Design and Construction - Road Construction
Public Works Engineering,
through its Design/Construction (D/C) section, is responsible
for capital improvement projects on the county's roadways, bridges,
and ferry system. For a typical project, this involves acquisition
of right-of-way, permitting with federal, state, and local agencies,
project design, and contract construction and administration.
Each year, work occurs on approximately 10 projects, with a
portion of those in the design  phase
and a portion in construction. This number can vary depending
upon the size and complexity of the projects chosen.
An identification of typical project costs is: structural overlays
($350,000 per mile), rural roadway reconstruction ($1,000,000 per
mile), urban roadway reconstruction ($1,800,000 per mile), traffic
signals ($300,000 each), and bridge replacement ($170 per square
foot).
Roads and bridges in good condition are essential to ensure
efficient, safe, and reliable transportation corridors for commerce
and everyday use by the public. Public Works aggressively works to
secure matching state and federal funds on projects to ensure that
the citizens of Whatcom County receive the maximum return on their
tax dollars.
The D/C section supports
Maintenance & Operations (M&O) through technical engineering
and survey support. Other sections of Public Works also receive
these technical services. Conversely, the D/C section receives
hydraulic engineering design from Development Review and River &
Flood sections as well as traffic data and analysis from the Traffic
section. They also require permit support from Planning & Development
Services and maintenance and day labor support for allowable construction
projects from M&O.
 The
accomplishment of the Annual Road Construction Program, by
Engineering, requires assistance from the Finance Department Purchasing
section. Purchasing, in concert with the D/C section, goes out
to bid on a number of projects each year. The D/C section produces
a set of engineering plans and specifications (Contract Documents)
that Purchasing advertises for bid submittals and then conducts
a bid opening. This process also involves the coordination of review,
award, and execution with County Council, of a contract with the
successful private contractor. The D/C section also supports the
actual construction project by providing inspection and construction
engineering to insure successful project completion.
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