The construction of Skiffes Creek Connector created efficient local connectivity between Route 60 (Pocahontas Trail) and Route 143 (Merrimac Trail) and improve safety and emergency evacuation through a design-build delivery method. This project redirected industrial traffic away from James River Elementary School; reduced traffic from the Lee Hall community in the city of Newport News; and provided additional long-range access to Fort Eustis. The primary project elements included:
- A new 2-lane connecting roadway between Route 60 and Route 143
- New turn lanes and intersection improvements
- two new steel-girder bridges over Skiffes Creek (262 feet long) and over Route 143 and the CSX railroad tracks (263 feet long)
- A multi-use path along eastbound Route 60
Quality Assurance Management:
As the Quality Assurance Manager, CES drafted the overall Quality Management System Plan for the construction phase and inspection and testing plans for each Approved-for-Construction plan set. We worked with the design integration team to confirm design submittals followed the Design Quality Management Plan and conducted monthly audits/pay application reviews to confirm adherence to the plan. We verified that all technical requirements stipulated in the contract were followed and adopted into the design. Our quality assurance team maintained project compliance with respect to quality assurance (FOT/inspection requirements) as well as environmental compliance via completion of project C-107 inspections.
Due to the project being near the Skiffes Creek Reservoir, there was extra scrutiny from the stakeholders to comply with erosion and sediment requirements. CES’ Lead Roadway Inspector attended each C-107 inspection to make sure that the design-build team had real-time information regarding issues and deficiencies.
The Skiffes Creek Connector was a pilot project to determine the feasibility of using ProjectWise for document submission and storage. CES assisted VDOT and the design-build team with establishing a streamlined process of submitting, approving, and storing project documentation in a way that works best for everyone.
