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2004 Gold Star Award

North Dakota Ready Mix and Concrete Products Association, Inc.
East Grand Forks (MN) Levees – Phase II
Category: Governmental Award Winner

SEH engineers, architects and landscape took using concrete to construct flood protection facilities to the next level with this $13 million project. Concrete construction focused on 1,800 LF of concrete floodwall, a large stormwater pumping station, 3,500 LF of recreational trails, and multiple concrete roadway and railroad closure structures.

The project’s aesthetics agreed to in the design palette were strongly upheld. The floodwalls' strong horizontal elements minimize the visual impact of their significant height of 10 to 16 feet. The walls were textured and chemically stained to emulate stone wall construction, complete with unique patterns and concrete stain for every neighborhood. The many large pumping stations include exterior detailing that allow them to blend with their residential surroundings.

The concrete roadway and railroad closure structures are openings in the wall that allow vehicular and railway traffic to pass through the dikes. Using stop-logs for closures, they were constructed under extremely tight schedules. In fact, the railroad allowed the contractor of total of just 14 hours of railbed closure to construct all three openings on the railroad before rail service resumed. Fast-track concrete mixes were prepared and tested to accomplish the rapid opening requirements. In the end, polycarboxylate-based high-range water reducers were critical in attaining the design strength in six to eight hours as required to open the railroad closures, all without compromising durability or constructability.

While the citizens of Grand Forks/East Grand Forks forfeited magnificent views of the Red River and its scenescape to construct the flood protection works, project planners “traded” some of the connection to the river scene with wonderfully appointed flood works taken to the highest aesthetic and technical level currently possible through the use of ready mixed concrete.