Docks Built to Last
Editor: Alix Bemis

In the Midwestern United States, permanent docks are quickly gaining in popularity in lieu of traditional docks. This region of the country contains enormous amounts of bodies of water as well as very harsh and long winters. Many boat owners and lake property owners dread the annual task of removing their docks from the water in preparation for the lakes to freeze over in the Fall and putting them back into the water when the Spring thaw happens. Ice and snow are known to pose risk to a dock's stability, thus the reason that traditional docks cannot stay in the water during cold season. 

Permanent docks are very stable and are constructed using steel pilings, which are driven into the lakebed using drills or vibratory pile drivers/extractors. These docks do not need to be removed every year, which saves time and money usually spent annually. While these docks are typically more expensive than a traditional dock, they are certainly a value-add to property values. Permanent docks are ideal for lakes with a relatively stable water level and not suitable for areas with potential for sustained or intense ice heave during the Winter. 

Lakeshore Pier Service, based out of Palmyra, WI, specializes in the service and construction of waterfront solutions. They have served southeastern Wisconsin for over 20 years. One of Lakefront Pier Services specialties are the design and construction of custom permanent docks. To drive the steel pipe pile required to support and stabilize these permanent docks, Lakeshore uses an ICE® Model 2 Vibratory Pile Driver/Extractor that they purchased from International Construction Equipment, Inc. These little ICE® Vibratory Pile Hammers greatly improve the speed at which the piers for permanent docks get installed.  Historically, Lakeshore used air hammers for installing these pilings which would take up to an hour per piling.  The ICE® Model 2 Vibratory Pile Driver drives the steel pile in less than a minute. 

The benefits of a dock that will not get damaged from harsh Winters, does not require annual installation and removal, and adds value to waterfront properties seems to outweigh the higher price tag of having a permanent dock installed. 

Media Contact-
Pollyanna Cunningham, MA, MBA
Director Marketing, Brand and Media Relations
ICE® - International Construction Equipment, Inc
Office - 704-821-8200
Email - marketing@iceusa.com

Dooker's Hollow Bridge Driven Piles
Editor: Alix Bemis

The Dooker's Hollow Bridge in Braddock, PA was originally built in 1940 and carries approximately 2,500 vehicles each day. The bridge connects Bell Avenue in North Braddock Borough and Center Street in East Pittsburgh Borough over O'Connell Boulevard. Before being demolished in February 2021, the original structure was a 635-foot-long arched cantilever truss bridge and will be replaced with a 660-foot-long steel girder span. Allison Park Contractors began construction in October 2020 and the expected project completion date is set for December 2021.

Bridge foundations are critical because they must support the weight of the bridge and the traffic loads that they will carry. The new Dooker's Hollow Bridge deep foundation was designed for complex subsurface conditions and optimal constructability. Allison Park Contractors are using an ICE® Model I-19 Diesel Impact Pile Hammer with ICE® 32-inch Swinging Leads to drive the piles required to carry the load of the new bridge. For the installation of the piles, holes were pre-drilled and an ICE® I-19 Diesel Impact Pile Hammer was used to drive the HP14x117 Steel H-Piles into the ground. 

The Dooker's Hollow Bridge project will cost $9.95 million and was one of 43 older bridges slated for replacement in a $62 billion plan laid out in 2016 by the state Transportation Commission.

Media Contact-
Pollyanna Cunningham, MA, MBA
Director Marketing, Brand and Media Relations
ICE® - International Construction Equipment, Inc
Office - 704-821-8200
Email - marketing@iceusa.com

PROJECT WEBSITE

Reconstruction of Marysville Dock on Lake Ontario
Editor: Alix Bemis

FACCA Incorporated, a premier heavy-civil construction contractor based out of Ontario was awarded a $63.3M project by the Ministry of Transportation Ontario (MTO) to rebuild the Marysville ferry dock on Wolfe Island, Lake Ontario.

FACCA began working on reconstruction of the Marysville Dock along Centre Street in September 2020 and construction is expected to be complete by November 2022. The project scope will consist of new passenger, utility, and service buildings, upgrading mooring and docking locations, additional spaces on the dock as well as pedestrian and cycling facilities. The new Marysville ferry dock will improve safety and reliability while supporting economic growth through the creation of new jobs for the whole region.

After encountering issues driving sheet pile for the new dock with a smaller vibratory hammer, ICE®'s International Sales Manager, Jim Ziemer, worked with FACCA to determine which ICE® vibratory pile hammer would be optimal for their needs and wouldn't require a larger crane. In January 2021, FACCA ended up purchasing an ICE® Model 33 Vibratory Pile Hammer and Model 475HP Power Unit, its performance exceeded their expectations. FACCA construction crews are pictured here driving 90' long sections of AZ38-700N sheet pile for the shoreline perimeter wall using an ICE® Model 33 Vibratory Pile Hammer.

Media Contact-
Pollyanna Cunningham, MA, MBA
Director Marketing, Brand and Media Relations
ICE® - International Construction Equipment, Inc
Office - 704-821-8200
Email - marketing@iceusa.com

PROJECT WEBSITE
 

SLC Airport Phase-2: Dewatering and Earth Retention
Editor Alix Bemis

The SLCDA, Salt Lake City Corporation Department of Airports, wrapped up phase-1 of their historic Terminal Redevelopment Program (TRP) in late 2020 and began working on phase-2 construction. As a key contributor to this historic project, Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction (RLW) was awarded three separate alternative delivery construction contracts by SLCDA for TRP phase-2. Phase-2 of this project will include a 125-foot-wide tunnel that will connect the new North and South Concourses as well as constructing a whole new South-East concourse. Construction will include deep foundation work, dewatering and earth retention work, and civil and airfield work. The driven piles for phase-2 will include pouring 70,000+ linear feet of concrete filled steel pipe piles, driving 125,000 square feet of sheet pile, and installing 98,000 linear feet of driven H-Pile. The dewatering and earth retention scope consists of an earth retention system for excavation depth of 33-feet to facilitate the construction of the tunnel that will connect concourses and terminals. The scope also includes excavation & disposal of 150,000 cubic yards of material, backfilling the void between the tunnel and shoring once the tunnel construction is complete.

To meet the project's demanding schedule, RLW has multiple cranes on site driving sheet pile, H-pile, and pipe pile using two ICE® I-46v2 Diesel Impact Pile Hammers along with two ICE® Model 44B Vibratory Pile Drivers. Pictured here (Image 1), RLW construction crews are driving 60'x16" steel pipe pile and H-Pile using an ICE® Model I-46v2 Diesel Pile Hammer. Also pictured here (Image 2), an ICE® Model 44 Vibratory Pile Hammer is driving sheet pile.

TRP Phase-2 foundation work, dewatering and earth retention work, and civil and airfield work for Salt Lake City Airport new South Concourse East began in September 2020 and RLW will continue working on this portion of the project for three years.

Media Contact-
Pollyanna Cunningham, MA, MBA
Director Marketing, Brand and Media Relations
ICE® - International Construction Equipment, Inc
Office - 704-821-8200
Email - marketing@iceusa.com

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
 

I-64 New High Rise Bridge Construction in Chesapeake, VA
Editor Alix Bemis

Granite/Parsons/Corman, a Joint Venture (GPC), formed an integrated team with expertise in innovative solutions for the development and design of bridge and traffic maintenance. In November 2017, GPC was awarded the Interstate 64 (I-64) Southside Widening and New High Rise Bridge, design-build contract by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). GPC is responsible for improvements and expanded capacity from four to six lanes along nearly 9 miles of I-64, a New High Rise Bridge, replacement and realignment of the Great Boulevard Bridge, six bridge widenings, drainage improvements, noise analysis and additional noise barriers, as well as asphalt improvements for existing lanes.  

The New High Rise Bridge substructure consists of the piling, pile caps, columns and caps. There is a total of 15 piers located in the waterway. The 5 piers located in the shallow water off of the West shore will be accessed with a temporary trestle that will be utilized for material transport and crane access.  The trestle will consist of temporary driven steel pipe piles and support steel beams and timber mats to allow crane access.  

Pictured here, GPC construction crews are working on driving pipe pile for the New High Rise Bridge. While driving the pipe piles the crew encountered practical refusal using an ICE® Model 44 Vibratory Driver and Extractor. After going on-site to trouble shoot, Shawn Stack (ICE® VA Branch Service Manager), solved the problem by sizing up to an ICE® Model 66 Vibratory Pile Hammer for driving the new piles and utilizing the ICE® Model 44 to extract the old ones.  

Every deep foundation project presents its own unique job challenges. GPC has chosen to equip their pile driving crews with several different models of ICE®'s advanced pile driving equipment in order to overcome the complex challenges and needs for pile driving. ICE® equipment that has been utilized thus far for the pile driving portion of this project include seven ICE® Vibratory Pile Hammers, several ICE® Diesel Impact Pile Hammers, and a specialized ICE® I-19 Diesel Impact Pile Driver with ICE® 26-inch offshore leads. 

Construction began Summer 2018 and has as estimated completion date of December 2022.  

Media Contact-
Pollyanna Cunningham, MA, MBA
Director Marketing, Brand and Media Relations
ICE® - International Construction Equipment, Inc
Office - 704-821-8200
Email - marketing@iceusa.com

PROJECT WEBSITE

Minneapolis Southwest Light Rail Transit Construction
Editor Alix Bemis

In November 2018, the Lunda/McCrossan joint venture was awarded a contract for the Minnesota Twin Cities Southwest LRT Expansion Project.  The light rail service will connect Minneapolis to the towns of St. Louis Park, Hopkins, Minnetonka, Edina, and Eden Prairie. The contract is expected to create 7,500 construction jobs, totaling $350 million in payroll to be infused into the state's economy.

Every segment of the SWLRT project involves pile driving activities of one kind or another. These piles are used to support the foundations of bridges, track, and other structures. Sheet piling is used to support excavation work, build cofferdams, abutments, walls, and other construction elements. If you laid all the piles being used on this project end to end, they would stretch from the Twin Cities to Duluth, MN. Once the foundations of structures are in place, the region's new LRT line will start to take shape.

ICE® began supplying a variety of pile driving equipment to Lunda/McCrossan for the SWLRT project in June 2019. Pictured here, the Lunda/McCrossan construction crews are using and ICE® 18ZR Zero Resonance Pile  Driver rental to drive H-beams for retaining wall supports in areas with buildings that are sensitive to low-frequency vibrations. The variable moment, aka zero resonance, pile hammers enable zero eccentric moment at start-up and shut-down to eliminate disturbances to the soil, nearby structures, and the crane. Lunda has chosen to complete a large majority of the required pile driving for this project with a wide a variety of ICE® Pile Driving equipment. They own two ICE® 50B Vibratory Pile Hammers, one of which one has a full set of bias weights and an ICE® 28D Vibratory Pile Hammer that they have been using on these construction sites. They have also rented several ICE® Hydraulic Impact Pile Hammers which include the IP-3 and IP-5 to drive 16" pipe pile in certain areas where they were not allowed to use diesel hammers. The IP-5 was also used to drive PZC-18 sheets to proper grade in areas where driving was too difficult for the 50B Vibratory Pile Hammer.

Anticipated to be completed in 2023, the light rail project will span a 14.5-mile route and encompasses 16 stations, 29 new bridges, 7 bridge alterations, 8 tunnels, 15 at-grade crossings, 182,000 feet of track and more than 100 retaining walls.

Media Contact-
Pollyanna Cunningham, MA, MBA
Director Marketing, Brand and Media Relations
ICE® - International Construction Equipment, Inc
Office - 704-821-8200
Email - marketing@iceusa.com

SWLRT PROJECT INFO

 

Ultra-lum Billboard Install with an ICE 50B Vibratory Pile Hammer
Editor Alix Bemis

Ultra-Lum Services, LLC has been servicing the Outdoor Billboard Industry since 1998. Their local service area includes Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania. 

These drone shots picture a new billboard install on I-91 and Ultra-Lum is using an ICE® Model 50B Vibratory Pile Hammer. This job marked the 22nd successful billboard construction project for ICE® and Ultra-Lum.  

By consulting with our ICE® experts, Ultra-Lum realized that they didn't need to drill every foundation for these billboard projects. Using the ICE® Model 50B Vibratory Hammer they were able to save time and money on additional construction equipment rentals. As of today, ICE® and Ultra-Lum will begin their 25th job in February 2021. 

Media Contact-
Pollyanna Cunningham, MA, MBA
Director Marketing, Brand and Media Relations
ICE® - International Construction Equipment, Inc
Office - 704-821-8200
Email - marketing@iceusa.com

Fish Net Pens on the Seattle Waterfront in Puget Sound Installed Using an ICE 14D Vibratory Pile Hammer
Editor Alix Bemis

The Muckleshoot and Suquamish Native American Tribes conceptualized a project to enhance the Coho Salmon run in the Puget Sound. The purpose was to benefit their Tribes with their gill nets and to enhance the sport fishing in the Puget Sound region. 

Innovasea, a pioneer in developing end-to-end solutions for aquatic ecosystems, developed the design of the net pens that are along the Seattle waterfront which are secured with piling and anchors. These net pens hold juvenile salmon which are released when they mature.  

In early 2006-2007, Blackwater Construction installed 12 piles using an ICE® Vibratory Pile Hammer which secured the first juvenile salmon pen. Five of the piles driven for the first pen were in 30' of water and were driven 16' below mudline. To keep the net pens near the beach it is not possible to use standard Danforth anchors. 

In early 2021, the second salmon pen was completed. An ICE® Model 14D Vibratory Pile Hammer was used for two days on-site while driving 4"x20' inch pile. Although a minor hiccup happened when a pop-off valve came loose and a pin broke off on the Vibratory Hammer, an ICE® representative was on site during operations to fix the pile driving equipment and keep everything on schedule. 

Media Contact-
Pollyanna Cunningham, MA, MBA
Director Marketing, Brand and Media Relations
ICE® - International Construction Equipment, Inc
Office - 704-821-8200
Email - marketing@iceusa.com

Installing Micro Piles at a New Swim School in Fox Chapel, PA
Editor Alix Bemis

Douglass Pile Company is installing 5.5" Micro Piles at a new Goldfish Swim School in Fox Chapel, PA using a Comacchio MC4D Hydraulic Drilling Rig rented from ICE®.

The MC4D is a hydraulic drilling rig specifically designed for the execution of ground engineering works in challenging access sites, which was perfect for this job that had to be completed in a facility with low 13' overhead ceilings. 

The long-vacant grocery store in Fox Chapel Plaza, PA is creating a lot of excitement in the community since the arrival of construction crews in early January 2021. In place of aisles of groceries, will be a new swim school. Goldfish Swim School is a learn-to-swim facility for children ages four months to 12 years old.



Media Contact-
Pollyanna Cunningham, MA, MBA
Director Marketing, Brand and Media Relations
ICE® - International Construction Equipment, Inc
Office - 704-821-8200
Email - marketing@iceusa.com

Installing Pipe Piles on a Route 22 Overpass Using an I-30 Diesel Pile Hammer
Editor Alix Bemis

American Pile & Foundation is using an ICE® Model I-30 Single-Acting Diesel Pile Hammer to drive 30" pipe piles in Hillside, NJ for a Route 22 overpass project. The crews worked amidst a very tight working area with traffic all-around. They were able to successfully drive 15 pipe piles on each side of the roadway using an ICE® diesel pile hammer. 

The Bloy Street Bridge over Route 22 project consists of four stages and will replace the overpass, which is in poor condition, and improve the turning movements on the Route 22 eastbound and westbound ramps to and from Bloy Street. The new bridge will meet current design and safety standards and improve the vertical under clearance over Route 22. The project also will widen the Route 22 eastbound and westbound lanes to and from Bloy Street, as well as provide sidewalks and improve curb ramps to meet ADA standards. It is expected to be completed in the summer of 2023. 

Media Contact-
Pollyanna Cunningham, MA, MBA
Director Marketing, Brand and Media Relations
ICE® - International Construction Equipment, Inc
Office - 704-821-8200
Email - marketing@iceusa.com

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE