The South Carolina
Design-Build Experience
Presented by: Rocque L. Kneece, P.E.
Southern Connector
$ 206 million
Wateree River
$ 8 million
COMPLETE
COMPLETE
I-95 Honda Interchange
$ 8 million
COMPLETE
Conway Bypass
$ 386 million
COMPLETE
Carolina Bays
Parkway (2)
$ 54 million
ACTIVE
Brockman-McClimon
Interchange
$ 52 million
SELECTION
Reedy & Enoree Bridge*
$ 3 million
COMPLETE
Cooper River Bridge
$ 531 million
Carolina Bays
Parkway (1)
$232 million
COMPLETE
ACTIVE
SC 170 Widening
$80 million
ACTIVE
DESIGN-BUILD
PROJECTS
Carolina Bays
Parkway
Horry County, SC
New Location Freeway
22 miles in Length
Includes Right of Way
Acquisition
$232 million
Carolina Bays Parkway
- The Quality Challenge -
Quality
Materials - Procedures
Carolina Bays
Parkway
Carolina Bays Parkway
QA/QC RESPONSIBILITY
• QA/QC Testing
by Contractor
• Job Control Testing Used for Acceptance
• Independent Assurance Testing by DOT
• Discrepancies in Test Results resolved by
third party testing
Additional Measures by DOT
• Assigned Resident Construction Engineer
• Hired Consultant for Monitoring and
Testing
• DOT sets 10% Independent Test Ratio
QA/QC COMMITMENT
PROJECT
DOT
CONTRACTOR
QA/QC
QA/QC
ENOREE/REEDY R. BRS.
1
3+
WATEREE R. BRIDGE
1
5+
SC 170 WIDENING
5+
9+
CAROLINA BAYS PKWY
9
12+
COOPER RIVER BRIDGE
Cooper River Bridge
Charleston, SC
$532 million
Existing Bridges
Project Location
New location
Project Statistics
Length (Hwy 17) – 3.5 miles
 Drilled Shafts - 427
 Concrete – 308,000 CY (poured in place)
 Rebar – 53,000 tons
 Structural Steel – 43,000 tons
 Concrete Girders – 717
 Bridge Deck – 2 million sq. ft. (28 lane-miles)
 ONLY 4.92 acres of environmental impacts!

QA/QC BASIC STRUCTURE
• QC Testing
by Contractor
• Acceptance Testing by DOT
• DOT Test Rate Equals 20% of QC Testing
• Independent Assurance Testing by DOT
DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACTS
QA/QC PERSONNEL
PROJECT
DOT
CONTRACTOR
QA/QC
QA/QC
ENOREE/REEDY R. BRS.
1
3+
WATEREE R. BRIDGE
1
5+
SC 170 WIDENING
5+
9+
CAROLINA BAYS PKWY-1
9+
12+
COOPER RIVER BRIDGE
18+
20+
Contract Responsibility
Not a Contract Responsibility
The Environmental Challenge
Sediment and Erosion Control
 Construction Access
 Hazardous Materials
 Turtle Lighting
 Community Impacts

The Environmental Challenge

Joint Environmental Inspections
– Contractor and DOT Contractor has a full time
environmental inspector on the project
Full Time SCDOT Environmental Consultant
 Together, the team of environmental
professionals functions to ensure
environmental compliance and to expedite the
environmental process.

Sediment & Erosion Control



Approximately 2 miles of silt fence, 10
temporary sediment basins, and several check
dams among other control measures are
installed on the project.
Contractor and SCDOT have strict inspection
processes in place to monitor erosion control
measures.
Inspections weekly and after every .50” rain
Temporary Sediment Basin
Construction Access

A total of 3 temporary construction
trestles were erected for the project.

Greatly minimized impacts to wetlands
while still allowing construction access.
Hazardous Materials

SCDOT has remediated five UST’s, disposed of
more than 100 cubic yards of contaminated material,
and abated lead based paint and asbestos from
structures ranging from houses to bridge.

During the construction of the CRB, SCDOT has
spent an additional half million dollars for handling
of hazardous materials/waste encountered during
construction.
Pumping material from an abandoned UST encountered in
the Charleston Interchange.
Potential Turtle Impacts

Concerns raised that bridge lights may
disturb loggerhead hatchlings

Aesthetic Lighting Modified
– Lights are controlled by timer
– Lights may be dimmed
– Lights may be turned off
Community Impacts

Nine homes within the project ROW were
relocated for affordable housing.

The homes were placed on new foundations at
various sites in the community and are being
renovated through a partnership between
SCDOT and the City of Charleston.
Lessons Learned
Include the Draft Contract with the RFP
 Include Schedule of Values in Contract
 QC/QA - Trust but verify
 Independent Assurance by DOT
 Be sensitive to the community concerns
 Make Partnering a Key Element
 Establish Lines of Communication
 Time really is money – make decisions quickly

LAST LESSON LEARNED
BE CAREFUL OUT THERE…
You never know what you might find.