Services: Construction Management, Project and Program Managememt

WHB Engineers has extensive experience providing Construction Engineering Support.  We routinely are engaged by local agencies to assist in value engineering, bid support, construction submittals, construction staking, contract administration, construction claims and disputes, and project closeouts. 

One example occurred at the 18 acre subdivision in Los Altos Hills, CA.  We worked closely with the developer to assist with contractor selection and contract preparation.  We managed coordination between the Owner, Contractor, and local agency stakeholders (including environmental agencies when a sensitive bird habitat was discovered on site at the onset of construction). 

Prior to construction, WHB reviewed the Contractor’s submittals and shop drawings for conformance with the plans and specifications.  The site and design constraints were incredibly unique and required a custom storm drain hydromodification structure, bioretention facilities, and an equestrian bridge.  These items required detailed shop drawing review.

During construction, we provided field inspection and prepared minor design changes as needed.  We reviewed and responded to Request for Information and assisted the Owner with responses to Contractor’s change orders. 

WHB maintained communications between the Owner, Contractor and Town staff during the two and a half years of construction and represented the Owner at many local agency meetings when the Owner was abroad.  Our responsibilities also included assistance with Tentative Map extensions, Final Map approval, and review of payment requests.

WHB was asked to provide construction management oversight. The project included a total of four phases: Abatement/Demolition of Existing Buildings, Site Work and Utilities, Main Building Construction, and Abatement/Demolition of Abandoned Biology and Physical Sciences Buildings.

From pre-construction through project closeout, WHB Engineers provided comprehensive project and construction management services. Our Senior Project Manager worked closely with the District in developing proposal packages to assist with the selection of the architectural firm (Smith Group) and the General Contractor (BHM Construction).

Our team prepared a budget estimate for hard and soft costs; a master project schedule that included all four phases of the project; prepared and managed the constructability review process; and prepared the front-end construction Division O and 1 documents.

The team used the District’s BMET project accounting system, EADOC for the web-based construction management of RFIs, submittals, memos, and other project documents. PlanGrid was used to track changes during construction and BIM was successfully used during design and construction to minimize change orders during construction. The project is net zero ready.

Some specific areas of focus in the construction of this facility that required added expertise and coordination efforts by the WHB team included the installation of laboratory gas and vacuum systems, emergency generator, chemical fume hoods, biological safety cabinets and the reverse osmosis/deionized water recirculation systems.

We take great enjoyment with working with private developers to guide and advocate for them during the subdivision map recordation process.  Several of our upper staff members are former public servants who have great understanding of the Subdivision Map Act and public sector’s nuanced requirements for entitlement approval.

Natoma Oaks is a tract of high end homes set above Matadero Creek.  WHB worked exhaustively with the developer and the Town throughout the map approval process.  The site featured a myriad of constraints including groves of heritage oaks, a protected creek bed, wildlife habitats, two dormant landslides, a deep colluvium deposit, and a hillside with slopes exceeding 100%.

The team performed design and construction management of the subdivision improvements.  WHB’s design is keenly considerate of the extremely sensitive site and features landslide and colluvium deposit stabilization measures along with stormwater hydromodification and bioretention facilities engineered to protect the creek for generations to come.  This project was the first project within the town to include bioretention.

WHB Engineers was selected to provide full construction management and inspection services for the City of Escondido’s $5,587,420 Gravity Sewer/Brine disposal pipeline.

The 15-inch diameter-PVC and 16-inch HDPE pipeline, will convey Brine produced from the Recycled Member Plant to a connection upstream of the City’s HARRF treatment facility. The project will construct 12,200 lineal feet (2.3 miles) of pipeline using a combination of open trench and trenchless construction including jack and bore and microtunneling. 

WHB Engineers is overseeing the projects State Water Resources Board, State Revolving Fund Loan construction requirements and environmental mitigation measures. WHB Engineers is also overseeing and enforcing the compliance with all permits, including the Caltrans Encroachment Permit and the NCTD Right of-Entry Permit. 

WHB Engineers is proactively addressing many construction challenges with the contractor CCL Contracting including four trenchless tunnel sections along the alignment. The alignment begins at the Harmony Grove crossing of the Escondido Creek channel, and continues east to the intersection of Broadway and Woodward generally following along the Escondido Creek and includes: 

• A 180 foot jack and bore section under Auto Parkway near the Kia Dealership and Auto Park Wash. 
• 340-foot trenchless tunnel through the Civic Center Plaza Shopping Center parking lot. 
• Micro-Tunnel section under the North County Transit District (NCTD) railroad tracks. 
• 100 foot jack and bore section under Center City Parkway. 
• Open Trench across Escondido Creek Near the NCTD facility.  
    

The alignment will be open trenched requiring dewatering across the Escondido Creek with siphons on either end. Pipeline will cross the Reidy Creek channel using open cut methods, and backfilled with CLSM. Siphons will be installed on either side of the creek crossing. 

Services Provided: Civil, Construction Management, Concrete Inspections, Labor Compliance, Change Order Management, Subcontractor Management, Payment Applications, Observations and Oversite 

Description: The FY 23-24 Concrete Improvements Project addresses the need for concrete repairs needed in more than 50 locations throughout the City of Pacifica.  This project enables the City to achieve compliance with modern ADA requirements (truncated domes and handicapped ramps) throughout the city footprint while also making necessary repairs to degraded concrete areas through the city.  This work was conducted in parallel with a city-wide asphalt overlay project occurring as the concrete work on this project was completed.  This required extensive coordination between contractors, City agencies, and affected residents.  Work is scheduled to be completed in August, 2023.