Eleventh Street Ledger

THE NEWSLETTER OF THE 11TH STREET BRIDGE PROJECT JANUARY 2011 11th Street Bridge Project Ward 8 Resident Structures Continue to Rise Daily First OJT Graduate

There’s a glint in his eye and a proud smile crosses his face when Lawrence Brad- shaw Sr. talks about the delight his 4-year- old son Lawrence Jr. has in telling people “Daddy’s fixing the bridge.” Bradshaw, a 24-year-old Ward 8 resident, works as an apprentice on the 11th Street Bridge Project after becoming the first District Department of Transportation A contractor for the 11th Street Bridge Project works to complete the landside connection graduate of the proj- of steel girders in Park for the new inbound freeway bridge. ect’s on-the-job-training (OJT) program in October 2010. ew structures of the 11th Street the first of the 169 structural steel girders To earn his OJT graduation certificate, Bridge Project continue to rise required to support the three bridges. he completed 1,040 hours of on-site train- from the ground almost daily, The girders, weighing an average of 34 ing while initially setting up and break- all with minimal impact on tons and ranging in length from 60 to 130 ing down lane closures for the project as a NDistrict residents, motorists and other im- feet long, were delivered by trucks from Maintenance of Traffic (MOT) laborer for portant stakeholders. Wisconsin and offloaded onto barges in the construction contractor Skanska-Facchina. More than a year into construction, the . Bradshaw came to DDOT and the proj- District’s largest-ever transportation con- From there, cranes hoisted the 7-foot- ect in February 2010 through the Calvin struction project is more than a third of the high, foot-and-a-half-wide girders into Woodland Foundation, which provides way complete. place at all hours of the day without impact- qualified southeast District residents with For much of the first year, project con- ing freeway traffic. job training skills and job placement. struction consisted mainly of excavation, As of the end of January 2011, crews set The foundation helped him get training foundation and substructure work for proj- 48 of the 54 girders needed for the new in tamping, jack hammering, shoveling, ap- ect structures northwest of, southeast of inbound freeway bridge, connecting the plying picks and leg boards, safety, all facets and in the Anacostia River. four bridge piers in Anacostia River and of MOT and basic Spanish. Since November 2010, however, neigh- the bridge’s southeastern-most abutment, Bradshaw credits DDOT, Skanska-Fac- bors and passersby on both sides of the or touch-down point, in Anacostia Park. china and the Woodland Foundation with river have witnessed new structural steel Work setting girders connecting this bridge giving him an opportunity to better his and placed for one of the three new bridges, el- to the northwestern side of the river is to his family’s life by providing him with valu- evated portions of southbound I-295/DC follow in early 2011. able education and training. 295 and connecting ramps to and from the In addition, crews prepared to begin set- He also relishes the long-term contribu- SE/SW Freeway. ting the 52 girders for the outbound free- tion he is making to the District. way bridge, starting with its landside con- “I look forward to coming to work every In the River nections in Anacostia Park. day,” he said. “It makes me excited to know Overnight on Tuesday, November 2 con- Into Spring 2011, crews will attach steel that the work I am doing makes a difference struction contractors Skanska-Facchina set Structures Continued on page 2 OJT Graduate Continued on page 3

1301 M St. SE • Washington DC 20003 • 202.484.2300 • www.ddot.dc.gov/11thStreetBridge Structures Continued from Page 1 deck pans and reinforcing steel to the to northbound DC 295. Workers also Early foundation work also continued girders. continue excavation, demolition of por- for a future connecting ramp from the As the weather warms, they will begin tions of existing highway overpasses new inbound freeway bridge north di- placing concrete for the eight to ten-inch and construction of new portions above rectly to M Street SE. This will replace an thick roadway decks in anticipation of Good Hope Road to allow widening of existing ramp now carrying traffic to M opening both new freeway bridges to northbound 295 and construction of up- Street via 12th Street SE. traffic by the end of the year. coming connecting ramps to both direc- By the end of January 2011, in the At the same time, workers continued tions of the highway. median of the SE-SW Freeway, workers with substructure work for the new lo- built the first of four new piers needed cal bridge, constructing pier struts and Northwest of the River north of M Street to construct a ramp to caps to connect its river piles and later Between the river and O Street SE, connect the new inbound freeway bridge allow placement of steel girders on them crews continue to construct abutments to the freeway. as well. for the new freeway bridges to allow steel As work progresses on this ramp into The new local bridge is planned to girders to soon be set connecting the Summer 2011, steel girders for the ramp open to traffic about a year later, in Win- bridge to the northwest side of the river. will be placed above M Street and the ter 2012/2013. From M to O Street between 11th and freeway. 12th Street SE, demolition of retain- In addition, traffic traveling west- Southeast of the River ing walls and portions of connecting bound from to the While work continued in the river, ramps between the existing bridges and freeway will be shifted to the left to allow crews southeast of the river continued the Southeast-Southwest Freeway con- crews space to connect the new ramp to constructing the more than 700-foot- tinued, as did installation of drainage the freeway in order to have it open to long retaining walls for the starting point structures and setting of structural steel traffic when the new inbound freeway of new realigned portions of southbound for new portions of these ramps above N bridge opens in late Fall 2011. I-295/DC 295. Street SE. By December 2010, work in this area advanced enough to allow crews to begin MILESTONES TO DATE setting the 52 steel girders for the 1,000- SE/SW Freeway  November 2010 – Began Placing River Bridge foot long elevated structure. By January Structural Steel

2011, the girders were placed along exist-  August 2010 – Reopened DC295 Pedestrian Bridge M Street SE Between Anacostia High School Anacostia Pool ing southbound 295, over the existing in- and Fitness Center bound and outbound connecting ramps   July 2010 – Completed Anacostia Community with I-295, Martin Luther King Jr. Ave- Boathouse Association Relocation nue and 13th Street. Completion of their  May 2010 – Finished Driving 63 Concrete River Bridge Piles. touchdown point, south of the existing  December 2009 – Construction Began 11th Street bridges, will soon follow. 11th Street Bridges In February 2011, crews are to begin CURRENT CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES attaching steel deck pans to the girders Navy Yard  DC 295 / I-295  Demolition Work and Construct New Inbound/ and placing reinforcing steel on them. As Outbound Freeway Bridge Abutments and Ramps the weather warms, workers will place  Pier and Steel Placement Work for New Outbound   Ramp to Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. concrete for the roadway deck and in-  Demolition, Retaining Wall, Pier and Steel stall drainage structures in anticipation   Placement Work for New Southbound I-295/DC 295 of having the new southbound I-295/DC Anacostia River  Construct New Inbound/Outbound Freeway 295 be the first new portion of the proj- Bridge Abutments and Ramps ect to open to traffic in late Spring 2011. Good Hope Road  Construct New Northbound 295 Ramps 13th Street SE At the same time, other new structures  Complete Bridge Pier Construction and Place continue to rise up between the existing Steel Girders for Freeway Bridges bridges, the highway, the river and His- CURRENT CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES toric Anacostia. As crews work to complete the touch-  Demolition Work and Construct New  Demolition, Retaining Wall, Pier and down points for the new freeway bridges Inbound/Outbound Freeway Bridge Steel Placement Work for realigned and in Anacostia Park, they also have begun Abutments and Ramps elevated Southbound I-295/DC 295 building the land side touch-down for  Complete Bridge Pier Construction and  Construct New Inbound/Outbound the new local bridge southeast of the riv- Place Steel Girders for Freeway Bridges Freeway Bridge Abutments and Ramps er and its connection to Martin Luther  Pier and Steel Placement Work for New  Widen Northbound 295 and build new King Jr. Avenue. Outbound Ramp to Martin Luther King ramp Concrete piers continue to be con- Jr. Ave. structed for a future connecting ramp from the new outbound freeway bridge OJT Graduate continued from Page 1 on something that Washingtonians depend on every day to get to and from work. I am For More Information excited to be part of something that will last for many years to come.” To get involved with DDOT’s Bradshaw encourages others who may workforce training programs, contact be thinking about taking a similar path to Linda Fennell at [email protected] “never give up, put forth your best effort or (202) 645-8620. and take advantage of everything you are For more information on 11th Street offe re d .” Bridge Project employment, vendor or His reputation for hard work and de- subcontractor opportunities, contact pendability on the job have earned him op- Nyime Brown at Nyime.brown@ portunities to begin studying carpentry and skanska.com or 202-484-2330, ext. 162. take additional classes that will help him Skanska-Facchina also accepts walk- take the next steps in his career. in employment inquiries every Friday Bradshaw holds one of six training posi- from 1 to 3 p.m. at the project office tions on the project. Ward 8 resident Lawrence Bradshaw directs at 1301 M Street SE, Washington DC DDOT and Skanska-Facchina are look- traffic while helping set up a lane closure 20003. ing to increase that number to a total of 15 as an apprentice for the 11th Street Bridge OJT or apprentice positions in 2011. Project.

DDOT and Contractors Receive Stewardship Award

The District Department of Transporta- and abandoned marine refueling station how well we were able to minimize impacts tion, 11th Street Bridge Project construction into a revitalized public resource. on ACBA as we advanced the 11th Bridge contractor Skanska-Facchina and architect “Relocating ACBA was a small piece of Project,” he said. “Through our partnership Jeff Peterson recently received Stewardship the 11th Street Bridges Project, but this in this effort, we took yet another step to- Awards from the Anacostia Community group took the time to make sure ACBA’s ward the District’s ultimate goal of revital- Boathouse Association (ACBA). needs were carefully considered and man- izing the river as part of the larger Anacos- Through the award, ACBA recognized aged,” said ACBA President Jennifer Ney tia Waterfront Initiative.” DDOT for minimizing impacts as it relo- afterward. “ Their partnership produced a In presenting the awards, ACBA Board cated the organization from between the facility that has improved public access to Member Andrew Mergen also recognized existing 11th Street bridges to a new site recreational opportunities on the Anacos- the important contributions of former north of the Sousa Bridge that improves tia River.” DDOT AWI Program Manager Greer Gil- public access and recreational opportuni- DDOT 11th Street Bridge Project Man- lis Johnson and former DDOT 11th Street ties on the Anacostia River. ager Said Cherifi gladly accepted the award Bridge Project Manager Barton Clark. Skanska-Facchina and Peterson were rec- on behalf of the department. “We are very ognized for their roles working with DDOT appreciative of this award and proud of to build and design ACBA’s new site, which restored a previously overgrown, polluted

The ACBA Board also presented 11th Street Bridge Project construction contractor Skanska-Facchina representatives ACBA President Jennifer Ney and Board Member Andrew Mergen Steven Skippen, Bjarne Gudmunsen and Damian Ruppert with a present DDOT 11th Street Bridge Project Manager Said Cherifi with Stewardship Award. a Stewardship Award. DDOT’s AWI Program Under New Leadership

The leadership of the District Department of Transporation’s Anacostia Waterfront Ini- tiative Program has changed. Dr. Gloria Jeff is the new interim director of DDOT’s Anacostia Waterfront Initiative Program, of which the 11th Street Bridge Project is a part. In this role, Dr. Jeff is fulfill- ing duties formerly performed by Greer Gil- lis Johnson, who recently left DDOT for new professional endeavors. In addition to her new position, Dr. Jeff also serves as DDOT’s Associate Director of Transportation Operations, a position she has held since January 2010. In this capac- At left, Dr. Gloria Jeff and Terry Bellamy join other senior DDOT staff in bidding farewell to ity she is responsible for overseeing various Greer Gillis Johnson, fourth from left, who recently left her agency roles as deputy chief areas such as Street and Bridge Maintenance, engineer and Anacostia Waterfront Initiative Program Manager. Dr. Jeff is the interim AWI two Traffic Management Centers, Intelligent Program Director and Bellamy is the Interim DDOT Director. Transportation Systems and Snow Opera- tions. 11th Street Bridge Project from project plan- Gillis-Johnson worked for DDOT since “Residents of the District have been ning through its first year of construction,” June 2008 and served from October 2009 to very fortunate and will benefit for years to said Terry Bellamy, Interim DDOT Director. March 2010 as the department’s acting Chief come from Greer’s successful leadership of “We wish her much future success and look Engineer as the 11th Street Bridge began DDOT’s various AWI programs and her role forward to building up that success with Dr. construction. in helping advance the critically important Je ff .”

1301 M St. SE Washington DC 20003 www.ddot.dc.gov/11thStreetBridge [email protected]