Fort Myers, FL, April 15, 2010 – The City of Fort Myers’ Downtown Utility and Streetscape Project, built by Kraft Construction Company, was awarded the “Project of the Year” award in the Historical Restoration/Preservation category by the Florida Chapter Awards Committee of the American Public Works Association (APWA). This award brings further recognition to the City of Fort Myers and the efforts made to revitalize the downtown area while restoring and preserving the historical elements. Eighty projects throughout the state of Florida were submitted for consideration.
The APWA Project of the Year Award recognizes the managing agency, the engineer and other team consultants, and the contractor who work together to complete public works projects. Awards are judged on the following criteria:
- Use of good construction management techniques and completion of the project on schedule
- Safety performance and demonstrated awareness of the need for a good overall safety program during construction
- Community relations through efforts to minimize public inconvenience and precautions to protect the public during construction, and other means of improving relations between the agency and the public
- Demonstrated awareness for the need to protect the environment during construction
- Unusual accomplishments under adverse conditions
- Additional conditions deemed important to the public works agency such as time or money-saving techniques or exceptional quality control, etc.
The Downtown Utility and Streetscape project team outlined the construction techniques, accelerated schedule and safety programs while emphasizing the understanding and protection of the historic elements of our downtown area. All facets of the community relations program were described including the Fort Myers Redevelopment Agency’s programs to assist the downtown businesses during construction. The City of Fort Myers combined the utility project with the streetscape project to reduce cost and construction inconvenience to the public.
Emphasis was given to streetscape’s design challenges while meeting Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements in a historic district. This was particularly challenging because the new roadway and sidewalk systems employ narrower streets, wider sidewalks and lower street profiles. One of the most exciting accomplishments of this project is the recovery and “recycling” over 500,000 bricks once covered for decades by asphalt on our existing streets. Reusing the old bricks was a large and unique undertaking in preserving our historic downtown. Gaining acceptance from other agencies to use smaller, historic traffic signals throughout downtown adds to the downtown charm and unusual accomplishments of the project.
The success of the Downtown Utility and Streetscape Project earned the City of Fort Myers and the project team the honor of this prestigious award. The City of Fort Myers Downtown Utility and Streetscape team has been invited to present the project at the 50th Anniversary of the APWA Florida Chapter Annual Meeting in Orlando on May 4th, 2010.
The City of Fort Myers began the Downtown Utility Replacement and Streetscape Improvements Project in late 2005 and completed the project in late 2009. While this project beautified downtown Fort Myers, more importantly, this was a utility replacement project. The Downtown Utility Replacement and Streetscape Improvements project replaced all existing water, sewer and storm drain systems in downtown Fort Myers; many dating as far back as the early 1900s. Once the underground utility replacement work on each street was complete, street beautification elements were constructed including brick-accented sidewalks and crosswalks, streetscape amenities, and landscaping and lighting. Street furniture such as benches, waste receptacles, and decorative bike racks placed throughout the downtown area complete the street furnishings package.
APWA is an international educational and professional association of public agencies, private sector companies and individuals dedicated to providing high quality public works goods and services. It’s membership consists of public works directors, city engineers, city managers, fleet managers, property and equipment superintendents, utilities managers, community development directors, transportation managers, parks directors, county officials and representatives from the companies that supply products and services to those professionals. The Association provides a forum in which public works professionals can exchange ideas, improve professional competency, increase the performance of their agencies and companies, and bring important public works-related topics to public attention in local, state and federal arenas.