Granite has been awarded Options W.3A, W.3B and W.4 for the Polychrome Area Improvements Construction Manager/General Contractor (CM/GC) project by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in Denali National Park in Alaska. These construction options, with a combined value of $24,586,571, complete long-lead procurements, fabrication of the steel truss bridge, and construction engineering and fabrication of temporary works for a bridge launching system. This combination of awards brings the total value of awarded options and modifications to $95,634,019 since preconstruction began in January 2023.

The final package of work remaining to be negotiated, Option Y, includes supply of miscellaneous materials,erection of the bridge, construction of back walls and approaches, and installation of the thermosyphon system. Option Y design is complete, and negotiation for the construction contract is expected to take place in November this year. These recently awarded options provide for time-sensitive procurement of materials necessary for a fully productive 2024 construction season.

Work planned for the 2024 season includes construction of the bridge abutments and temporary launching system, enabling bridge erection the following season in 2025. The Polychrome Area Improvements project is at the pretty Rocks Landslide which intersects Denali Park Road near its midpoint at Mile 45.4. The project scope includes construction of an approximately 475-foot-long single-span steel truss bridge to span the active landslide. Supporting the bridge and improving ground conditions is a combination of earthwork, micro piles, rock anchors, precast concrete abutments, and thermosyphons.

Thermosyphons are part of a passive heat exchange system designed to prevent permafrost fromawing and creating instability. The CM/GC project delivery method involves the contractor during the design and planning phases, offering a lower risk profile for both the contractor and the owner while increasing the overall value to taxpayers. This process is designed to promote collaboration and to solicit value-adding feedback from the contractor.