Martha Sunquist State Forest Multiple Bridge Replacements
The State of Tennessee's acquisition of the Martha Sundqvist State Forest marked a significant step towards environmental conservation. This property, now a protected land trust, is designed to offer various recreational activities like camping, hunting, fishing, and general leisure. A critical aspect of this project involved replacing three deteriorated bridges within the forest.
CHALLENGE
The key challenge in this project was managing the bridge replacements over high-quality streams in environmentally sensitive and highly regulated areas. The project encountered a significant hurdle when it was revealed post-award that the initial budget was insufficient. Additionally, supply chain issues with the bridge system supplier added to the complexities. The sole-source vendor situation further complicated the project, as the state has specific requirements for such procurements. Moreover, the project had to navigate the recent Stacker case from the Supreme Court concerning bridges and wetlands and comply with regulations for protecting the trout nesting waters as overseen by the Tennessee Department of Water Conservation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).
SOLUTION
The TTL team played an instrumental role in securing an additional $700,000 in funding to complete the project. To address cost issues, we engaged in negotiations with bridge system vendors. After discovering that the original supplier was bought out, leading to a sole-source situation, we documented and justified this to the state to successfully navigate the procurement challenges.
Additionally, we wrote new specifications to open opportunities for more vendors, allowing for a competitive and fair process. In managing the environmental challenges, our team implemented stringent erosion control measures to protect the high-quality streams and trout nesting waters in compliance with the relevant environmental authorities.
This project stands as a testament to our team's ability to adapt to unforeseen challenges, secure necessary resources, and navigate complex environmental and regulatory landscapes. Our success in this endeavor not only facilitated the restoration of crucial infrastructure within the state forest, it also upheld our commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable development.