February 8, 2019

Carolinas AGC bestowed the 2018 Pinnacle Awards to five construction projects which enhance their communities, and the “Build with the Best” Pinnacle Award to an individual who spent his career assisting the construction industry. Pinnacle entries are judged on unique aspects and challenges; special values; project management; budget and schedule; and safety performance. Pinnacle-winning projects enhance the Carolinas and advance the construction industry!

Project Awards:
Vidant Cancer Center, Greenville, NC - T.A. Loving | Rodgers
Cascade Saloon Redevelopment, Greensboro, NC - The Christman Company
Glendale Pedestrian Bridge, Glendale, SC - Carolina Bridge Company, Inc.
Salem Creek Connector, Winston-Salem, NC - Blythe Construction, Inc.
Wilmington Bypass Segment B, Wilmington, NC - Balfour Beatty

Individual Pinnacle Award:
Vaughn Wicker, International Code Council

Wilmington Bypass, Segment B
Best Highway Project Over $5 Million

This $124 million, three-mile bridge and roadway project – US-17 from State Road 1430 to West of US-421 North of Wilmington, represented the culmination of a 15-year plan to reduce traffic congestion in New Hanover County and improve accessibility to Brunswick County to the south. In conjunction with Section A, delivered by another contractor, Section B completed the bypass and connected US 17 to I-40 via 1.5 miles of roadway and 1.5 miles of new bridges.  

The project represents a successful collaboration between NCDOT, Balfour Beatty, the US Army Corps of Engineers, the US Coast Guard, CSX Transportation, Duke Energy, and a strong network of subcontractors.

Among many challenges, the annual Toomer Creek fish moratorium prohibited bottom-disturbing work from February to mid-June. Balfour Beatty strategically allocated resources to “in-water work” for seven months so that the restriction would not derail progress. But when the team began piledriving to install the trestle and begin the bridge foundation, challenging ground conditions quadrupled the time required to drive each pile to its minimum tip elevation. 

Consequently, all employees and subcontractors committed to an aggressive 24-hour schedule through the holiday season to drive all 184 piles on time prior to the start of the fish moratorium in February.  

As part of the project, Balfour Beatty drove the largest precast pile in southeastern North Carolina and constructed one of the longest post-tensioned spans in the state. Placing the post-tensioned girder section required careful engineering and detailed coordination with NCDOT, the USACE, and US Coast Guard.   

The project team preserved the integrity of the untouched wetlands and delivered the three-mile bridge and roadway project on time to open to traffic on December 19, 2017.  

The project is featured on a US Army Corps of Engineers promotional poster as a successful example of a new highway and bridge project built without damage to aquatic resources and won accolades from ENR Southeast and the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials. 

Link to Story.