Challenge
The Lift Station 87 Wet Weather Flow Transfer project consisted of the design and construction of a new 3.5 mgd lift station, three miles of 16-inch force main, modifications to an existing pump station to connect the new force main, and replacement of aging utility access holes and 460 feet of degrading sanitary sewer pipe.
This project addressed the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)’s provision to construct a system allowing City personnel to transfer sanitary sewer flows during heavy rain events between regional sanitary collection basins, balancing wet weather flows between the Southwest and Northwest Sanitary Service areas, improving efficiency and reliability.
Approach
The City of St. Petersburg chose progressive design-build (PDB) as the project delivery method to meet a demanding 13-month schedule to ensure the project was completed prior to the 2022 wet weather flow season. The City chose the team of Archer Western Construction along with design partners Wade Trim and Hazen and Sawyer to deliver the project. Archer Western served as the lead contractor and Wade Trim the lead design engineer. Hazen and Sawyer led the team’s efforts on the City’s first project to utilize the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure’s Envision framework.
PDB allowed the selected project team to procure long-lead materials and equipment at 30% design, accelerate the design phase to establish a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) at 60% design, and utilize multiple crews and shifts to accelerate construction.
Through design efficiencies, the team was able to expand the sanitary sewer replacements beyond the original scope while remaining within the budget. During the early design phase, the City identified several sections of existing sanitary sewer, previously slip-lined and failed, to have replaced. The project team evaluated, budgeted, and scheduled this work to be completed concurrently with the wet weather flow transfer facility while keeping within the original budget.
The most significant challenge for the project came up early in preconstruction. As Wade Trim started detailed design, Ferguson Waterworks, the pipe supplier, noted the preferred material would not be available in time to meet the consent decree deadline. The team had to work together quickly to decide whether it was more important to meet the consent decree deadline or provide the City’s specified pipe material.
Communication was imperative for the PDB team and the City to work through this important challenge. The City was told of the potential piping issue from the start and thus brought the necessary decision-makers to the workshops. After careful evaluation and deliberation, the team decided to move forward with an alternative pipe material, resulting in schedule and cost savings.
Additionally, Archer Western elected to use horizontal directional drilling rather than traditional open-cut methods. This prevented restoration on approximately 160,000 square feet of asphalt and concrete pavement at an estimated cost of $750K. This method also saved valuable time on the schedule and increased goodwill with the community that would have been significantly impacted by open-cut work along roads and sidewalks. It also served to reduce the carbon footprint of the project which helped meet the City’s sustainability goals.
Results
This was the City of St. Petersburg’s first progressive design-build project and has led the way for PDB to be the delivery method of choice going forward due to the true collaboration between the project team and the City. The final design and construction addressed flexibility, capacity challenges, and odor/noise concerns; reduced impacts to the traveling public; and supported the community’s desire to improve the neighborhood appearance with artwork and landscaping, delivering an aesthetic impact. The lift station is housed in a 12-foot-tall acoustical enclosure and the exterior features a mural reflective of the community, created by local artist Jabari Reed-Diop (iBOMS), in partnership with the City, the St. Pete Art’s Alliance, and the Childs Park Neighborhood Association. Residents also assisted the project team with the design and assembly of the surrounding landscaping, further inspiring the partnership between the project team, the City, and the local community.
As one of the select winners of Bloomberg’s American Cities Climate Challenge, the City of St. Petersburg is committed to implementing progressive policies and effective programs to address environmental, economic, and social challenges. Just prior to the release of the Lift Station 87 project, the City decided to implement a goal to achieve a minimum of Envision Gold on all of its collaborative delivery projects. Knowing this from the beginning helped each stakeholder understand this important goal and incentivized the team to achieve this minimum gold level. Achievement would allow the project team and St. Petersburg participants to know they were the first project to meet Envision standards developed by the City.
During the process of pursuing Envision certification, Hazen and Sawyer encountered an elevated level of community engagement, which is not typical of a project of this nature. It was a rewarding experience, and the team coordinated with stakeholders at all levels to improve the neighborhood and align with its strategic plan objectives.
Specific neighborhood initiatives included:
• Selecting a force main route that avoided the city’s historic brick roads and hexagon sidewalks
• Listening to and considering feedback from residents and local businesses when planning maintenance of traffic segments of the design
• Modifying construction to minimize the impact on existing Florida DOT projects as well as the crossing of a popular recreation trail, a creek, and a tributary of the Gulf of Mexico
• Designing and paving an alleyway for a local church
During the entire project, the Childs Park Neighborhood Association was integrally involved—attending public meetings and offering tours of the site. It was a true collaboration between the City, the local neighborhood, and the progressive design-build team.
This project has won the following awards:
• DBIA 2023 National Project/Team Merit Award in the Water/Wastewater Category
• FLDBIA Honor Award – Small Projects
• ENR Award of Merit Water/Environment
“The Lift Station 87 project was a great success for the City of St. Petersburg. The Archer Western team formed a true partnership with all stakeholders from the very beginning. This partnership allowed our team to work collaboratively to overcome supply chain issues, budget constraints, and schedule demands to meet a critical completion milestone for the City.”
— Scott Keddy, Project Manager, City of St. Petersburg
