The Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) announced it had awarded the pre-construction services contract for the Saddle Creek Bridge project in Omaha.
Hawkins Construction Co. will take on the contract after evaluation and interviews determined it was the highest-rated proposer. The NDOT said the announcement is especially noteworthy since the Saddle Creek Bridge Project will use the Construction Manager/General Contractor collaborative delivery process, designed to facilitate more public-private teamwork and risk mitigation while improving cost and schedule certainty.
“Nebraska is using innovative ways to modernize its transportation network while adding value for taxpayers,” NDOT Director Vicki Kramer said. “Under Governor Pillen’s leadership, our agency is working hard to streamline the delivery of transportation projects. This project showcases NDOT’s improved collaboration with industry partners, which will benefit both drivers and communities.”
The project will see the existing overpass structure, constructed in the 1930s, replaced in order to maintain infrastructure integrity and improve access to a heavily traveled region of Omaha. Under the CM/GC model, NDOT hires two key partners: a designer to create the plans and a contractor to provide input on the design based on construction means and methods. Officials said this approach creates an atmosphere of teamwork and leads to the design of the most cost-effective design solution that incorporates best practices in industry construction.
“The CM/GC approach ensures that industry partners are involved early – during a project’s design phase,” Kramer said. “This creates greater public-private collaboration, more predictable costs and project delivery, and better long-term value for taxpayers and those who rely on our transportation infrastructure.”
The NDOT said it anticipates announcing a construction schedule, along with traffic impacts, soon.