http://www.ohm-advisors.com. An APWA award-winning project, reconstructing Walton Boulevard, in the City of Auburn Hills, was no easy task. Start with 1.5 miles of road, an old bridge over a major freeway, and three government owners. Then, throw in high priority federal and state funding deadlines and a five month schedule to complete. No problem. If you're OHM, and you're committed to Advancing Communities!

1. Walton Boulevard
Reconstruction
Road Commission for Oakland County
Walton Boulevard Reconstruction
APWA Project of the Year Award
Michigan Department of Transportation
31001 Lahser • Beverly Hills, MI 48025

2. Project Details
Project:
Walton Boulevard Reconstruction
Client:
Road Commission for Oakland County
Completion Date:
November 2008
Project Cost:
$12,500,000
Contractor:
Dan’s Excavating, Inc.
Consulting Engineers:
OHM (Orchard, Hiltz & McCliment, Inc.)

3. City of Auburn Hills
Walton Boulevard over I-75

4. The Big Challenge
Take 1.5 miles of road, an old bridge over a major freeway, a
tight schedule, three government owners and throw in high
priority federal funding and state funding deadlines to create a
successful project in 5 months.
Walton Boulevard in the City of Auburn Hills between Opdyke
and Squirrel roads needed serious work. This segment of Walton
Road had not been updated since the road was constructed and
the traffic growth made it critical to expand capacity for east-
west mobility through Auburn Hills and neighboring Pontiac.

5. A Slow Start
In the early 1990s, the Michigan Department of Transportation initiated a project to
improve a stretch of I-75 from M-59 to the north. Engineers studied the roadway issues
and began design. The I-75 improvements involved replacing several bridges, including
Walton Boulevard over I-75. The need to replace the bridge prompted the interest in
improving the roadway, too. Then the 1990s hit. Construction costs rose while funding
fell. The project stalled.

6. Funding Creates a Fast Finish
Fast forward to 2007, when Walton Boulevard made the federal list of
High Priority Projects (HPP) targeted for transportation funding. While
the HPP allocation totaled millions, it was still not enough to fund the
entire improvement. The State of Michigan’s Local Jobs Today funding
program designed to spur local road improvement projects was tapped
for an additional $2 million. These funds came with a caveat: the project
had to be in a MDOT letting program by September 28, 2007.
Recognizing that it would take an extraordinary effort to complete a
large, multi-jurisdictional project, MDOT, the Road Commission for
Oakland County and the City of Auburn Hills joined forces with OHM, the
consulting engineer on the project.
OHM and the three agencies recognized that the participants would have
to act as team, jointly focused on the urgency of meeting the funding
schedule. The team members planned together and assigned elements
of the project amongst themselves:
• OHM designed the road, bridge, pedestrian pathway and public
utilities.
• RCOC obtained ROW. MDOT, RCOC and OHM coordinated private
utility relocations. MDOT and RCOC administered the project, and
• All entities streamlined review processes.
The team scoured the project tasks and plans, identifying any potential
delays and creating strategies to eliminate them.

7. Ready, Aim, Fire
OHM marked the official start of the project in March 2007, working The presence of several major utilities required close attention during
with MDOT, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and other state and design. A 42” diameter Detroit Water and Sewerage Department
environmental agencies to complete an Environmental Assessment. (DWSD) water transmission main and overhead high voltage lines
FHWA approved the Environmental Impact Statement with a Finding of No had the most impact on the project’s design. Early communication
Significant Impact (FONSI). The alignments and profiles were accepted and with the utility companies as well as design details prevented these
design began. hazards from affecting the project schedule. To accommodate the
water main, the designers specified pre-boring the foundation
piling before driving, and monitoring the vibrations to assure that
About the Bridge peak particle velocities remained under the specified threshold. The
A two span bridge design provided full clear zones and room for the future overhead wires were relocated before the project’s start.
expansion of I-75. The north face of the bridge carries five lanes of Walton
Blvd and a pedestrian pathway. MSE walls supporting the embankments
About the Roadway
sped construction, eliminated the need for additional right of way and kept
costs low. When the project launched, Walton Boulevard was two to three
lanes, with open drainage. To complete the major east-west corridor,
the roadway was expanded to a five lane section with enclosed
The bridge superstructure used integral approach slabs to eliminate drainage. OHM engineers redesigned a 16” water main upgrade
expansion joints from the bridge deck. All superstructure thermal movements from the existing 12” water main. A non-motorized path connected
are accommodated within the approaches to ease future repairs when the paths at both ends of the project.
expansion joints inevitably begin to leak.
The 42” DWSD water main also played a major role in the road design.
The design team applied context sensitive finishes to this structure to To avoid any schedule delays caused by utility conflicts, designers
improve aesthetic appeal. The railings and MSE wall panels feature considered potential impacts at the outset. Involving DWSD staff
concrete textures and pigmented concrete surface sealer. These details early in the design process was crucial in avoiding schedule delays.
help the bridge serve as a gateway between the urban feel to the south The approach created opportunities for cooperation between the
of the structure and the more rural feel to the north of the structure. A 10’ partners. To allow clearance for drainage structures and minimize
wide pathway across the structure supports pedestrians’ non-motorized the impact to the water main during construction, alignment of the
transportation needs. Special expansion joint device covers are used in the road was shifted away from the water main.
approaches to mitigate hazards. A protective barrier separates vehicles and
pedestrians.

8. Community Relations
Businesses are impacted during the construction phase of any
infrastructure project. Maintaining access is important and the
design and construction teams took special care in planning and
staging. An automotive supplier within the corridor shared its
driveway with its only loading dock. Because of the shifting of the
alignment, widening of the road, and proximity to the bridge, the
driveway had to be substantially reconstructed. However, closing the
driveway during construction would have halted the manufacturing
facility’s operations. Again, early coordination with the company
allowed for continuous six days per week operation of the plant and
minimal delays to the construction schedule.
During construction, the Road Commission mailed fliers to the all
residents and property owners in the project area, posted updates
on the agency’s website and issued news releases at key project
dates.

9. Advance Planning and Cooperation Reduce
Schedule Impacts in a Big Way
In any design and construction project, there are factors that
commonly slow the schedule’s progress, such as right of way and
permits. The Walton Boulevard project was no different: widening
Walton Boulevard required right-of-way. The non-motorized paths
needed grading permits. A large entertainment complex, the Palace
of Auburn Hills was affected by the project’s design and construction.
The design team mitigated these potential delays by identifying
the right-of-way locations quickly. This gave RCOC adequate lead
time for acquisition. Right-of-way was obtained for the project in
an almost unheard-of four months, a feat made possible by direct
communication between designers and RCOC’s legal department.

11. Michigan Department of Transportation
31001 Lahser • Beverly Hills, MI 48025
Contact: Thomas Blust, PE
31001 Lahser Road | Beverly Hills, Michigan 48025
Helping Build Better Communities for Tomorrow
Contact: Patrick Wingate
OHM | 34000 Plymouth Road | Livonia, Michigan 48150 | www.ohm-advisors.com