The UDOT Research Division Awards the Trailblazer Award to the Wadsworth Team
On April 7th, the Research Division of the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) awarded the Trailblazer Award to three local bridge contractors, Ralph Wadsworth, Guy Wadsworth, and Kip Wadsworth, for their pioneering work in Accelerated Bridge Construction.
The Trailblazer Award is given annually to a person who has fostered, advanced and advocated research in transportation in Utah over a substantial period of time. The Award was first given in 1994. This is the first time the award has gone to multiple people in a given year, or to a contractor.
Over the past several years, the UDOT has pursued various methods to shorten construction time and reduce the impact of construction on the traveling public. One of the most innovative approaches has been Accelerated Bridge Construction, or "ABC". Two of the companies who have been integrally involved in this ABC innovation are Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction and Wadsworth Brothers Construction, companies owned by a father and two sons.
In the fall of 2007, Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction constructed a 173-foot, single span bridge at a location off to the side of the road. The bridge was designed by Michael Baker Jr. Then, over a single weekend, aided by their subcontractor, Mammoet, using self-propelled modular transports (SPMT), Wadsworth removed the existing 4500 South bridge over I-215 in Salt Lake County, and moved the new bridge into place. The new bridge weighed 1750 tons, had a final grade of 12 percent, and was moved from the side of the road to its final location in a matter of hours. The minimized road closure saved the traveling public an estimated 4 million dollars in delay costs. Ralph Wadsworth came out of retirement to be involved with this exciting project, a first in Utah.
During the summer of 2008, Wadsworth Brothers Construction constructed seven mainline interstate highway bridges in one location for the I-80 reconstruction project in Salt Lake City. These bridges were constructed side-by-side at a location in the 1300 East interchange, and then individually moved into place along the I-80 corridor, again using the SPMT method. In a nationally unprecedented event, four of these massive bridges were moved into place over the span of just two weekends.
For their enthusiastic and successful involvement in these ABC projects, UDOT Research awarded the three principals of these two companies the Trailblazer Award, recognizing their essential support in implementing this significant new technique. In presenting the awards, Jim McMinimee, the UDOT Project Development Director, referred to our "world-class transportation industry here in Utah" that has "captured our industry over the last couple of years" with the ABC methods. He indicated that "these guys represent great companies" and are some of the "incredible, outstanding, world-class contractors" that UDOT is privileged to partner with on an on-going basis to accomplish these amazing feats. Shana Lindsey, the Director of Research and Bridge Operations, commented to the Wadsworths, "I don’t know how much I can say to thank you all for all that you have done."
Upon receiving the award, Kip Wadsworth thanked UDOT for "allowing us the opportunity to participate in such a trailblazing program . . . when other people in the country aren’t as fortunate as us to be on the cutting edge".
The Trailblazer award consists of a traveling trophy bearing the names of all the recipients, and individual trophies for each winner. Prior to 2009, each of the winners has been a UDOT employee or someone from academia. The 2009 Trailblazer award was presented during the lunch session of the annual UTRAC Research Workshop, an event held annually to evaluate UDOT’s research needs and prioritize research efforts for the coming year.