Contractors Are from Mars, Engineers Are from Venus—How to Make Relationships Work

The Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority (Authority) formed a regional integrated loop potable water system to support the rapid population growth across Southwest Florida. The Regional Integrated Loop Phase 2B Pipeline, a critical segment of the integrated loop system supporting Charlotte County’s potable water demands, was advertised as a progressive design–build project for 13 mi of 42-in. water transmission main design and construction to be completed on an expedited schedule. The project included a total of 16 canal crossings; some with a maximum of 4 ft of grade over existing stormwater culverts with no clear way to squeeze in a 42-in. steel pipe without significantly impacting the budgeted cost. The pipeline also needed to cross the Myakka River, a 2,500-ft-wide river swathed with low-lying wetlands at both shorelines, to reach a termination point identified as the Charlotte County booster pump station. These challenges, as well as challenges associated with intergovernmental coordination and property acquisition, were approached as a united front with the Design–Build Team. This methodology allowed the team to quickly devise constructable, value-engineered designs with each member of the collaborative Design–Build Team to focus on pertinent aspects of the project that best compliment their unique and respective strengths.