Over the past year, VMS has conducted value
studies for the following clients:
California
Dept. of Transportation City
of Fontana, CA City
of New York, NY
Golden
Gate Bridge District
Santa
Clara Valley Trans. Authority U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers U.S.
Navy
Provided below is a small sample of VMS, Inc. projects.
Information Technology / Telecommunications Complex
Consolidation -
Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Lejeune, Jacksonville, North Carolina
The goal of this Function Analysis Concept Development (FACD)
workshop was to develop a design concept that demonstrates the
feasibility of constructing the project to meet the users’
functional needs, within budget constraints and scope parameters.The basic FACD approach uses function analysis techniques and
the Value Engineering (VE) job plan to bring the owners, users, and
stakeholders into the design process and incorporate their needs
into the concept designs.
This project adds a new Communications and Administrative Facility
to the renovations of existing Building 24 located within Camp
Lejeune.In addition to
the renovations and additions to Building 24, the project includes a
Cable Storage Shed, Base Telephone Facility, Equipment Yard,
Enterprise Land Mobile Radio (ELMR)/Radio Maintenance Facility,
HAZMAT Building, and POV and GOV parking area within the compound.
The need for the new Complex is associated with “Grow the Force”
mandate starting in fiscal year 2007, which increases the
telecommunication load at the installation.The Marine Corps is expected to continue to grow over the
next five years and will require additional information technology
and telecommunications support for its on-going and anticipated
mission.
The FACD team, end users, other stakeholders, and interested parties
generated 69 ideas for change during the Function Analysis and
Creative Ideas phases of the VE Job Plan.Of the 69 ideas generated, 25 of them were sufficiently rated
to warrant further investigation.Continued research and development of these ideas yielded 16
alternatives and 3 design suggestions for change with an impact on
the project.Cost
savings of the 16 resulting VE alternatives totaled $4,445,000.
Using the VE Job Plan, and with the incorporation of the VE
Alternatives, the resulting Final FACD Concept’s base bid was
$40,497,559 which was $502,441 under the design-to cost of
$42,000,000.
Doyle Drive -
San Francisco, CA
The Doyle Drive project consists of improving
the seismic, structural, and traffic safety of Doyle Drive within the setting and context
of the Presidio of San Francisco and its purpose as a National Park.
A portion of Route 101, Doyle Drive winds
one and a half miles along the northern edge of
San Francisco and connects the San
Francisco
peninsula to the Golden GateBridge and the
North Bay.
Constructed almost 60 years ago to provide direct access to the Golden GateBridge,
Doyle Drive
had deteriorated structurally and could not accommodate the existing
traffic volume. The problems included lanes that were too narrow by
2 to 3 feet, a lack of a barrier separating opposing traffic flows,
and a lack of shoulders for use by disabled vehicles, maintenance
crews, and emergency and enforcement vehicles.As of 1992, Doyle Drive was experiencing almost three
times the normal number of accidents for a facility of its type.
VMS conducted two VA studies on this $600
million project.The
first, conducted during the project’s early planning stages, defined
and evaluated possible project alternatives and assisted in the
selection of the preferred project alternative. The second VA study,
conducted after completion of the final Environmental Impact
Statement Report, recommended design, construction, and staging
alternatives that could reduce the project costs in order to assist
the stakeholder agencies in funding the project.
As a result of the first VA study, a fifth alternative, the Presidio Parkway, was added to the list of
alternatives for more detailed study.The Presidio
Parkway
design replaces the existing structures with a new parkway-type
roadway that includes short tunnels, new access, and improved views
from within the Presidio. In comparison to the tunnel alternatives
it was determined that Alternative 5, the Presidio Parkway, would
provide all the benefits and functions of the other design
alternatives with less cost, construction duration, and environmental impact.
The areas of potential value
improvements resulting from the second VA study were grouped into
the following categories: revised strategy for replacement parking,
revised configuration of Park Presidio Interchange, implement
long-term closures of local movements, implement a temporary
mainline crossover to allow whole project to be constructed in lieu
of piecemeal, and improved construction sequencing due to improved
access and reduction in complexity of stage construction.
Based
on the results of the second VA workshop, the project’s stakeholders
accepted a total of $127 million in cost reduction concepts or over
21% of the project’s total construction cost.These cost savings and performance improvements allowed the
project, which had been delayed due to funding constraints and other
stakeholder concerns, to proceed into final design and construction.
Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Retrofit Phase III -
San Francisco, CA
This VE Study conducted by the Golden GateBridge,
Highway and Trans-portation District (the District), and facilitated
by Value Management Strategies, Inc.,
was intended to develop new roadway deck types for the North
Anchorage Housing roadway deck/roof, with a focus on constructibility.
The VE team developed five alternatives, three of
which were deck/roof rehabilitation or replacement options.One alternative dealt with the sidewalks only, and one
described an overlay concept.
The VE alternative to use cast-in-place concrete
box girder for the sidewalks was accepted modified, in that a
cast-in-place reinforced concrete slab on steel stringers will be
used.The alternatives
to rehabilitate the deck, or to overlay the deck with a polymer
concrete, were rejected because the existing deck spalling and
cracking has led to the determination that the deck should be
replaced.
For the bridge deck, a precast post-tensioned
reinforced concrete T-beam slab system was selected. The VA
alternatives for precast box girders and precast pre-tensioned slabs
were rejected, primarily because installation of the post-tensioning
would be expensive and difficult under the contractual lane closure
provisions required; in addition, the stressing sequence required
would also be greatly influenced by the lane closure restrictions.
The VE study was beneficial to the District
because it provided validation of the final design scheme included
in their design phase.
Their chosen system allows for the most adjustment flexibility
during installation, creates a structural diaphragm without
post-tensioning, is least prone to fatigue, and is easy to maintain.
Antlers Bridge Replacement - Lake Shasta, CA
This
project proposes to replace the existing Antlers Bridge, on Interstate 5, which
spans the Sacramento River arm of Lake Shasta. Included in the scope is
consideration to modify the centerline alignment of the freeway to improve radii
of the two curves immediately south of the structure. Depending on the concepts
adopted, the new structure will have two 3.6-meter northbound lanes, three
3.6-meter southbound lanes, a 6.6-meter median, and 3.0-meter shoulders.
The original estimated cost of the project was approximately $105 million.
The VMS led
Value Analysis team developed eleven VA alternatives, six of which were
organized into two sets. Of these alternatives, two were accepted and three
others were identified as conditionally accepted. One of the accepted
alternatives resulted in the adoption of a new highway alignment that will
improve the horizontal geometry and save over $12 million in construction
costs. Another accepted alternative will allow the contractor to develop a
temporary boat ramp for construction purposes on the west side of the north
abutment for staging purposes. These two alternatives resulted in a net
performance improvement of 19% with an increase in total value by 35%.
Inland Empire Transportation Management Center
- Fontana, CA
The
California Department of Transportation’s District 8, encompassing Riverside and
San Bernardino counties, has partnered with two local transportation agencies to
plan and construct a new Transportation Management Center (TMC). Facility design
is currently scheduled to begin in December 2004, with construction starting in
February 2007, and move-in planned for June 2008. This facility will co-locate
the California Highway patrol’s 911 Emergency Response operations with Caltrans
traffic management operations in this facility. The TMC will
consist of a 2-story base isolated structure with a total floor space area of
45,000 square feet. An 80- to 120-foot communications tower will be constructed
on the site for the TMC. A Park and Ride lot of approximately 200 spaces will
be developed as part of the TMC. The TMC would be designed to meet the
requirements of the Essential Services Act of 1986 and will accommodate a staff
of approximately 175 employees, which will be moved from two facilities in the
City of San Bernardino.
The project is currently in the early
stages of design development. The budget for the project per the Project Study
Report, dated September 13, 2001, is approximately $30 million.
The VMS, Inc. led Value Analysis team identified 21
VA alternatives that recommend improvements to all aspects of the design.
The VA alternatives have the potential of saving over $2 million in
construction costs and $5 million in life cycle costs while improving project
performance by nearly 50%.
SR 29 / SR 12 Interchange Improvements
- Napa, CA
VMS recently completed a
challenging project for the California Dept. of Transportation. The SR
29/SR 12 Interchange Improvements project is being developed in order to improve
operations and traffic safety at the current junction, which is a signalized,
at-grade intersection. The original Project Study Report identified eight build
alternatives to be further studied during the Project Approval Environmental
Document (PA/ED) phase. The alternatives included three at-grade improvements
(two of which are low cost alternatives), upgrading the intersection to an
interchange with a tight diamond, single point or partial cloverleaf
configuration, including a low cost interchange alternative, and constructing a
flyover for the Route 29 southbound to Route 12 eastbound traffic movement.
The estimated capital costs range from $26 million
for the tight diamond interchange to $42 million for the partial cloverleaf
interchange. This intersection is being studied at the request of the Napa
County Transportation Planning Agency (NCTPA).
The VMS, inc. led Value Analysis team developed
seven alternatives for improvement of the project. One of the most important
alternatives, which has subsequently been identified as the "preferred"
alternative, is a modified single point urban interchange. This alternative
will dramatically improve project performance by approximately 60%.
Another innovative VA alternative would acquire a construction easement south of
the existing alignment in order to construct a temporary facility to maintain
traffic while SR 12 is reconstructed and the new overcrossing is built. This
alternative would significantly improve construction staging, reduce the
construction schedule by half a year, and save $10's of millions in highway-user
costs.
Bowery Bay Water Pollution Control Plant
- Queens, NY
The
Bowery Bay Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP) is located on Berrian Boulevard
in Astoria, Queens, New York. It began operation in 1939 and serves the western
portion of the Borough of Queens. The Bowery Bay WPCP has undergone a
series of expansions and upgrades over the years with major construction
projects occurring in 1940, 1949, 1954, and 1971-75. The plant is currently
undergoing an upgrade which includes new raw sewage pumps, return activated
sludge (RAS) pumps for 100% RAS flow, primary tank skimming equipment,
hypochlorination equipment, and a residuals handling building.
The plant is a step-aeration activated
sludge plant designed for an average dry weather flow of 150 million gallons per
day (mgd). Maximum primary treatment capacity is 300 mgd. Secondary treatment
facilities can handle 225 mgd, which is one and one-half times the average dry
weather flow. The estimated average daily flow for 1990 was 159 mgd and the mean
dry weather flow was 143 mgd. Two intercepting sewers, one low level and one
high level, convey wastewater to the plant. The invert of the low level
interceptor as it enters the plant is at elevation -36.1 feet below the invert
of the high level sewer. Treated effluent is discharged into the Rikers Island
Channel through a 10-foot diameter outfall.
The reconciled cost estimate places the
construction value of the proposed upgrades at approximately $106 million with a
target completion date of December 31, 2010. The original proposed plan was
estimated at $149 million.
The VMS, Inc. led VA Study identified 29
alternatives and 27 design suggestions. Of these, 33 were accepted for a
total of $3.8 million in savings. Four additional alternatives are being
studied further, which could yield an additional $2 million.
This
project proposes to replace the existing Antlers Bridge, on Interstate 5, which
spans the Sacramento River arm of Lake Shasta. Included in the scope is
consideration to modify the centerline alignment of the freeway to improve radii
of the two curves immediately south of the structure. Depending on the concepts
adopted, the new structure will have two 3.6-meter northbound lanes, three
3.6-meter southbound lanes, a 6.6-meter median, and 3.0-meter shoulders.
The original estimated cost of the project was approximately $105 million.
VMS recently completed a
challenging project for the California Dept. of Transportation. The SR
29/SR 12 Interchange Improvements project is being developed in order to improve
operations and traffic safety at the current junction, which is a signalized,
at-grade intersection. The original Project Study Report identified eight build
alternatives to be further studied during the Project Approval Environmental
Document (PA/ED) phase. The alternatives included three at-grade improvements
(two of which are low cost alternatives), upgrading the intersection to an
interchange with a tight diamond, single point or partial cloverleaf
configuration, including a low cost interchange alternative, and constructing a
flyover for the Route 29 southbound to Route 12 eastbound traffic movement. 
The
Bowery Bay Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP) is located on Berrian Boulevard
in Astoria, Queens, New York. It began operation in 1939 and serves the western
portion of the Borough of Queens. The Bowery Bay WPCP has undergone a
series of expansions and upgrades over the years with major construction
projects occurring in 1940, 1949, 1954, and 1971-75. The plant is currently
undergoing an upgrade which includes new raw sewage pumps, return activated
sludge (RAS) pumps for 100% RAS flow, primary tank skimming equipment,
hypochlorination equipment, and a residuals handling building. 
