GMC wins Georgia engineering award

The Georgia Utility Contractors Association recently presented GMC with the Golden Pipe Engineering Award for the Veterans Parkway Water & Sewer Improvement Project in Toccoa, Georgia.  Engineering project manager Tim Blaydes accepted the award on GMC’s behalf at the GUCA 2018 Fall Quarterly Meeting & Trade Show in Atlanta.

Making its debut this year, with the insight of past GUCA presidents and the Engineering Award Task Force, the Golden Pipe Engineering Award is designed to recognize engineers who demonstrate the highest degree of merit and integrity for the utility construction industry. GUCA recognized two outstanding engineers.

GMC was nominated for the Veterans Parkway Water & Sewer Improvements Project, which was bid in June 2016 and completed July 2017. GMC assumed this project through the requisition of Stevenson & Palmer Engineering. The cost estimate was three years old and created an over budget bid amount. Through the efforts of the city, engineer and contractor, value engineering and improved construction means and methods created a project that met the original design needs on schedule and within budget.

Veterans Parkway Water & Sewer Improvements Project (Toccoa, GA)

GMC assisted with the development and design of a project to serve two potential commercial corridors with water and sewer. Funds from a previous SPLOST V tax program contributed to the design and construction of the project. GMC worked alongside city and county officials, public utilities staff and the County Economic Development Authority to develop the project scope. New infrastructure included water mains, sewer pump stations, sanitary sewer force mains, large road crossings and gravity sanitary sewer lines. The project was designed in phases, allowing the City of Toccoa to fund the highest priority areas of the project in a relatively quick timeframe. Phase 1 included the Veterans Parkway Water and Sewer Improvements, funded by EDA, ARC, One Georgia grants and SPLOST V.  The construction cost for Phase 1 was $3.5 million, and construction was completed in September 2017.  Phase 2 includes sewer improvements along Big A Road.  Phase 2 has been designed, and the City of Toccoa is planning to fund this phase under the current SPLOST program that will be voted on in 2019.