One of the bridges connecting Louisville, Kentucky with Southern Indiana has a bright new look. And the residents of the area can partly thank a National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) member-contractor for that.
Louisville-based Advanced Electrical Systems (AES) recently finished the installation of approximately 1,500 LED lights on the Big Four Bridge, which is used for walkers and bikers.
The scope of the project, which lasted about six months with an average crew of 12, consisted of mounting the lights, running fiber glass conduits the full length of the bridge and installing fiber cabling from the Kentucky base of the bridge to the Indiana side.
James Strange, AES’s vice president, said his company, founded in 1993 and certified as a Women’s Business Enterprise, was proud to take on a project of such civic importance.
“This is a landmark,” Strange said. “To know we helped change the skyline of the city for the better was an honor.”
Pedestrians could continue to use the bridge for the duration of the project, so a communication plan and the use of a proper layout were vital. The bridge stands 200 feet above the Ohio River and is an additional 100 feet tall. Strange said there were no injuries or incidents.
“I think it looks amazing,” Strange said. “It’s been great. It brought a lot of attention and revitalization to downtown.”
Now, the bridge is decked out in special computerized lighting capable of illuminating the span in patterns of dancing, colorful lighting that will be visible for miles up and down the river every night. Each light should last at least 10 years and require almost no maintenance, Strange said.
The system will include intense spotlights and wide-beam floodlights attached to the steel structure — spaced atop and under the arches and along the deck — as well as flat LEDs placed inside many hollow beams.
The lights can be programmed to be varied for different occasions, such as green for Saint Patrick’s Day, Strange said. They also could have a pattern of red and blue to promote University of Kentucky and University of Louisville sporting events or pink for breast-cancer awareness.
The changing light patterns “will be the crown jewel of the whole Big Four project,” said David Karem, executive director of the Waterfront Development Corp., which oversees the park and the Big Four for the city, according to the Courier-Journal in Louisville. “The lighting should make the Big Four, which is already perhaps the most popular attraction in the city, even more popular.”
For more information on Advanced Electrical Systems, visit www.aeslou.com.
Three things you probably already know about ConsensusDocs:
ConsensusDocs publishes a comprehensive catalog of 100+ documents that cover all your construction contract document needs.
ConsensusDocs are the only standard contracts developed by a diverse coalition of more than 40 leading associations (including NECA!) with members from all stakeholders in the design and the construction industry.
ConsensusDocs contracts incorporate best practices and fairly allocate risk to help reduce costly contingencies and adversarial negotiations.
Here are three new things recently announced by ConsensusDocs::
In an ongoing effort to improve the industry, the ConsensusDocs Coalition has released all its bond forms as part of a free package.
A new agreement for testing hazardous waste (ConsensusDocs 749) is now available.
The Coalition has also released a new owner and design professional agreement (ConsensusDocs 840) for use when the owner hires or acts as its own construction manager.
FREE BOND FORMS
ConsensusDocs publishes performance, payment, and bid bond forms. These forms offer more specific choices including subcontractor performance and payment bonds, design-build bonds (the only bond forms specific to design-build that provide an option to cover design liability), and warranty bonds. Now, they’re all available for free to the design and construction community.
“The importance of bond forms is often overlooked. Fair and balanced bonds can facilitate maximum competition, limit contingencies, and help ensure project viability,” states Joanne Brooks, Vice President & Counsel at The Surety & Fidelity Association of America (SFAA), a member of the ConsensusDocs Coalition. “Providing complimentary access to the ConsensusDocs industry-standard bond forms will help all project participants.”
“Fair bond forms, like those issued by ConsensusDocs, are necessary ingredients in achieving a balanced apportionment of construction risks,” states Mark McCallum, CEO of the National Association of Surety Bond Producers (NASBP). “Bond forms containing onerous terms subvert the ability of project owners to realize maximum competition for contracts, even precluding small and disadvantaged firms from the ability to seek contract awards. NASBP applauds the decision to make ConsensusDocs bond forms available at no charge, aptly demonstrating ConsensusDocs’ adherence to its mission to improve the industry through dissemination of fair standardized forms.”
– See more at: http://www.necanet.org/news/news-release-archive/news/2015/08/03/consensusdocs-offers-free-bond-forms-new-contracts-neca-member-discounts#sthash.cHrgtg9r.dpuf
Southern Indiana and Wisconsin, NECA Chapters are Helping to Light Up the Holidays – See more at: http://www.necanet.org/news/news-release-archive/news/2014/12/08/neca-chapters-contribute-time-energy-to-electric-light-shows#sthash.LtPMMUJb.dpuf
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 30 percent of home fire and 38 percent of home fire deaths occur during the months of December, January, and February.
There are steps that can be taken to reduce the risks of death and injury from a home fire this holiday season. It is critical that families keep fire safety in mind while enjoying this festive, exciting and extremely busy time of year.
Take steps to protect your family and home from holiday season fires by visiting the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) website, HolidaySafety.org »
– See more at: http://www.necanet.org/news/news-release-archive/news/2014/12/05/holiday-dos-and-don’ts#sthash.BgcPcMDx.dpuf
