Official: West Dodge Expressway

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Brad
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Post by Brad »

According to the information on the "west dodge expressway" on the "development" page of eomaha.com it shows that it will be closed for the third quater of 2007. However I don't see how they could build the farthest west end of the expressway without the bridge being removed.
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Post by Will »

That was the reason for my question? There is a post on north side of both the east and west corner of 120th. Personly I would loose the bridge this summer. If someone can rebuild a bridge over I680 in just a couple of mounths then why cant they rip put the bridge, the hill and lay new cement in less than 3 mounths. I have seen road crews do alot of work when pressed for time this could be no different. IMO
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Post by Brad »

The post on the east side of 120 is for sure part of the expressway. However my guess about the one on the west side is it is for a sign or something like that. All of the supports they have built so far except the one west of 120 have green rebar sticking out of the top. The on west of 120 has bolts and nuts sticking out the top. Also if you look at the renderings of what it will look like when it is done around 120 and the way they have layed the new concrete, that one post is way out of line.

I am guessing they will have all of the expressway complete east of 120 then tare out 120 and then finish the last streach of the expressway.
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Post by adam186 »

Drivers will see the number of bridge workers double this winter on the West Dodge Expressway, a project with big penalties for finishing late and big bonuses for finishing early.

Hawkins Construction Co. of Omaha started the elevated road in July with two bridge crews and plans to add a third by Thanksgiving and a fourth by February. That means there will be as many as 60 bridge workers on the site, including subcontractors, a number the Nebraska Department of Roads says is unusually high.

"We are glad to see the aggressive schedule," said Karl Burns, a Roads Department spokesman.

Jim Gregory, a Hawkins official, said the company generally has one bridge crew on a job.

But he said the size of the West Dodge project demands additional resources and commitment.

He said the incentives and penalties in the company's contract with the state are big motivations.

"The worst case you can get is to have those (financial) damages eat you alive," he said.

The Roads Department says the project remains on schedule.

The deadline for completing the east-west expressway bridges is Aug. 21, 2007. That's the same deadline for completing the intersection of 120th Street and West Dodge Road.

The contractor must pay $40,000 for each day after the deadline that the bridges and intersection are not open. There is no cap on the penalties.

The contractor will receive $40,000 for each day on or before the deadline that the bridges and intersection are open. The incentives have a cap of $560,000.

Gregory said Hawkins' goal is to draw the bonuses, which would help cover the overtime and other costs of having a large number of workers on the job.

By February, four crews will be working Tuesday through Saturday, he said. One crew will work on Sundays and three on Mondays.

He said Hawkins will keep four crews on the job for six months to a year and possibly longer.

Gregory said each crew has about 15 workers, including subcontractors.

Experts with the Roads Department and other transportation organizations say offering incentives and imposing penalties that are tied to specific deadlines help get jobs finished on or ahead of schedule.

Gregory said work over the winter will include building more of the 79 piers that will help support the elevated road.

Cold weather can slow progress but won't keep the crews from pouring concrete for the piers, he said. That's because the piers are built inside forms above the ground that can be insulated and heated.

Hawkins has the contract that includes the elevated road, which is part of the $102 million expressway project.

The expressway will run from Interstate 680 to 132nd Street. The elevated portion will extend from just west of I-680 to 124th Street.
I thought they already had a ton of crew over there already. This is great news to hear. Incentives and penalties gets the job done quicker. Hawkins looks really commited to this, probably it will look great on their resume. I'm guessing they will be done 6 months ahead of schedule. Or maybe this was already planned into the project?
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Post by almighty_tuna »

That is spectacular!! This should serve as an example of the way things are supposed to be to other contractors like WBE, and to the city of Omaha that incentives work and work WELL!

If someone can clear up a question for me... The article states that the freeway will be from 680 to 132nd st, elevated through 124th. Now I thought the W. Dodge Freeway was going to run way out west to where it connects w/275?! Or is the article merely referring to this new/redone section?
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Post by OhioStreetKid »

The area under construction is from 680 to 132nd the expressway will eventually at least go to Fremont, if not Columbus or Norfolk.
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Post by almighty_tuna »

Right, ok, that's what I thought. Thanks, Ohio.
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Post by West2Omaha »

Ohio, what is your source
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Post by eomaha »

If you're just talking divided, ramp access highway... we're practically already there (to Fremont at least).
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Post by OhioStreetKid »

As far as 680 to 132nd, I really don't have a source. I just know that the elevated expressway will have a split at the eastbound end of either going down to Dodge (to downtown) or going down to merge with the local traffic coming from 108th-120th streets on to a ramp that will carry them to I-680. You can see this by driving on Dodge and taking notice of the large pillar and 2 smaller side-by-side pillars that are located on the south side of W. Dodge Road on the west side of the Big Papillion Creek (in front of Grisanti's and the restaurant formerly known as Imperial Palace). On the west side of the elevated expressway they have had to realign frontage roads and onramps at/near 132nd street. That would take the constructon zone for this project from 680 to 132nd. I hope this is what you were referring to West, if not let me know.
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Post by eomaha »

Image

Image
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West Dodge Expressway update

Post by the1wags »

I took some pics today of the WDE project, they have been setting bridge beams like mad so its really starting to look like something. For those who don't know, the first pic was taken westbound on Dodge going up the hill between 114th and 120th and the last one was taken from the parking lot of the Bag and Save (I think thats what it was) just south of Miracle Hills Business Park. Third pic is going eastbound on Dodge toward 114th. Enjoy.

Image

Image

Image
Last edited by the1wags on Tue Jan 18, 2005 10:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by almighty_tuna »

Holy Canoles!!! The first pic was cool, but the smooth arch of the second picture is just really cool. I'm a freeway junkie so perhaps I get more kicks out of it than some, but it just looks larger than life. very awesome.
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Post by eomaha »

Wow... they did set those fast.

Thanks for sharing these pictures wags!
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Post by DTO Luv »

I hardly ever make it our west so it's noce to have see an update. It's going to be pretty impressive when it's done.
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Post by OmahaDevelopmentMan »

Hey nice pics! I see this every day though, but I've never seen that side angle, that looks awsome. Driving on west dodge to go to work every day, you bet I can't wait till this is finished. I'm hoping they can stay a head of schedual like they were...
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Post by eomaha »

Yeah, sort of reminds me of Disney's monorail from that angle ... how cool would that be... drive over to Dodge and take the monorail down to a concert at the Qwest Center. :P
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Post by UNOstudent »

i dont know if this is the correct thread or not, but what exactly is the point of the message boards that are on the ramps from nb/sb 680 to wb dodge? would it be for the same reasons as the other boards in omaha or something else pertaining to the expwy?
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Post by eomaha »

"ACCIDNT WB EXPRESSWAY
USE ALTERNATE ROUTE"

"AMBER ALERT. WHITE BLAZER
CA LICENSE A0391-9"


:)
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Post by Coyote »

"JEFF HUSTON:
BRING HOME MILK"
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Post by eomaha »

Omaha World Herald wrote: Expressway's bridges to have deicing system

The mile-long elevated expressway under construction along West Dodge Road will include a feature drivers are certain to appreciate each winter: a $2 million automated deicing system.

Weather sensors on the elevated expressway going up along West Dodge Road will trigger nozzles in the pavement to spray a liquid de-icer when needed. Similar systems tested elsewhere in Nebraska have worked well, state officials say.

Sensors on the twin bridges will detect moisture and temperature changes, triggering nozzles in the pavement to spray a liquid deicer.
Why do bridges ice up first?Unlike roads, bridges do not retain heat. Freezing wind hits the bridge from below and from all sides, causing it to ice up faster.



The state is using the system partly because of the success of similar ones being tested in Nebraska, including a system on an Interstate 80 bridge near North Platte that has nearly put a stop to accidents caused by ice.

Bridges are one of the most dangerous places for motorists during winter because they ice up before the rest of the highway, catching drivers off guard.

More Nebraska bridges might get deicing systems if the existing ones continue to improve safety and if money is available, the state says.

Rich Zelensky, project manager for the Nebraska Department of Roads, said the state wanted to make sure the expressway was as safe as possible. The elevated expressway accounts for $63 million of the estimated $102 million project cost, which includes moving frontage roads.

The system will not keep the expressway bridges free from snow, but it will help prevent ice and frost from forming, he said.

Iowa this winter began testing a deicing system on a bridge in Cedar Rapids and will consider installing more, a state roads official said.
Driving tips• Reduce speed before reaching bridge.

•Don't use cruise control.

•Be cautious when braking, accelerating.

Source: Nebraska Office of Highway Safety



Other states have been installing bridge deicing systems in the last five years because improvements in technology have made them more effective and affordable. States using the systems include Minnesota, North Dakota and Kansas.

The bridge east of North Platte that was equipped with deicing nozzles about three years ago had been a dangerous spot for crashes.

Part of the problem was that the bridge is long, nearly the length of three football fields, giving drivers a big stretch of slick pavement to contend with.

From 1999 to fall 2001, there were 14 accidents on the bridge caused by ice.

Installation of the system was completed in November 2001. Between then and Nov. 15, 2004, there was just one accident caused by ice, according to the State Roads Department.

Les O'Donnell, district engineer for the State Roads Department in North Platte, said that even with the best forecasts and quick reactions by road crews, it was tough to keep the bridge from icing up.

The deicing system, he said, provides an immediate response to changing weather.

The state has similar systems in place on two other bridges. One is on an approach to an I-80 bridge near Kearney and the other is on a Nebraska Highway 71 bridge near Scottsbluff.

Those systems, which have been in place for about five years, are working well and have reduced accidents, said Mike Mattison, operations and maintenance engineer with the Roads Department.

A bridge just off U.S. Highway 77 near Roca, Neb., is equipped with a different type of deicing technology.

That bridge uses "conductive concrete," which contains metallic fragments. Electricity runs through the concrete and causes the metal fragments to heat and keep the bridge from getting slick.

The conductive concrete was installed in 2002 as part of a research project by Christopher Tuan, associate professor of civil engineering in the College of Engineering and Technology at the Peter Kiewit Institute.

Mattison said the state was evaluating all of the deicing systems in Nebraska and would decide in the next two to three years whether more bridges get them.

The added cost, which on small bridges can range from less than $100,000 to more than $300,000, will be a consideration, he said.

The size of the elevated expressway in Omaha is why the cost of the system is higher. The elevated road will run from just west of Interstate 680 to 124th Street. The expressway has an August 2007 completion deadline.

Drivers in Omaha already have experienced a deicing system, although it's not on a bridge. The city installed a system about two years ago on a hill on westbound West Dodge Road at 90th Street. The Public Works Department says the system has been effective.
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Post by Brad »

By my estimates they have about 50% of the piers up already. and they have all of the west bound girders between 114 and 120 done except one section which is scheduled to be done tonight I believe.

Did they ever get the de-iceing system to work at 90 and dodge?
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Post by Brad »

You can go to http://www.hawkins1.com/expressway and they have a live webcam to see the project. You now drive under the expressway at 114th st. Its amazing how fast they are throwing this bridge up.
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Post by CountOfMC »

This weather should be putting them well ahead of schedule. You can't beat 60 degree weather in early February.. especially considering the fact that we were buried with 30" of snow on the ground at this time last year.
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Post by eomaha »

I'd say they have about 80% of the westbound piers up... and 5% of the eastbound piers. There's still alot of work to be done folks... hopefully they are indeed speeding along with the great weather (there may be a point of diminishing returns on their 'bonus' though). I think anyway you cut it... we're still talking a good two years out.
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Post by projectman »

January was pretty cold this year so I can't imagine that they made extra progress.
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Post by Swift »

They are going amazingly fast though. It's impressive.

I'm hoping this inspires taller/prettier buildings in that area. That little valley would be so much more gorgeous if there was attractive architecture there.
Last edited by Swift on Thu Feb 03, 2005 9:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by CountOfMC »

On my way back from the airport tonight, I came up Dodge.. they had about 4 or 5 trucks lined up behind eachother near the car dealerships gettin ready to toss those beasts up. They're movin. Oh yea, I thought I might catch a glimpse of Bush, but he was no where in sight.
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Post by Swift »

CountOfMC wrote:On my way back from the airport tonight, I came up Dodge.. they had about 4 or 5 trucks lined up behind eachother near the car dealerships gettin ready to toss those beasts up. They're movin. Oh yea, I thought I might catch a glimpse of Bush, but he was no where in sight.
I think he flys into Offut.
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Post by Jon »

I live and work just a few blocks away from this, and they are COOKING! It's really pretty cool to see. I to go work on 120th over Dodge, and when I come home you can see the progress daily.
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Post by StreetsOfOmaha »

Swift wrote:
CountOfMC wrote:On my way back from the airport tonight, I came up Dodge.. they had about 4 or 5 trucks lined up behind eachother near the car dealerships gettin ready to toss those beasts up. They're movin. Oh yea, I thought I might catch a glimpse of Bush, but he was no where in sight.
I think he flys into Offut.
No, he actually flew into Eppley this time.
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Post by OmahaDevelopmentMan »

From todays Public Pulse
Can they do it?



I am writing to ask the question that surely must be on many people's minds: How on Earth is the construction crew working on the West Dodge Expressway going to clear 120th Street?

It has been more than a month now since the new road reached 120th Street from the east. Every time I drive by, I anxiously peek over to see if workers have accomplished a task which, from West Dodge Road, appears impossible.

It appears to me that there may be a clearance of 10 feet (settling of foundation not considered) between the surface of 120th Street and the underside of the overpass.

Is the construction crew going to tear a stretch down to boost the supports higher? Or will they create a monster four-way stop by merging 120th Street and the new road into a "T"?
Sean Conroy, Omaha
Wow this guy needs to pay attention to some of the plans.
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Post by Swift »

*slaps forehead in disgust*
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Post by Jon »

Everytime I drive over I wonder how they're going to handle 120th Street. I know they're going to route it under the expressway with a stoplight on old Dodge street. But looking at the topography of 120th I can't picture how they're going to make it work. We're talking about some MAJOR earth moving and wall construction. The artist's renderings make the entire area look flat, and that's FAR from the truth.
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Post by MTO »

I think they should have divided the build into two groups, with one responsible for the south portion and the other the north portion. And make them race to completion. One of the prizes for 1st done could be a month pass to the Playhouse. That should accelerate the build. :lol:
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Post by TechnicalDisaster »

Not sure if you guys have seen this yet. My wife works for HDR and showed me this page that was set up for West Dodge Project. You will need a special viewer to look at the documents (a free download) but the information is well worth it.

On top of an overall project timeline, there is some good graphics of Dodge street broken down by the year of construction. It has 120th slated to be worked on the summer of 2007.

Just click on the Project Overview button to find it.

http://www.westdodge.info/index.htm
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Post by omahastylee459 »

i thought the public pulse was for peoples opinions, uninformed or otherwise, but this is something that the guy was just too lazy to go look up. I mean did he really think that they started building the expressway without a plan to make it over 120th???

"Jeez Bill, i completely forgot 120th street was there, what are we going to do about that now??"
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Post by pieces_of_u »

i have had the opportunity to drive on dodge expressway recently and i'd have to say, they've got a lot accomplished and i cannot wait to be one to try out this new expressway once completed ;) - looks something like what we don't see often is a road over a road - something new to this area - at least the look of it - i think it was smart of them to do this - though - will that make 680 a little cramped?
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Official: West Dodge Expressway

Post by Coyote »

OWH wrote: West Dodge project getting traction

Omaha's elevated expressway project soon will hit a significant milestone: Crews will start pouring concrete for the bridge deck that will carry drivers above congested West Dodge Road.

Pours for the deck could begin as early as next week.

A mild winter helped the project stay on schedule, enabling crews to maintain a quick pace in building bridge piers and setting girders, said Paul Huntimer, project manager for the contractor, Hawkins Construction Co. of Omaha.

"The workers are committed," he said.

The Omaha Public Power District and the Metropolitan Utilities District have helped the project, he said, by getting their work finished on schedule.

Hawkins crews will pour concrete for the deck through the spring, summer and fall.

The expressway bridges are scheduled to open in August 2007. A key goal of the bridges is to eliminate congestion at 114th Street and West Dodge Road, one of the city's busiest intersections.

Although the deck will be 30 to 40 feet above ground, hills along West Dodge will provide motorists a vantage point from which to watch crews pouring the concrete.

The concrete will be poured onto permanent metal deck forms that are attached to girders. The 65-ton girders connect the bridge piers and support the deck.

The bridge deck will vary in depth but will have an average thickness of 71/2 inches.

A 15-member crew will pour the deck, using a pump that will send concrete up a pipe, into a 6-inch diameter hose and onto the forms. A hydraulic arm will move the pipe into position.

The concrete can be poured only when temperatures are between 50 degrees and the mid- to upper 80s, said Karl Burns, spokesman with the Nebraska Department of Roads.

Concrete that is too cold or too warm doesn't cure properly.

Huntimer said that during hot weather crews will start pouring concrete as early as 3 a.m. to beat the heat.

The expressway bridges will run from just west of Interstate 680 to about 123rd Street.

Eastbound expressway drivers will exit at about 108th Street, where they will connect with West Dodge or I-680.

Westbound expressway drivers will exit at about 123rd Street, where they will connect with West Dodge.

There will continue to be lane closures on West Dodge during the project, but not during rush hour.

Expressway timeline
-- -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

• 2003: Relocated service roads along West Dodge Road between 120th and 132nd Streets.

• 2004: Constructed piers and began setting girders for the expressway bridges.

• 2005: Pour concrete and construct lanes for expressway bridges. Continue building piers.

• 2006: Continue pouring concrete and construct lanes for expressway bridges

• 2007: Eastbound and westbound expressway bridges scheduled to open in August; 120th Street will be closed to through traffic, and 120th Street bridge across West Dodge will be removed; 120th Street will become ground-level intersection, and expressway bridges will pass over it.

• 2008: Rebuild West Dodge between 114th and 120th Streets; complete entire project in November 2008.
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Post by Brad »

Is anyone able to post the map that was with this article in paper.
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