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Downtown Redmond Link Extension Earns Envision Platinum Award for Sustainability

8-December-2022

Downtown Redmond Station construction progress October 11, 2022. Photo courtesy Sound Transit.

Sound Transit’s new light rail project that will bring service to downtown Redmond, Washington, has been awarded an Envision Platinum Award, with sustainable achievements across five areas of Envision. Sound Transit is building the extension with parters who include Jacobs (Lead Design Firm), Stacy and Witbeck/Kuney, a Joint Venture; WSP, Hatch LTK, Hensel Phelps, and Modern Railway Systems.

The Downtown Redmond Link Extension Project (DRLE) is a 3.4-mile light rail extension that includes new surface and elevated guideway structures, stations at Marymoor Village and Downtown Redmond, a parking garage, and associated utility, drainage, environmental, and roadway improvements. Currently under construction, this project will extend Sound Transit’s 2 line from the future Redmond Technology Station providing residents and commuters in Redmond with direct light rail service to Overlake, Bellevue, Mercer Island, downtown Seattle, the University of Washington, Northgate, Lynnwood, SeaTac Airport and Federal Way.

QUOTES:

“Doing this well on the first attempt at Envision verification is testament to Sound Transit’s long and deep commitment to excellence in sustainability. We are proud of this achievement and look forward to continuing our work to provide environmentally friendly public transit that connects people throughout the Puget Sound region to where they live, work and play.”

— Kimberly Farley, Sound Transit Chief System Officer

“SWK and Jacobs are excited to achieve Envision Platinum for the Sound Transit Downtown Redmond Link Extension project. Exceeding the original goal of Envision Silver and earning Envision Platinum recognition is a testament to the collective vision of Sound Transit, WSP, SWK and Jacobs and their pursuit of continual sustainability improvement,. We are very proud to be a part of this tremendous effort to advance more sustainable and resilient infrastructure and deliver a project that adds lasting value to the region.”

— Zach Adams, SWK Deputy Project Manager

“We are pleased to announce an Envision Platinum Award for the Downtown Redmond Link Extension project. The high level of stakeholder engagement, the emphasis on renewable energy sources, and the importance given to protecting the environment during construction are among the sustainable achievements that have set this project apart.”

— Melissa Peneycad, ISI managing director

This award recognizes Envision-verified achievements on this project related to:

— Providing sustainable transportation options;
— Empowering communities through meaningful engagement;
— Using renewable energy;
— Improving the quality and reliability of infrastructure services; and
— Protecting the environment.

View the full announcement in our Project Directory.

York Region’s 2nd Concession Project receives Envision Bronze Award

6-December-2022

ISI has awarded an Envision Bronze Award for sustainable infrastructure to the 2nd Concession Project, a major north-south arterial corridor under the jurisdiction of the Regional Municipality of York (York Region). Located in the Town of East Gwillimbury, this is the second project in Ontario to earn an Envision award for sustainability and the first project in the transportation sector in the province to do so.

The project in brief

The 2nd Concession project—the largest project ever undertaken by York Region’s Transportation Services Department—was a necessary investment in infrastructure to accommodate the tremendous growth in York Region and the Town of East Gwillimbury in particular. The six-kilometer corridor, extending from Bristol Road to Queensville Sideroad, crosses the Rogers Reservoir, a popular conservation area and recreational trail in the East Holland River watershed, which the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority manages.

This project widened the 2nd Concession from two lanes to four and included trails, three bridges, retaining walls, active transportation facilities, and stormwater management.

Some of the unique elements of this project included:

—An elevated wooden boardwalk through wetlands and marshes connecting forests with growing residential communities.
—Benches, bike racks, and a flagstone meeting area.
—A wooden-clad pedestrian bridge in the Rogers Reservoir overlooks the historic canal and lock system, which the project protected and preserved.
—Bridges spanning an active rail corridor and the Holland River.
—Curvilinear and terraced tree-patterned retaining walls.
—Dedicated cycle tracks (the first in the Region).

Quotes

“Congratulations to York Region and its project partners on earning an Envision Bronze award for sustainable infrastructure for the 2nd Concession project. This award results from tremendous teamwork, leadership, and community collaboration. Everyone in the area should be proud of this achievement. Protecting and enhancing the corridor area as an important resource for residents was given high priority in the planning and construction of the project, with a context-sensitive design maintaining or improving the natural systems and community quality of life aspects receiving careful attention.”
—  Melissa Peneycad, ISI’s managing director.

“Yesterday was the first time we took our dogs for a walk along 2nd Concession. The view from the bridge is amazing. The viewing platforms on the bridge are a nice touch. The boardwalk for the trail blends in well with the environment. You and your staff have done a wonderful job on this project.”

— R.W. a long-time resident living in the project corridor

This project had verified sustainability achievements in the following areas, among others: meaningful stakeholder engagement; improved infrastructure integration; improved mobility, safety and access; and wetland restoration.

View the full announcement in our Project Directory.

ISI Releases New Envision Credit Amendments

9-August-2022

Developed in collaboration with ISI’s Envision Review Board, two new credit amendments have been approved and are now on ISI users’ dashboards — amendments #008 and #009 (part of the Credit Amendments (v3) consolidated package under “Verification Resources” at https://v4.sustainableinfrastructure.org/login). Users can refer to the resource shown with a red box in the screenshot below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Envision guidance manual is the official reference for project assessments. Credit Amendments from ISI modify the manual to clarify how Envision credits are assessed and verified in certain situations encountered by real projects.

As a reminder, ENV SPs and other Envision users should periodically check your dashboard every few months to be sure they have the most up-to-date resources as ISI may add or amend resources at any time.

East Side Coastal Resiliency Project Receives Envision Gold Award for Sustainability

1-August-2022

The East Side Coastal Resiliency project uses a series of berms, flood walls, flood gates and raised parklands to create a continuous 2.4-mile barrier to protect 110,000 residents of the Lower East Side in Manhattan from future coastal and tidal flooding.

NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) Commissioner Thomas Foley announced Aug. 1 that the East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) Project, which is enhancing parks while creating a 2.4-mile long flexible flood barrier extending from Montgomery Street on Manhattan’s Lower East Side up to Asser Levy Playground at East 25th Street, has been awarded “Envision Gold” for sustainability from ISI.

ESCR is a $1.45-billion climate resiliency project that will provide flood protection and improve open spaces for more than 110,000 New Yorkers, including 28,000 residents in NYCHA housing. This is especially significant for neighborhoods in the ESCR project area that were severely impacted by Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Managed by DDC, the project involves significant upgrades to public open spaces and five parks, including improved waterfront access through reconstructed bridges and entry points. It will also upgrade existing sewer systems to capture and manage precipitation during storms.

Quotes:

NYC Department of Design and Construction Commissioner Thomas Foley: “DDC is honored to bring flood protection and improve open spaces for 110,000 New Yorkers who were affected by Sandy and who live in an area with limited recreational opportunities. DDC and all of City government are taking climate change seriously and targeting our efforts to the communities that need it most. I’d like to thank the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure for recognizing this project with its Envision Gold Award.”

Mayor Eric Adams: “It is affirmational to be honored for our work to protect New Yorkers from the impacts of climate change. In the face of the biggest environmental threat we all face – we will continue to plan ahead, innovate, and get stuff done for New Yorkers.”

View the full announcement in our Project Directory.

The City of Coral Gables’ Cocoplum 1 Pump Station earns Envision Bronze Award

19-July-2022

The Cocoplum 1 Pump Station, owned by the City of Coral Gables, Florida, has earned an Envision Bronze award, recognizing stakeholder involvement and delivery of community benefits, climate resilience, and protection of the surrounding lands.

The upgrades to the wastewater system in this project are the latest example of the infrastructure owner’s commitment to sustainability: the City of Coral Gables has more than 20 public works officials who are Envision Sustainability Professionals (credentialed professionals trained in the use of the Envision sustainable infrastructure framework and rating system), and it has also pledged to use Envision on other city infrastructure projects. 

Hazen and Sawyer was the lead Envision firm on this project.  The project partners included Miami-Dade County, Hazen and Sawyer, and David Mancini & Sons, Inc.

The upgrades included replacing the force main and upsizing the capacity of the station pumps, eliminating the need for Pump Station D to repump Cocoplum 1 station flows and improving system reliability. The project also widens an existing bike path along the force main route on Cocoplum Road and installs a sidewalk between Cocoplum Road and Sinsonte Avenue in response to a request from the local Homeowners Association (HOA). Design elements to improve the resilience of the Pump Station include the installation of a backup emergency generator, the use of more durable materials, and the elevation of critical equipment to avoid damage from flooding and sea level rise.

Verified Sustainability Achievements

—Improving overall community quality of life
—Involving stakeholder
—Avoiding natural world impacts
—Increasing project resilience

Quotes

“This is a great Utilities Division accomplishment, but the results will benefit everyone,” explains Jose Saucedo, Senior Project Manager at City of Coral Gables. “We’re very happy for this achievement.”

Melissa Peneycad, ISI’s Managing Director: “Public works projects provide excellent opportunities to address a range of community needs. And this project is no exception. In addition to implementing the necessary upgrades to resolve the initial moratorium and keep the pump station functioning now and well into the future, the project team has also incorporated other elements to improve community livability, such as improving an existing bike lane used by residents, installing a new sidewalk, and ensuring the traditional aesthetic character of the community is preserved by this project.”

View the full announcement in our Project Directory.

Iconic Sixth Street Viaduct in Los Angeles earns Envision Platinum

13-July-2022

Photo courtesy of Skanska-Stacy and Witbeck (SSW).

The Sixth Street Viaduct, the largest bridge project in the history of Los Angeles, has earned an Envision Platinum award for sustainability, specifically for addressing community needs, adding significant public space and amenities, and improving community safety and resiliency.

The $588-million project is funded by the Federal Highway Transportation Administration, the California Department of Transportation, and the City of Los Angeles. The City’s Bureau of Engineering, under the leadership of City Engineer Gary Lee Moore and in partnership with the City’s Bureau of Contract Administration, led the development of the new Sixth Street Viaduct Replacement Project.

The new bridge was designed by HNTB Corp, with HNTB the Engineer and Architect of Record, in collaboration with Los Angeles architect Michael Maltzan Associates and Danish architect Dissing+Weitling. Construction of the bridge was delivered through CMGC and led by a joint venture of contractors Skanska-Stacy and Witbeck (SSW).

“The Ribbon of Light,” as the viaduct has been dubbed, opened with a July 9th public celebration held on the viaduct followed by full opening to traffic on July 10th, 2022.

Verified Sustainability Achievements

—Providing much-needed public space and amenities.
—Improving community safety and incorporating alternative modes of transportation into the project’s design.
—Rebuilding an iconic structure.
—Supporting long-term sustainable growth and development.
—Incorporating resiliency into the design.

Quote

“The City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering is proud to deliver the largest bridge project in the city’s history,” said Gary Lee Moore, City Engineer. “The new viaduct looks to the future and will unite the community with a multi-model structure that will be a destination point for both residents and visitors. This project is an example of what future infrastructure projects should strive to achieve through collaboration with stakeholders and the delivery of a project that improves community mobility, quality of life, safety and resilience. The Sixth Street Viaduct has achieved these sustainable goals, as shown by the Platinum Envision award.”

View the full announcement in our Project Directory.

New Saco River Water Drinking Water Resource

13-July-2022

The Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) has awarded Maine Water Company’s Saco River Drinking Water Resource Center the Envision Silver Award for sustainable infrastructure. The center treats and filters water from the Saco River in Biddeford, Maine so that 40,000 people in the communities of Biddeford, Saco, Old Orchard Beach and Pine Point have a reliable supply of high-quality drinking water that meets all state and federal drinking water standards.

This award recognizes the success of the project team in achieving sustainability goals in these areas:

— Leadership in sustainability
— Use of renewable energy
— Protecting surface and groundwater sources
— Wetland restorage
— Preparing for long-term adaptability

On behalf of Maine Water employees and the company, we are pleased to be the first project in New England to receive a Silver Level Award from ISI. When it became clear that our 1884 drinking water plant needed to be replaced, we were intentional about demonstrating our long-held commitment to the environment and sustainability. The Saco River Drinking Water Resource Center will be a source of high-quality drinking water for decades and generations to come and will do so responsibly. We thank our partners Hazen and Sawyer and MWH who shared our passion and commitment to the project and its sustainability.

View the full announcement in our Project Directory.

Terminal Expansion Project at Port of Vancouver Receives Envision Platinum Award

31-May-2022

The Centerm Expansion Project and the South Shore Access Project at the Port of Vancouver have obtained an Envision Platinum Award for Sustainability.

This design-build project centers on terminal expansion and improvements which will increase container and vessel handling capacity, but includes off-terminal improvements to the adjacent road and rail network. The combined project will help meet the increasing export and import demand for containers shipped through the Port of Vancouver.

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is concurrently delivering these improvements with project partner WSP Canada, Inc. (the lead Envision Firm); AECOM; Centennial Expansion Partners (CXP), a joint venture between Dragados Canada, Jacob Brothers Construction, and Fraser River Pile & Dredge Inc.

This award recognizes the success of the project team in achieving sustainability goals in these areas:

— Prioritizing the needs and goals of the local communities through meaningful investments.
— Meaningful and credible stakeholder engagement.
— Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) and air pollutant emissions
— Sustainable siting and innovative marine restoration.

View the full announcement in our Project Directory.

Bologna Bypass Project Earns an Envision Platinum Award

25-May-2022

A key upgrade to the Italian city’s highway connector system, the project focused on the creation of well-integrated infrastructure in collaboration with stakeholders, systematically reducing noise and air pollution. The project also emphasized social and economic benefits, including the extension of parkland and the addition of 20 km of cycling paths. 4.5 million fewer hours of road travel per year will result, translating to 1,350 tons less carbon dioxide.

Serving as a vital transportation node for Italy and providing a strategic artery for a leading national manufacturer, the Bologna highway system is closely tied to the country’s economic prosperity.

This is the first highway infrastructure project in Europe to obtain a Platinum Award under Envision®. At a cost of €1.5 billion, the bypass will strengthen the urban section of the A14 expressway linking Bologna, Bari, and Taranto with an extension of approximately 13 kilometers. While retaining connections with the A1 expressway linking Milan and Naples, and the A13 (Bologna-Padua) expressway, the bypass speeds up access to Bologna via the city’s ring road system.

Vehicles will spend approximately 4.5 million fewer hours on the road per year as a result of the project. This will significantly enhance the quality of life in local communities and reduce CO2 emissions in metropolitan Bologna substantially (1,350 tons per year).

A significant feature of this project was that the design addressed not only the needs of vehicular traffic, but also the necessity of connecting the A14 highway with other transportation modes, all informed by a strong network logic. The purpose was to integrate the bypass with key urban junctions and existing local infrastructure in a way that would generate socioeconomic value, maximize benefits and promote sustainability.

A public-private partnership (PPP) project, the Bologna bypass also benefited from the strong work of an interdisciplinary project team emphasizing transparency and broad stakeholder involvement throughout the design process. With this foundation, a transformative project took shape focusing on the environment, innovation, and mobility.

Learn more about why this project earned a Platinum rating by visiting the Project Profile

Long Beach Municipal Urban Stormwater Treatment Facility

14-April-2022

The Long Beach Municipal Urban Stormwater Treatment Project (LB-MUST) is a comprehensive and innovative regional project.

It will intercept and treat dry weather runoff, and first-flush storm flows generated within the City of Long Beach before discharging to the Los Angeles River and Estuary. The centralized downstream advanced treatment facility has a planned capacity capable of collecting and diverting approximately 41% of the City’s 12,200-acre watershed.

The LB-MUST is a prime example of a project in the Lower Los Angeles River Watershed that provides incentives for water agencies throughout each watershed to collaborate in managing the region’s water resources and setting regional priorities for water infrastructure and improving the region’s water self-reliance. This is a multi-benefit infrastructure project that achieves many essential goals such as:

— Advancing local hire and job training goals.

— Using nature-based solutions.

— Providing benefits to disadvantaged communities and economically distressed areas.

— Providing inspiration and education to other agencies and the community, such as delivering multi-benefit solutions to address community challenges.

Colin Averill, PE, Civil Engineer, City of Long Beach Public Works, Engineering Bureau: “Long Beach continues its commitment to improving water quality by delivering an innovative project to treat stormwater and urban runoff with capacity for a substantial portion of the City’s watershed. Sustainability extends beyond the project limits with water reuse, community, and environmental benefits that will support expanded greenspace along the LA River.”

View the full announcement in the Project Directory.