As part of a $5 million, 5-year indefinite quantity contract for general hydraulic engineering services for the State of Hawaii, Department of Transportation (HDOT), WEST is conducting scour evaluations for 120 bridges on the Big Island of Hawaii. HDOT prioritized these bridges for evaluation because their scour ratings unexpectedly changed and need to be investigated. Scour is defined as “the erosion or removal of streambed or bank material from bridge foundations due to flowing water.” Scour is the most common cause of highway bridge failures in the United States.

Phases of work include office research, site visits, hydrologic calculations, hydraulic modeling, scour evaluations, permitting (subconsultant), geotechnical investigations (subconsultant), structural calculations (subconsultant), and plan of action development for scour critical bridges. The project is time-sensitive with a schedule of less than two years.

HDOT selected WEST in recognition of specialized experience and technical competence, qualifications, past performance on previous and current contracts, and capacity to accomplish work. WEST’s broad portfolio of experience with thousands of bridge projects, including current work for 65 bridges on Oahu, also informed this selection.

Learn more

The mission of the Highways Division of HDOT is to maximize available resources to provide a safe, efficient, accessible, and sustainable State Highway System that ensures the mobility of people and goods, and supports economic vitality and livability. To learn more, visit: https://hidot.hawaii.gov/highways/. 

To learn about WEST’s bridge hydraulic and scour analyses and related services supporting local, national, and international initiatives, see: www.westconsultants.com/services/hydraulics/.