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T.Y. Lin International Wins 2020 ACEC Engineering Excellence Awards for Samuel De Champlain Bridge, North Atwater Non-Motorized Multimodal Bridge, and Joliet Gateway Center

T.Y. Lin International Wins 2020 ACEC Engineering Excellence Awards for Samuel De Champlain Bridge, North Atwater Non-Motorized Multimodal Bridge, and Joliet Gateway Center

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Samuel De Champlain Bridge, North Atwater Non-Motorized Multimodal Bridge, and Joliet Gateway Center

T.Y. Lin International (TYLI), a globally recognized full-service infrastructure consulting firm, announces that three TYLI projects won 2020 Engineering Excellence Awards from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC). The Samuel De Champlain Bridge in Montréal, Québec, Canada, was selected for a National Grand Award. TYLI served as the managing partner of the design joint venture for the 2.1-mile bridge over the Saint Lawrence River and Engineer of Record for the signature cable-stayed bridge spanning the Saint Lawrence Seaway. The North Atwater Non-Motorized Multimodal Bridge project in Los Angeles, California, for which TYLI provided construction engineering and significant design support throughout construction, and the Joliet Gateway Center in Joliet, Illinois, with TYLI serving as Project Management Consultant, were both honored with National Recognition Awards.

ACEC's annual Engineering Excellence Awards competition recognizes engineering firms for projects that demonstrate an exceptional degree of innovation, complexity, achievement, and value. TYLI joined its project partners in accepting the awards at the virtual ACEC Awards Gala on December 1, 2020.

About the Samuel De Champlain Bridge (2020 National Grand Award):

TYLI served as the managing partner of the Bridge Engineering Joint Venture (BEJV) for the Samuel De Champlain Bridge in Montréal, Québec, Canada, and Engineer of Record for the signature cable-stayed bridge over the Saint Lawrence Seaway. The firm was also in charge of design quality management and served as the quality control design checker for the 1.75 miles of approach spans. The BEJV partners for the design-build project are TYLI Canada, Inc., International Bridge Technologies Canada, Inc., and SNC-Lavalin Inc.

With its impressive scope and high visibility along the Saint Lawrence River, the Samuel De Champlain Bridge is the gateway to Montréal, the second-most populous municipality in Canada. The 2.1-mile lifeline bridge comprises three independent structures: the 1,736-foot-long, asymmetric cable-stayed bridge with a single, 555-foot-high tower and stay cables in aesthetic harp arrangement; the 2,500-foot-long East Approach; and the 6,706-foot-long West Approach. The superstructure design includes two three-lane corridors for vehicular traffic, a transit corridor for a light-rail transit system, and a multi-use path for pedestrians and cyclists.

The project's site challenges included severe winter conditions, wind and seismic hazards, strict navigational requirements, and construction in an urban center. TYLI successfully delivered a fast-track design for this complex project and developed innovative accelerated construction techniques, such as composite steel tub girders with precast concrete deck panels, precast spread footing and pier starters system, to meet the construction schedule challenges and Owner expectations.

Fully opened to traffic on July 1, 2019, a mere four years after project work began, the Samuel De Champlain Bridge is one of the highest-profile projects in North America and exemplifies innovation in bridge design and construction under rigorous project criteria and site challenges.

About the North Atwater Non-Motorized Multimodal Bridge (2020 National Recognition Award):

TYLI provided construction engineering and significant design support throughout construction for the North Atwater Non-Motorized Multimodal Bridge in Los Angeles, California, under an on-call contract with the City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works. The first of a trio of bridges to be completed in the Glendale Narrows section of the Los Angeles River in Los Angeles, the new 325-foot‑long bridge is possibly the first cable-stayed equestrian bridge in the world.

Featuring a dramatic, 125‑foot‑high mast and steel suspension cables, the North Atwater Non-Motorized Multimodal Bridge is located between the growing community of Atwater Village and Griffith Park, one of the largest urban parks in the United States. The signature structure also connects users to the Los Angeles River Bike Path and Los Angeles River Greenway Trail that run along both banks of the river.

To accommodate pedestrians, bicyclists, and equestrians, the bridge deck is divided into two separate 12-foot‑wide pathways. The pedestrian/bicycle path uses a hardwood deck and stainless-steel mesh railings, while the equestrian side is topped with horse-friendly rubber pavers and a less transparent wooden picket railing system.

The dynamic behavior of the bridge was a major design consideration due to its very slender, lightweight deck and relatively heavy equestrian live loads. To mitigate the potential for resonant vibrations as groups of riders cross the bridge, a system of tuned mass dampers was designed. The dampers reduce the magnitude of vibrations during severe equestrian loading to an acceptable range and prevent vibrations from continuing after the horses have passed off the bridge.

The North Atwater Non-Motorized Multimodal Bridge is a symbol of achievement for the Los Angeles River Revitalization Plan, enhancing opportunities for non-vehicular recreation and outdoor activity, creating better park access, and strengthening community identity and pride. Now providing a safer, more efficient route for users, the new crossing was completed ahead of schedule on October 31, 2019.

About the Joliet Gateway Center (2020 National Recognition Award):

As Project Management Consultant, TYLI assisted the Illinois Department of Transportation Division of Public and Intermodal Transportation, Bureau of Capital Transit (IDOT) in overseeing the design and construction of the Joliet Gateway Center, a new Multimodal Regional Transportation Center (MRTC) in Joliet, Illinois.

The Joliet Gateway Center brings together Amtrak passenger rail service, Metra suburban rail service, future high-speed rail, Pace suburban buses, and intercity buses in a single, common facility. The 10,000-square-foot, two-story train station building holds Metra and Amtrak ticket offices, indoor waiting areas on both the first and second floors, and elevator and stair access to the new Metra Rock Island platform and the new Heritage Corridor platform. Track realignments were included in the scope of work, which helped eliminate a freight bottleneck and increased train passenger safety.

During the design phase, TYLI provided coordination and oversight services between the local agencies, Class 1 railroads, passenger rail services, and local stakeholders. Design oversight included master schedule and budget monitoring, establishing and maintaining a web-based document control system, reviewing all design submittals, and coordinating environmental and utility relocation activities. The firm also performed constructability and staging reviews and conducted Quality Management Plan compliance reviews.

TYLI's coordination efforts included working closely with all key stakeholders and the railroads to develop over 20 project agreements for project access, ultimate shared use of right-of-way, maintenance responsibilities for embankments, shared track, platforms, and other appurtenances.

During construction, TYLI provided construction management and resident engineering services to ensure that all contracts were completed in accordance with the design plans and that work met the requirements of the State grants and the City of Joliet.

The new Joliet Gateway Center is a key part of the revitalization of downtown Joliet, which is Illinois' third-largest city and located 35 miles southwest of Chicago. Along with vastly improving access and convenience for the traveling public, the new MRTC creates a positive effect on the local Joliet and Will County economies and the regional transportation network.

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