BUFORD GRADE

ASOTIN COUNTY, WASHINGTON

WSDOT, in combination with regional Tribal entities and Asotin County, replaced an existing culvert that precludes steelhead passage from spawning in Buford Creek for decades. The new culvert is a large, open-bottom arch, supported on pre-manufactured spread footings. Initial geotechnical foundation design did not conform to the conditions encountered during excavation.

GPI provided responsive design-build geotechnical consultation to Debco Construction to provide revised foundation design and verify design during construction. Throughout our evaluation, we worked in a collaborative environment with the contractor, WSDOT, and their design consultants to create foundation support solutions that aligned to the actual site conditions and conformed to WSDOT design requirements.

Our staff followed design through construction and backfilling on this remote project, requiring weekend and shift work. GPI’s responsive and innovative services capitalized on reuse of site materials and helped keep this project on schedule for paving prior to winter.