ACEC Award-Winning, Mile Long Bridge

F.H. Paschen is delighted to share the continuing success of the Mile Long Bridge, a project that has received an award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois (ACEC). This achievement is a testament to our commitment to building and improving the highways millions of drivers use every year.

Building the Mile Long Bridge was a monumental task. As a critical component of the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) reconstruction, the project involved replacing and widening two 65-year-old structures while keeping existing traffic lanes operational. Spanning two railroads, three waterways, local roads, and major distribution centers for UPS and BNSF Railway, the bridge presented unique challenges. To address these challenges, our dedicated team, working in close collaboration with project partners, implemented innovative strategies. The use of fewer and longer spans for each bridge reduced the impact on the sensitive aquatic ecosystem, waterways, railroads, and roads below. This approach also minimized the number of deck joints, contributing to the bridge’s durability and extending its service life to 100 years.

The project’s design included flex lanes, allowing for adaptive transit during peak travel periods and catering to safety-related needs in emergencies. Construction began in the spring of 2019, with the completion of the new northbound bridge in November 2020, and the southbound bridge finished in November 2022. Throughout this timeline, the existing bridges were replaced without disrupting Tollway customers, showcasing our commitment to efficiency and minimal inconvenience.

The Mile Long Bridge stands as a symbol of F.H. Paschen’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of conventional engineering. As we celebrate this achievement, F.H. Paschen remains committed to delivering excellence in every project and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of construction and engineering.

At F.H. Paschen, we are thrilled to celebrate the success of the 43rd Street Pedestrian Bridge, a project that has earned an award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois (ACEC). This achievement is a testament to our commitment to innovation, technical ability, and collaborative problem-solving, as well as the positive impact we strive to make in the communities we serve.

Constructing the 43rd Street Pedestrian Bridge was no small feat. Spanning over six active railroad tracks and a major highway, the project presented unprecedented challenges. To address these hurdles, our team, working closely with project partners, showcased exceptional ingenuity by creating a temporary bridge. This ingenious solution not only minimized disruptions to the railroads but also served as a protective shield over the Metra Electric Line. By reducing disturbances, we not only saved valuable time but also achieved cost efficiencies related to track closures.

The bridge’s design, featuring twin 30-degree inclined arches, challenges traditional engineering norms and showcases F.H. Paschen’s ability to navigate complex geometric challenges. We prioritized social, economic, and sustainable considerations throughout the project. The bridge’s design encourages non-vehicle access, promoting sustainable living and enhancing community accessibility. Our approach minimized construction site impact, used existing pathways, and incorporated sustainable practices, contributing to both economic savings and positive environmental impacts.

Our success in completing the project on time and within budget was made possible through tireless collaboration with diverse stakeholders, including Metra, CN, and federal, state, and local authorities. This collaborative spirit not only met technical demands but exceeded the owner’s requirements, setting a new standard for engineering excellence.

The 43rd Street Pedestrian Bridge stands as a testament to F.H. Paschen’s commitment to improving the communities that it serves. As we celebrate this achievement, F.H. Paschen remains committed to delivering excellence in every project and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of construction and engineering.

The County of Fairfax, Virginia Department of Public Works and Environmental Services awarded F.H. Paschen the Award of Excellence for the Building Design and Construction of the Central and Dulles Maintenance Facility – Salt Dome projects.

“We’re honored to receive this award,” said Bill Rocha, General Manager of the F.H. Paschen Mid-Atlantic office. “It’s a testament to our project team, our subcontractors, and our great partners at the county.” General Contractor and Construction Manager F.H. Paschen has been in the Greater D.C. region for over 20 years.

F.H. Paschen is accustomed to building critical infrastructure in and around Fairfax County, completing the construction of nine escalator canopies for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), community, and government centers in Loudoun County, and several upgrades and renovations to local schools and park districts.

The Award of Excellence was presented at a virtual award ceremony on Friday, April 9^th.

F.H. Paschen accepted the 2019 Project Award from the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) for the American Airlines Concourse L/Stinger. 

We constructed a new concourse capable of handling five regional aircrafts with a pedestrian bridge tying into existing Terminal 3. The new facility includes hold rooms, concession areas, restrooms, airline support spaces, mechanical spaces, and circulation areas. 

In addition to the complex nature of building on an active airfield, Paschen had to devise innovative methods for erecting a nearly 600’ long walkway without impacting the gate operations of six different carriers. To address these challenges, Paschen, in collaboration with the design engineers, fabricator, erector and American Airlines, came up with a design for the bridge that would allow the walkway to be erected in three segments. The pieces were originally built on the ground, so they could eventually be hoisted up in the air and placed. 

This award joins the 2019 Construction Industry Service Corporation (CISCO) – Top Project Chicago, New Construction, American Airlines Concourse L / Stinger. 

F.H. Paschen accepted the 2019 Infrastructure Construction Award from the Chicago Building Congress (CBC) for the Chicago Department of Transportation 41st Street Pedestrian Bridge. 

The 1,470-foot pedestrian bridge spans over Lake Shore Drive and connects Chicago’s Bronzeville Neighborhood to the lakefront. The project’s construction consisted of the removal and reconstruction of pedestrian paths, bike trails and sidewalks, roadway lighting relocation, and furnishing and installing lighting on the bridge structure. 

The cultural and community significance of the bridge was highlighted in the Chicago Tribune. 

This award joins the Illinois Road and Transportation Builders Association (IRTBA) Contractor of the Year honor for the construction of the 41st Street Pedestrian Bridge. 

Engineering News-Record (ENR) collected over 100 entries from 11 states for their annual Best Projects Awards. Of the 40 best projects chosen, F.H. Paschen won three.

F.H. Paschen swept the Airports/Transit sector of the awards with Washington/Wabash CTA Station being selected as Best Project and American Airlines Stinger Gate L receiving the Award of Merit.

In addition to those awards, Paschen collected the award for Best Project in the Small Project (Under $10 million) sector with our work completed at the Harrison/Dever Crib Complex Structure.

Each of the winning projects will be featured in-depth in the November edition of ENR Midwest.

Read ENR’s announcement here.

#BuildWithPaschen

Congratulations to Vaniqua Lee of our Florida office on being recognized by the South Florida Chapter of the National Association of Black Women in Construction (NABWIC) as Woman of the Month for June 2018!

The NABWIC was founded to increase the national awareness of African American women in the construction industry. The award is given to recognize the recipient’s dedication, commitment, and valuable contributions to enhancing economic opportunities through various programs.

Vaniqua has been with Paschen for 6 years, serving as the “jack-of-all-trades” for our Florida office. She was hired as an administrative assistant, promoted to a marketing coordinator, and currently is a Project Engineer. Vaniqua commented, “My time here has been filled with learning, sharing, motivating, and definitely worth the PASCHEN.”

We salute Vaniqua on this well-deserved honor!

F.H. Paschen, along with our partners EXP and Burns & McDonnell, accepted the 2018 Infrastructure Construction Award from the Chicago Building Congress (CBC) for the Washington/Wabash Elevated Loop CTA Station.

The iconic CTA Station was designed to become the gateway for Millennium Park and the Loop. This Design/Bid/Build project features a canopy with an architectural oscillating wave pattern, and has become a point of interest for travellers commuting through the Loop.

This latest award joins the Association of Subcontractors and Affiliates (ASA) Outstanding Project of the Year, Construction Industry Service Corporation (CISCO) Project of the Year (Finalist), and Chicago Department of Transportation (IRTBA) Outstanding Transit Contractor of the Year in recognizing this groundbreaking and transformative CTA Station.

#BuildWithPaschen

For more on this project, click here.

Maryland Washington Minority Companies Association, Inc. (MWMCA), an organization created to advance minority-owned firms, has named Paschen the “Most Inclusive Prime Contractor of the Year.” This honor underscores Paschen’s long-time commitment to community engagement, diversity and inclusion through their philosophy of creating real opportunities for all.

“Inclusion is important in broad terms because it allows small businesses owners who have been historically disadvantaged opportunities, but on a more personal level it means women and men can feed their families,” MWMCA President Wayne Frazier said. “Paschen is doing things differently than other primes. They are bringing the same attitude of inclusion that they’ve fostered throughout their company for many years.”

As part of the company culture, Paschen has committed to exceeding MBE/DBE/WBE project goals, in addition to hiring a diverse team throughout the organization.

Paschen’s accomplishment was formally recognized on May 11, 2018 at the MWMCA’s 15th Annual Spring Breakfast in Baltimore.

To read our press release, click here.

More Opportunity. More Paschen.

We are proud to have been named the Chicago Department of Transportation‘s Transit Contractor of the Year for the third year in a row. The award, presented at the Illinois Road & Transportation Builders Association Awards ceremony, was presented to the project team for the CDOT Washington/Wabash Loop Elevated CTA Station.

The Washington/Wabash station replaced two adjacent, century-old stations with a new station that features a sleek and modern design, and a signature platform canopy that serves as a gateway to historic Jeweler’s Row and Millennium Park.

The accompanying program read as follows: “By utilizing state-of-the art engineering and construction techniques, materials, and equipment, F.H. Paschen built a quality product, while remaining on schedule and on budget without affecting CTA train or bus service, with minimal disruption to traffic throughout the duration of the project. The construction of the new Washington Wabash Station was successfully completed in close cooperation with City agencies, CTA, the Alderman’s Office, local businesses, and property owners.”

We congratulate our team members for their hard work on this project, and for their continued dedication to our values of Tenacity, Versatility, Ingenuity, and Pride.

Washington/Wabash Project Team:

Matt Moss – Project Executive

Josh Curran – Senior Project Manager

Jeremy Seyller – Senior Project Manager

Tiffany Lomax – Project Manager

Robert Boss – Assistant Project Manager

Dan Erickson – Lead Superintendent

Bernie McNulty – Superintendent

Maria Torres – Asst. Superintendent

Caleb Tackes – Project Engineer

Christian Hubbard – Virtual Design Construction Manager

James Alexander – Quality Control Manager