Project Overview
Over the last several years, Livonia Public Schools (LPS) has selected several schools for capital pavement improvements as part of Sinking Fund Programming. Since 2015, LPS has retained NTH for the site/civil design and construction contract administration services for pavement replacement at the chosen schools. This included assisting with bidding, helping choose a contractor, and providing assistance during construction. The 2019 LPS Pavement Program included work at seven schools under LPS’ jurisdiction; each with their own unique site constraints and challenges.
Project Scope
The scope of services at each of the seven schools included pavement design, SESC plans, demolition plans, grading design, and standard pavement details designed specifically for this project to meet LPS Standards, along with project submission and permitting assistance. NTH provided project specifications for the asphalt, concrete, aggregate base, excavation, grading, stormwater management devices, and all other applicable site/civil items.
NTH also facilitated ease of construction by coordinating pavement undercuts with the contractor and third-party testing company. Areas with poor subgrade were dug out and replaced with MDOT 21AA aggregate to ensure the new pavement would be placed upon a supportive base, which will help the proposed pavement last well into the future, rather than cracking in the same spots in a few years’ time. NTH assisted and provided guidance throughout construction, including coordination with the contractor and third-party testing company, as well as site visits and the undercut detail and specifications.
In addition, each school had its own unique requirements. One of the schools’ main pickup and drop-off area was ill-equipped to handle the daily traffic flow each day after school. NTH sub-contracted a traffic engineering firm to perform a traffic study, and together designed a new pickup and drop-off area layout that organized bus and vehicular traffic flows in a highly efficient layout, while providing extra parking spaces for staff. This new layout turned this previously congested area into one that is significantly safer for pedestrians and vehicles alike, by providing protected walkways for pedestrians, separating bus and vehicular traffic, and establishing intuitive traffic routes and parking areas.
At a different school site, NTH designed the main parking lot layout to maximize the number of spaces available on-site. However, during construction, the owner received word from users that the new parking lot striping felt a little too tight. NTH rapidly developed three new layouts that incorporated the client’s new requests and created a straightforward yet comprehensive comparison of each alternative. After incorporating feedback from all users and the client, the lot was re-striped in a more desirable way, in a compressed schedule, while still providing an overall increase in parking spaces on-site.
Client Benefit
NTH’s experience with pavement design, rehabilitation, and site/civil design provided the client with a high-quality site layout and pavement that will last for an extended service life while balancing cost and maintenance concerns.
