INNOVATION IN ROADS
Danang City, Vietnam
Creighton Manning Engineering, LLP
Route 85 Slingerlands Bypass Extension
Bethlehem, New York, United States
FINALIST
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Project Name
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The $15.2 million bypass extension in Bethlehem, N. Y., addressed mobility
and congestion issues on Route 85 by expanding vehicle capacity, relieving
congestion, improving safety, and providing acceptable levels of service for the
20-year traffic forecast. The project included constructing a 1.5-mile, four-lane
divided highway and three roundabouts as well as widening a three-lane bridge
to five lanes and a new pedestrian/bicyclist bridge. The extension provides
the town of Bethlehem with a transportation system that will accommodate
current and future land use and facilitate economic development.
and public inconvenience. The 3D models facilitated comparison of alternative
alignments during design, and digital terrain models (DTMs) provided to the
contractor facilitated construction.
2009 BE INSPIRED AWARDS
Maintaining traffic and environmental constraints were primary factors
contributing to the complexity of the project. The Slingerlands Bypass
carried approximately 16,000 vehicles per day traveling at 60 miles per
hour approaching Blessing Road. The new construction was designed in a
context-sensitive alignment to avoid or minimize impacts to ravines, wetlands,
and historic properties. The 3D modeling was instrumental in minimizing and
mitigating the environmental impacts as well as reducing construction time
The bypass extension was a pilot project for N YSDOT to test the integration
of automated machine control grading, InRoads capabilities, and Bentley
OnSite. Creighton Manning Engineering developed 3D DTMs and worked with
the estimating software to meet the project goals. The quantity managing
capabilities linked the InRoads DTM features to the pay items database.
The stakeless survey (grade control) technology was particularly useful for
significant earthworks. Using the DTM and GPS-based survey and machine
controls, the contractor moved more than 200,000 cubic meters of earth in
a relatively short time. The technology not only increased productivity but
improved quality through improved accuracy. It also aided the inspector in
managing quantities during construction.
