Piers going in at Pier Park

Date: 8/8/2008

Construction Update - City Pier at Pier Park

Posted August 7, 2008 @ 7:05 pm by Jason Koertge,

Moving along as scheduled, the city pier at Pier Park is still set to open spring 2009. With the main platform going on now and pilings being driven as they move out into the water, the pier is definitely beginning to take shape.

Construction is “top-down” construction, meaning there will be no barge with a crane in the water driving piles. The crane will “crawl” across the top of the piles that it puts in in order to put the next series of piles. I thought this was pretty cool, as it allows them to continue work even if they have rough seas. Delays will be less likely.

The final design will be around 1,500 feet long and 26 feet off the water. The super-structure design will be different then the last design and should better survive a hurricane or other severe weather. The platform on top of the piles that will be the walkway will not actually be attached to the piles, rather just resting on top of them. Each platform weighs about 600 lbs and will have a setting that will keep them in place, but if significant force should put pressure on them (i.e. hurricane force winds, storm surge, or very rough seas), they can become displaced or even come off completely. This minimizes the damage to the piles (the expensive part) and preserves the overall super-structure.

This all sounds good in theory, but does it actually work? The short answer, yes, it does. Baskerville Donovan has built this design before, and has had the opportunity to see the results of their design after a hurricane. When Ivan hit Gulf Shores as a category 3 Hurricane in September 2004. The Pensacola Pier (designed and constructed by Baskerville Donovan) sustained only $45,000 in damage. The Dan Russell Pier, 100 miles away sustained over $1 million in damage.

The county pier still has yet to begin, I’ll have more information on that soon, but I think it has to do with the EPA and turtle season. Stay tuned.

Panama City Beach Airport - Authority must build public trust.

EDITORIAL: Airport Authority must build public trust

July 17, 2008 08:49:00 AM

Panama City News Herald

A recent Airport Authority meeting might have determined the paving material for the new runway, but the process has left some feeling even more unsettled about the project. And though a number of Bay Countians will continue to object to the new airport, the Airport Authority members should take care not to sour relations with county residents any further.

Tuesday's special meeting was held to discuss the length and construction materials for the runway of the new Panama City-Bay County International Airport being built at West Bay. Plans currently call for an 8,400-foot concrete or asphalt runway, but the board is also considering extending the runway to 10,000 feet. An option for a crosswind runway is also on the table.

James Finch said that his company, Phoenix Construction, was ready to move forward with laying down the runway and he absolutely would not wait because of concerns about rising gas and material costs.

However, Airport Authority Chairman Bill Cramer indicated that he wanted to postpone the decision until bids for the terminal building, the rental car center, the air traffic control tower and other projects at the new airport are tendered in three weeks time.

Things came to a head with Finch telling the authority members, "I'm going to file a claim on your ass." Cramer shot back asking Finch where on the board's anatomy the claim would be filed, and asking airport attorney Franklin Harrison if there were legal grounds for Finch to file a claim on their posteriors.

Dramatics aside, Finch's point is valid.

Time equals money in construction, especially as labor and construction-related costs continue to increase.

However, Cramer was right to call for more time to consider the options because of concerns that the board would be basing its decisions on inadequate information and possible jeopardizing other projects at the airport.

Rushing ahead with decisions without having a complete financial picture is a sure recipe for nasty surprises down the road.

Concrete might be the best long-term option, with a 40-year life as opposed to only a decade for asphalt. But if Cramer's concerns about future cutbacks because the board committed to spending the extra money pan out, the Airport Authority won't win any converts for the relocation project. Deciding the issue on Aug. 8 still put the board ahead of the September deadline for notifying Phoenix about the runway length and materials. As Cramer rightly said, the primary obligation of the board should be looking out for the public trust.

Just look at the tone of the Bay District Schools budget debate in the face of a $20-million shortfall that came after the School Board committed the district to building two new schools before the state budget was finalized.
And Finch's statement that he had brought the project several weeks ahead of schedule at the request of certain airport officials, and not the entire board, can only stir up more bitterness and resentment among those still holding to the ignored 2004 non-binding referendum against relocation.

There were likely no shady backroom deals. But the project involves taxpayer dollars and that means the board must ensure all its decisions are made above board in a responsible manner.