Coversheet


Agenda Item 3.2


TRANSPORTATION AGENCY FOR MONTEREY COUNTY *Memorandum*

To:	Executive Committee
From:	Debra L. Hale, Executive Director
Meeting Date:	August 1, 2018
Subject:	Out of State Travel for Ex Officio Member

RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE funding for out-of-state travel for Caltrans staff to attend the American Public Works Association to receive national award for the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge replacement project.

SUMMARY:
Caltrans received a national award from the American Public Works Association for its replacement of the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge as an innovative Disaster & Emergency Repair project. Due to state restrictions, Caltrans headquarters did not approve District 5's request to attend the awards ceremony.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The estimated cost for a one-day registration, lodging and flight is approximately $1,600. The APWA Monterey Bay chapter has approved a $800 stipend for Caltrans, and expenses in excess of this amount would be paid by TAMC out of its Travel and Training budget. There are sufficient funds in this line item to cover this cost.

DISCUSSION:

Caltrans did a tremendous job of replacing the Pfeiffer Canyon bridge, which was destroyed in winter storms. By bringing to bear emergency resources and creative strategies, a project that would normally take 8 years to develop and construct was open to the public within 8 months. This effort was undertaken because the bridge closure divided the Big Sur community in half and required all motor vehicles to take a circuitous, multi-hour detour around the closure. Caltrans allowed the community to create a temporary path so that residents could walk from one side of the bridge to another, and worked with local leaders to keep residents and businesses informed of the construction status. An innovative "launch" technique was used to lay the bridge span efficiently within the constrained canyon, while minimizing impacts. A time lapse view of the bridge launch can be found on YouTube under "Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge Timelapse".

Caltrans and primary contractor Golden State Bridge received an award from the Monterey Bay Chapter for project of the year and received a national APWA award for Disaster & Emergency Repair, $5 Million to $25 million, which is a tremendous honor. Unfortunately, due to state travel restrictions, District 5 did not receive approval for funding to travel to the Public Works Exposition awards ceremony to accept this award. In the spirit of supporting our transportation partner and ex officio TAMC Board member, the Executive Director proposes that our Agency share in the relatively nominal cost to send a Caltrans District 5 representative to the conference to accept the award. Ms Hale is an APWA national committee member and will be on hand to share in the awards celebration with Caltrans.