Partnering Case Studies

Units 5 and 6 Rehabilitation
Johnstown Channel Rehabilitation
Johnstown, Pennsylvania

Partnering Lesson:

• Value Engineering was enhanced by Partnering
• Direct involvement by the City and businesses saved time and money.
  

Project Description:
The project consisted of the repair or replacement of existing walls in Johnstown. These walls were constructed in the late 30's and were not stable under current design criteria. The work included the installation of rock anchors with architectural concrete facing and construction of a building on top of these walls.

Project Challenges:

• The walls of this project were constructed through the heart of the city.
  
• Business and the people of the city could not be impacted, while the work had to be completed efficiently.

Issue 1:
Before beginning, the contractor proposed a major value engineering proposal that would ultimately affect the final appearance of the majority of the wall lining through the business portion of the project. The contractor proposed thickening the walls to encapsulate the rock anchors. It was also proposed to use the same rock anchor/lining design for the Salvation Army wall rather than remove and replace the existing wall. This revision early in the project called upon all aspects of Partnering: Johnstown had to review the changes to the final product, the Corps designers had to review the design aspects, and the Contractor had to coordinate the requested change.

Through Partnering, the solution was resolved at the lowest possible level of problem resolution. The change resulted in an outstanding benefit for costs saving costs, time reduction, and improving the final appearance of the project.

Benefits of Partnering:

• Increased willingness to new ideas proposed by the Contractor.
  
• Contract schedule and cost control.
  
• Better community relationships.
  
• Resolution of problems at the lowest possible levels.

Contact:
The City of Johnstown, Contractor, and the Corps of Engineers