DBE Contracting Update - I-94 contractors' workshop draws a crowd

DBE CONTRACTING UPDATE

News for Disadvantaged Business Enterprise firms and stakeholders

November 2008

I-94 contractors' workshop draws a crowd

The I-94 North-South Corridor project hosted a contractors' workshop on October 1 in Milwaukee. A large crowd of about 120 people representing more than 60 different contractors attended the event to review preliminary plans and schedules on the project for 2009 and 2010.

The session included presentations on the corridor program, insurance considerations and safety issues. It concluded with an opportunity for all firms — DBE and non-DBE — to network together to learn more about each other's capabilities and explore partnership opportunities.

Dollars and quantity estimates presented

The meeting opened with a broad overview of the anticipated I-94 North-South program. WisDOT staff noted the $1.9 billion project would include many different contract packages, potentially ranging from very small contracts in the range of $50,000 to large-scale packages in excess of $200 million. The project will encompass a variety of tasks: mainlines, interchanges, bridges, frontage roads, traffic mitigation route improvements, fencing, signing, traffic control, environmental mitigation and other work.

The project staff also provided preliminary estimates of quantities needed over the course of the project, broken out by county and by year needed. In all, by the time the project is completed at the end of 2016, WisDOT expects to utilize 3.9 million square yards of concrete pavement, 1.2 million tons of asphalt pavement and 6.6 million tons of base course (including breaker run). The project will likely require 9.2 million cubic yards of excavation and will construct 1.4 million square feet of bridge decks. More than 2.7 million linear feet of temporary and permanent traffic striping will be needed — more than enough to paint a line all the way from Chicago to Superior!

Unique construction elements highlighted

The project team also pointed out two design elements that will be unique for Wisconsin:

The new Mitchell Interchange design features three segments of tunnels, with the longest segment being 600 feet in length.
The new interchange at I-43/894 and 27th Street includes two U-ramps that allow for all right-hand exits and better overall traffic flow on 27th Street.

In addition to these unique elements, there will be a variety of community-sensitive design treatments that will be incorporated throughout the corridor in Kenosha, Racine and Milwaukee counties.

Owner-controlled insurance program (OCIP) to be used on I-94

WisDOT also announced that it will utilize an owner-controlled insurance program (OCIP) for the entire I-94 North-South Corridor project, encompassing all projects in all three counties.

The OCIP will allow the department to provide a single insurance program that insures specified risks of the owner and all contractors and subcontractors on the project. It allows for higher coverage limits, creates a centralized safety program, reduces litigation and prevents cross liability disputes. It should also help to encourage participation by DBE and other small businesses that might otherwise have difficulty in obtaining coverage, especially when attempting to bid as a prime contractor.

Presentations and attendance lists are on-line

The presentation materials and attendance lists from the session were available on the Internet. The I-94 team will hold additional meetings in the future as various packages are formally let for bid. There will also be future detailed sessions on OCIP participation.