Solid partnering on this project was evident from the start. Problems were openly discussed and solved together. Both Koss Construction Company and the Kansas Department of Transportation staffed the project with experienced employees, and the experience of the two staffs was invaluable on this fast paced construction project. Regular communications, including a weekly meeting held on the project, ensured direct lines of communication to the owner’s engineers and Koss’ engineers and managers. The partnering principle and communication also existed among the field staffs, and both teams could readily present issues to the company and department managers.

With the completion of these projects, the traveling public can now enjoy safer, more efficient travel along the four-lane roadway from the Reno / McPherson County line to Interstate-135.

Urban Arterials & Collectors—Gold

Project:                       14th Street Sidewalk/Streetscape Reconstruction Project, Denver, Colo.

Contractor:            Concrete Works of Colorado

Owner:                City of Denver

Engineer:              PB World

This was not a typical concrete paving project; it was actually an orchestration of work requiring extraordinary coordination and scheduling.

This project in downtown Denver had no room for error on paving days, or on any day, as traffic needed to always flow as smoothly as possible, and the traveling public needed access to this bustling area. The corridor includes the Denver Performing Arts Center, the Colorado Convention Center, four recently-constructed hotels, condominium towers, and hundreds of businesses.

The 14th Street project transformed 12 blocks between Colfax Avenue and Market Street into a beautiful, pedestrian-oriented “living street.” Known as the “Ambassador Street” because of the diversity of visitor-oriented uses along this corridor, the project held great hope because of the sheer amount of activity along this street, but it also presented many challenges.

Necessary impacts to the car and pedestrian traffic along the corridor, numerous unexpected underground utility relocations, and the constant need for scheduling extensive work around the needs of these high-profile businesses were just some of the challenges that were dealt with on a daily basis.

Improvements included the reconstruction of 12 intersections in full-depth concrete with colored concrete crosswalks; the complete reconstruction of concrete pavements along seven blocks; and widening the northern sidewalk to 19 ft and reconstructing the southern sidewalk to 16 ft. It also called for adding bulb-outs to the street’s south side to minimize pedestrian crossing distance; and reconstruction of a concrete sidewalk (full building face to building face) with decorative sandblasting, granite seating areas, elongated planters; and planter pots with annual plantings, shrubs, approximately 180 trees, street lighting, accent lighting, way-finding signage, and colored/textured pavers. The project also included a bike lane to connect the Cherry Creek trail and Civic Center Park.