Mass_Transit_June_2021 - 18

New Mid-Suffolk Electric Yard
to ensuring success within a scope
of work that spread broadly across
many disciplines.
" Holding
review meetings for each design
package at each design level and
subsequent comment resolution
discussions was important in
ensuring the drawings and specifications
met the project requirements, "
said Spinozza. " Continuously
updating our [Critical Path
Method]
schedule, modifying
sequences of operations as necessary
and communicating with
our subcontractors and vendors
was important on the construction
end, as well. "
Another challenge was how
to grant access to yard personnel
while construction work was
underway without disrupting the
yard's critical operations. RCC
accomplished this through the
installation of a regularly maintained
temporary walkway across
the work zone for LIRR pedestrian
and vehicle access. Vehicle access
was provided by flooding the new
track with compacted ballast and a
pedestrian walkway was established
using a series of wood planks with
non-slip rubber mats. RCC explains
that as the schedule progressed, the
temporary walkway was removed
and reinstalled multiple times to
accommodate the work.
RCC says the design/build nature
of the project created challenges
not typically experienced
with a design-bid-build contract.
Spinozza explains the project was
awarded to RCC based on 30 percent
design drawings, preliminary
specifications, along with user and
project requirements provided by
the LIRR. RCC was then responsible
to complete the design and
construction of the project using
these documents.
" In order to ensure that the final
design drawings, specifications
and end product fully incorporated
these requirements, it was
challenging, but essential to hold
numerous constructability review
meetings at both the design level
constructability
Rononkoma
Station Parking
Garage
Rononkoma Station
Station Parking
LIRR Main Line
Rononkoma Yard
LIMA
Facility
Railroad Avenue
Town of Islip
Composting Facility
Long Island
MacArthur Airport
LIRR Rononkoma Transportation Complex
Project Site
Metropolitan Transportation Authority/Long Island Rail Road
A PRE-CONSTRUCTION map showing the Mid-Suffolk (Ronkonkoma)
yard project site in relation to the LIRR Ronkonkoma Train Station.
By the
Numbers
14,000
linear feet of
track installed
13,000
linear feet of
third rail installed
3,000
linear feet of
water and fire
mains and new
gas service
lines installed
40,000
cubic yards
excavated
2
new substations
constructed
recordable/loss
time incidents
Never Losing
Sight of Safety
The railroad environment can be
unforgiving and staying engaged
through active safety efforts is
critical to any project's success.
RCC utilized task specific Job
Hazard Analysis with each crew
at the beginning of each shift and
held weekly toolbox talks, which
covered an array of construction
topics to keep co-workers' focused
on safety.
As explained earlier, the temporary
vehicle/pedestrian access
18 | Mass Transit | MassTransitmag.com | JUNE 2021
and throughout the construction
of the project, " said Spinozza.
He continued by saying the design
and construction ran nearly
parallel, with construction progressing
as the design for each
respective discipline advanced
to maintain the project schedule.
Spinozza says it was crucial
for the team to acknowledge each
edit and construct accordingly.
Spinozza added, " Quality control
of the latest documents was
paramount to ensure the correct
drawings were being used by the
field for construction. "
moved throughout the construction
of the project. Prior to any
changes to LIRR's access, details
of the work required, the safety
procedures that would be implemented,
and drawings to identify
Maintenance and Protection
of Traffic and access points were
submitted to the LIRR for review.
" LIRR personnel would then
review and share their concerns
through the submittal process, as
well as site walkthroughs with the
relevant LIRR departments, " said
Spinozza. " We would then modify
our plans accordingly and implement
the plan to ensure safety was
covered on all fronts. "
What wasn't anticipated -
what couldn't be fathomed at the
start of the construction project
- was the spread and impact of
COVID-19.
" The COVID-19 situation in
the United States, specifically
New York City and surrounding
suburbs where the new Mid-Suffolk
Rail Yard is located, escalated
in March of 2020, which was after
we had completed construction
of the new employee facility and
our focus was constructing the
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