B Branch. The work was completed successfully with the help of our subcontractors and continuous support from the City of Boston and various MBTA departments.
From ENR.com
August 15, 2024
ENR New England is excited to announce this year’s group of regional Best Project winners, with 19 projects awarded in 13 main categories.
In addition to the 2024 main category winners found in the list below, the Best Projects safety and sustainability awardees, which are juried by a separate group of safety and sustainability experts, will be announced next month in the ENR New England free e-newsletter. Finalists for this year’s ENR New England Project of the Year will also be announced soon.
Projects were evaluated on the ability of the project team to overcome challenges, safety, construction/design quality, and contribution to the industry and the community.
Project Category: Airport/Transit
Regional Award Level: Award of Merit
Project Name: Logan International Airport – Terminal B-C Roadways Program
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Submitted By: Stantec
