Setting the Standard

Before construction crews poured a new deck and approach slabs on a bridge rehabilitation project along State Highway 165 in Muskogee, Oklahoma, Garver's construction engineering and inspection (CE&I) team asked the contractor to profile the existing pavement. A substantial dip was discovered, and Garver construction observers Jim Heard and Jeremiah Dewey and construction services team leader Shannon McGarrah, PE provided the Oklahoma Department of Transportation with a solution to replace several concrete panels on the existing roadway. The profile was corrected without interrupting the contractor's schedule.

This is one of 15 construction management projects that Garver's CE&I teams are performing for three ODOT field divisions. The $8.8 million construction projects range from intersection modifications to asphalt overlays to bridge rehabilitations. ODOT Division Engineer Darren Saliba, PE said Garver's attention to detail and dedication proved vital on the State Highway 165 bridge project.

"I am highly impressed with the ride on the new bridge that Garver just completed. You guys set the standard," Saliba said. "I'm going to tell my staff and other consultants that I expect this type of quality on every project."

Garver has also provided Huntsville, Alabama with CE&I services on two federally funded city projects that include nearly 20 miles of milling, resurfacing and traffic striping on 12 city streets. The construction contract value is nearly $3.8 million. Garver worked to keep the contractors on time and under budget by 4.2 percent while increasing the asphalt tonnage placed by 6.6 percent. The project included placing more than 47,000 tons of hot-mix asphalt, 90 miles of traffic stripe and 56,000 feet of traffic signal loop wire.

Since 2010, Garver has added greater depth and experience to its services by hiring nine career construction personnel. Seven employees have 20 to 30 years of first-hand construction experience, and four construction observers spent their entire professional careers with either the Oklahoma or Arkansas departments of transportation.

This month, Winchester Falbe, PE relocated from Garver's North Little Rock, Ark. office to Nashville, Tenn. to serve as the Construction Services' east region team leader. With more than 15 years of construction and engineering experience, Winchester joins team leaders Blake Martin, PE in the central region and Shannon McGarrah, PE in the west region to direct Garver's construction services.