A Message from the President
Happy holidays! As I look back on our 2016 season, I would like to thank each of you for your dedication and hard work throughout the year. With 420,000 man-hours spread out over 43 projects across the state, we had an unusual and difficult year. I know many of you did a lot of traveling and spent time away from home to help us complete our work, and I thank you for your commitment.
Although this year presented us with a few challenges, we did celebrate several successes. For the first time in company history, we surpassed one million man-hours without a lost-time injury. We also grew our equipment fleet with the purchase of approximately four million dollars worth of new equipment to help the crews better accomplish their work. Our painting operations have grown as well, and we performed twice as much bridge painting as we did in 2015.
I am happy to report that we already have 425,000 man-hours worth of work on seven projects in 2017. Some of the largest projects we will be part of this year include I-75 and Square Lake, US-23 between Brighton and Ann Arbor, and I-75 over the Rouge River. Crews should be ready for a longer work season, as some projects will begin in February. (See the article "Looking Ahead to 2017" for a more complete preview of work to be performed next year.)
Thank you for another productive year, and I hope you all have a great holiday season with your families and friends. See you in 2017 for what looks to be a landmark year for C.A. Hull!
Thank you,
Mike Malloure
Job Spotlight: I-75 at Square Lake
MDOT’s I-75 Modernization Project is a much-needed thorough plan that aims to improve the freeway from M-102 to south of M-59. Segment one of this Modernization Project includes the redesign of the I-75/Square Lake interchange in Oakland County. To expedite delivery of the project, it was let as a design-build. During the design-build process, the owner (MDOT), outlines specific guidelines for the design of the project, and requires that the builder (C.A. Hull) design the project around those guidelines. In partnership with Dan’s Excavating and Ajax Paving, C.A. Hull’s portion of the project consists of the design and re-build of the Squirrel Road bridge over I-75, which will be completed by the end of this year. When work resumes in 2017, the crew’s focus will be on building three new bridges in the interchange, including a tri-level flyover.
Although the design-build process is not new to C.A.
Hull, senior project manager Jay Desai has enjoyed providing input to the
project’s design while gaining insight as to why designers included certain
elements in their plans. During this process, the time frame from design to
build is typically a photo finish, so ordering materials with long lead times
can be risky and challenging. Crews have also contended with below freezing
temperatures and snow as they finish up the first half of the project. The next
half of the project will continue in February, with a mid-November finish date.
Project Facts
Team Members:
Superintendent
Jeremy Handley
Project
Manager(s) Jay Desai and Zak Underwood
Project
Engineer Chase Whitlatch
Key
Subcontractor:
Blackswamp
Steel
Start
Date: September 15, 2016
End
Date: November 15, 2017
Happy Holidays from C.A. Hull!
 |
| Harvell Snowden (left) and Jay Desai (right) enjoy the holiday party at Walli's |
On December 8th, C.A. Hull employees
gathered at Walli's Restaurant in Burton to celebrate the end of another
great year. Thank you to all employees who attended and helped to plan
and run this exciting event. We look forward to seeing you all next
year! Enjoy your holiday season.
Safety Spotlight: Holiday Home Safety Tips
As we head into the holidays, we’d like to take some time to
focus on a few holiday home safety tips to keep you and your loved ones safe
this season. Below are five holiday safety tips to remember:
- Lighting Although holiday lighting is pretty to look at, it is important to remember that both indoor and outdoor lighting can pose a fire risk to your homes. Always keep candles away from decorations and other combustible materials. Lights should always be turned off when you go to sleep or leave your home to prevent them from shorting out and starting a fire. Always check your lights for frayed wires, and never string more than three strands of lights together, as this may cause them to overheat.
- Christmas Trees If you chose a live tree this year, be sure to keep it watered and away from heat sources such as fireplaces or portable heaters. If you plan to opt for an artificial tree in the future, look for a “fire-resistant” label when purchasing.
- Entertaining Cooking is the number one home fire hazard. Be sure to keep an eye on the oven or range while entertaining family and friends. A fire extinguisher should be kept nearby in case of a fire. Towels and oven mitts should also be kept away from open flames.
- Decorations While hanging or taking down your decorations for the year, inspect your ornaments to make sure they are unbroken and free of sharp edges. If you have children in your home, decorations should be kept out of their reach. If putting up or taking down holiday decorations that require a ladder, be sure to keep three points of contact with the ladder at all times, and use the appropriate ladder for the task you are performing.
- Home Security As always, be sure to lock all windows and doors when you leave your home. Keeping indoor lights on a timer and putting away holiday gifts can also help prevent break-ins.
Looking Ahead to 2017
While a few of this year’s jobs will pick back up in early
2017, C.A. Hull is also excited to begin work on several new projects in 2017. Below
is a preview of some work to come:
Job 1119: US-23 from
Lee Road North to White Lake Road
Begins: December 2016
This job includes bridge replacements on US-23 over Great
Lakes Central Rail Road and Six Mile Road over US-23, as well as widening US-23
over Barker Rd. Culvert extension and miscellaneous rehab work on Joy Road and
Warren Road over US-23 will also take place.
Project Team: Joe Wesley, Bob Grifka, Jamie Moore, Rick
Smith, Elias Motz, and Ben Stachnik
·
Job 1112:
I-75 Square Lake Design Build
Work Resumes: February 2017
Work to be performed includes the construction
of three bridges in the I-75 Square Lake Interchange
Project Team: Jeremy Handley and Zak Underwood
·
Job 1124:
I-75 over the Rouge River
Begins: February 4, 2017
This landmark project includes deck replacements
on I-75 over Fort Street and the Rouge River, concrete facing of sheet piling,
and the reconstruction of northbound I-75 over the Sexton and Kilfoil Drain.
Project Team: Gary Bischer, Randy Rossow, Clay
Malloure, Jake Hall, and Mark Doolin
·
Job 1123:
Summerfield Road over US-23
Begins: February 27, 2017
Work on this project includes a bridge replacement
and road reconstruction.
Project Team: Joe Wesley, Jamie Moore, and Rick
Smith
·
Job 1110:
M-85 SB over Marsh Creek
Work Resumes: April 2017
This job includes a shallow overlay and miscellaneous
rehab work.
Project Team: Gary Bischer and Clay Malloure
·
Job 1116:
US-23 From Crouse Road North to White Lake Road
Work Resumes: April 2017
Work to be Performed: Miscellaneous rehab substructure
and steel repairs on six bridges
Project Team: Bob Grifka and Rick Smith
·
Job 1120:
Lahring Road over US-23
Work Begins: April 10, 2017
This job involves a partial superstructure replacement
to repair a high load hit
Project Team: Bob Grifka and Rick Smith
·
Job 1111:
I-75 over Kochville Drain
Begins: April 17, 2017
Work on this project consists of
superstructure replacements and miscellaneous rehab work.
Project Team: Jason
Cadreau and Martha Owen
·
Job 1115:
Wheeler Road and Wilder Road over M-13
Begins: April 17, 2017
This job entails joint and barrier wall replacement,
steel repairs, and full paint.
Project Team: Jason Cadreau and Martha Owen
·
Job 1118:
Belle Isle Water Supply Bridges
Begins: June 2017
Work to be performed includes miscellaneous
substructure repairs on three bridges.
Project Team: To be determined
Employee Anniversaries, September to December
Bill Fish celebrated 10 years with CAH on October 18th
Harvell Snowden celebrated 10 years with CAH on November 16th
Kenneth Johnson celebrated 10 years wtih CAH on November 27th
