BergerWorld: 3rd Quarter 2004

In 1997, heavy flooding from the El Niño event caused serious damage to highways across Peru. Following the clean-up, officials selected the Berger Group to analyze the conditions in several areas damaged during the floods.

The Pacasmayo-Cajamarca Highway follows the course of Peru's agriculturally rich Jequetepeque River valley and serves Yanacocha, the second largest gold mine on the continent. Mine vehicles and growing archaeological tourism in the valley have substantially increased traffic on the exising roads. This area also sustained particularly heavy damage during the last El Niño event when six inches of precipitation per day produced an unusual accumulation of water in unstable soils along steep slopes, culminating in landslides comparable to a dam break phenomena.

Under a $43 million, Inter-American Development Bank-funded project, Berger prepared a sophisticated risk analysis for determining the sensitivity of the existing roads to natural catastrophes, including hurricanes, earthquakes and especially the risk of high slope erosion and catastrophic landslides. Berger engineers then evaluated the existing roads, soils, geometry, drainage and sub-drainage, established rehabilitation requirements and prepared designs and cost estimates.

Berger also prepared designs for slope stabilization along the southern section of the Pan-American Highway near Arequipa, a link following the narrow coastline along the Pacific Ocean. The Team worked to stabilize two distinctly different concerns, rock cliffs prone to sudden collapse, and aeolian sand which frequently shifts causing collapse. Berger conducted detailed geologic surveys of the area, and recommended measures to stabilize the slopes to prevent damage to this key roadway.

In recent years, Peru has made significant investments in highways to meet growing traffic demand. As a result, Peru currently has over 72,000 kilometers of paved roads and is continuing to build new routes and improve existing highways. As part of this investment, Peru recently upgraded the Ilo-Desaguadero Highway, a key land route between the port of Ilo in Peru and La Paz, Bolivia's capital. The upgrade of this route will be important as officials in Peru and Bolivia draft plans to ship natural gas reserves from the Camisea reserves in Bolivia to Ilo for export.

Under a priority rehabilitation plan, the Ministry of Transportation Communications, Housing and Construction (MTCHC) upgraded and improved this route. To expedite the program, the Ministry divided the 197 kilometer highway into five smaller sections and selected the Berger Group to provide advisory services and project management.

Following a review of the final designs Berger dispatched a team of experienced construction managers to monitor the quality of the work and quickly resolve technical problems. The successful rehabilitation of this international route is encouraging international trade and allowing the port of Ilo to more effectively compete for international cargo.

Urcos, a small densely populated town of 71,000 people, is a regional and market center for the surrounding villages of the Puno highlands. The narrow streets of Urcos also form a section of the Via Evitamiento de Urcos highway which links Peru's central region with the southern highlands and the forest of Madre de Dios. These crowded streets can no longer handle traffic demand on the highway, and the resulting backups often create extensive traffic delays. To address this problem, the MTCHC selected Berger to conduct feasibility studies and preliminary designs for a road bypassing Urcos. Berger conducted field surveys, studied the topography, geology, hydrology and pavement of the region and identified any potential adverse environmental impacts for the three alternative designs. The Team also prepared economic evaluations and social impact studies to identify the impacts of relocating the main route outside the city. Based on this information, Berger selected a route and prepared designs and cost estimates for the new bypass.

The Berger Group was selected by Nicaragua's Ministerio de Transporte e Infraestructura to prepare feasibility studies and final designs for the reconstruction of four roads in western Nicaragua totaling 265 kilometers. Because of the importance of these routes to communications and economic development in Nicaragua, Berger was asked to evaluate and design the upgrades in less than six months.

Berger fast-tracked the programs, sending out four separate design teams to simultaneously evaluate conditions on the road and bridges and design upgrades. To provide the most efficient and accurate results, Berger experts introduced and trained local engineers in the use of state-of-the-art technologies, including a falling weight deflectometer, during structural evaluations. Each of the four highways presented Berger engineers with unique challenges, including the integration of several different types of pavement, the accommodation of heavy truck traffic and the stabilization of soil around the route.

Following the field work, Berger developed final designs for the highway, including redesigned bridges and improved drainage and supervised construction on the routes. As a result of Berger's high quality designs, the new highways are considered some of the best in Nicaragua.

Following a devastating civil war, El Salvador began an ambitious nationwide highway development program. As a result, the nation boasts one of the finest highway systems in Central America with over 20 percent of the 10,000 kilometer road network paved and in good condition. Under this program, the Japan Bank for International Cooperation provided a $120 million loan to upgrade damaged bridges and highways in the eastern section of the country and build a new link in the San Salvador area. As part of this three-phase effort, the Berger Group, Nippon Koei, Katahira and NHA were selected to prepare final designs and supervise the construction on these critical highways and bridges.

The initial work involved the replacement of two bridges on the Pan-American Highway and national highway CA-02. The original bridges were destroyed during the civil war and had been temporarily replaced by Bailey bridges. Berger prepared designs and supervised the construction of permanent bridges, capable of serving the heavy traffic between the central and eastern sections of the country.

The Team also worked in the mountainous eastern section of the nation to expand and reconstruct a 21 kilometer section of the four-lane Pan-American Highway between San Rafael Cedros and San Martin. Previously, traveling along this highway was difficult and time consuming, often taking more than an hour to travel 20 kilometers. Berger's improved design greatly reduced the journey time, facilitating trade between San Salvador and the eastern section of the country.

In addition to upgrading damaged routes, the Team also designed and supervised the construction of a new six-lane, 10-kilometer link between San Salvador and the North Trunk and Tonacatepeque highways.

Much of Guatemala's road system was constructed in the early part of the 20th century to facilitate the shipment and export of agricultural products such as coffee and bananas. Today, many of these roads remain unpaved and in poor condition. To assist in improving these routes, Berger is working with the Road Authority of Guatemala (DGC) to develop a nationwide pavement management system. The Team inventoried 25,000 kilometers of roads, including more than 20,000 kilometers of unpaved rural routes. Berger then incorporated the results of these surveys, including videos of roads and GPS coordinates, into a specialized computer program and trained DGC personnel in its use. The Team's successful efforts to modernize road maintenance in Guatemala were recognized by the International Road Federation with a Global Road Achievement Award in 2000.

The Berger Group is also working with the DGC to prepare a nationwide highway development strategy. Drawing on Berger's extensive experience and data collected in the previous study, the Team analyzed the current road network capacity, identified rural areas requiring improved access, prepared demand estimates and established highway improvement priorities. Berger then worked with DGC officials to evaluate and improve legal and bidding procedures and requirements and develop appropriate standards, and prepare designs and bid documents to upgrade the priority roads.

In Honduras, Berger worked with the municipality of San Pedro Sula, the nation's second largest city and most important commercial center, to implement a road management system. The Team identified streets and related urban road infrastructure elements in need of upgrades and pinpointed their location using satellite images and Global Positioning System (GPS) and digital filming technology. Berger experts then created a detailed database linked to GPS satellites to provide up-to-the-minute information on city streets and trained officials in its use.

The Dominican Republic is also undertaking an ambitious program to upgrade local roads, including the development of an inventory and database of highway information. To coordinate the multiple facets of this program, the Secretariat of Public Works and Communications selected the Berger Group to supervise the technical and financial aspects of the highway upgrades and provide assistance to the Loan Coordinating Unit (UCP) and the Public Works Department.

As part of this $48 million program, Berger inventoried 6,000 kilometers for highway databases and identified over 2,000 kilometers in need of upgrade. The Team also determined the requirements and costs for maintenance on 1,500 kilometers of local roads to be upgraded by the Public Works Department and an additional 1,800 kilometers of roads to be upgraded by community micro-enterprises. Berger then assisted UCP officials in developing project schedules, bid calendars and selecting contractors for an innovative design/build effort employing micro-contractors. Once contractors were selected, the Team prepared designs for the recommended improvements and provided assistance to the contractors during construction.

The Gran Chaco region, a prehistoric seabed, divides Paraguay's northwest from the more populated center of the country. This open, relatively unpopulated area alternates between drought and flood seasons, creating a challenging task for the Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MPWC). With funding from the Inter-American Development Bank, the MPWC selected Berger to conduct preliminary studies and prepare designs for the rehabilitation of the Filadelfia-Filadelphia Crossing section of Route N9 and the Remanso-Cruce Filadelfia Bridge, a key link between the northwest and the center of the nation.

Each summer, the Gran Chaco changes from a dry plain to a swampy marshland as rivers overflow their banks, slowly seeping into the heavy clay soil. To accommodate the extensive flooding between December and April, the Team conducted thorough geologic, hydraulic, geotechnical and topographical studies to ensure that the proposed highway improvements were not subsequently damaged by rising waters or shifting soil.

Team members also conducted preliminary background studies, identifying the historical and current uses of the road, reviewed previous traffic data and undertook detailed field studies to update traffic forecasts and identify current and future demand. Berger used these studies to develop several design alternatives, focusing particular attention on the design of intersections. The Team then selected the best alternative and prepared final designs for the pavement and bridge and detailed cost estimates and budgets for the program.

In Bolivia, the Berger Group prepared feasibility studies and designs for the Potosi-Tarija Highway, a highly traveled section of the 16,000 mile Pan-American Highway between Argentina and Bolivia.

Berger staff conducted extensive technical and economic surveys of the highway and its zone of impact, identified and analyzed alternative improvements and identified the most viable options. The Team then prepared final designs transiting the demanding mountainous terrain of the eastern Andes. The upgrade of this highway will greatly benefit local communities by reducing transportation costs for farmers and further plans to increase tourist access to this area.

Often, properly prepared manuals and guidelines are as important as project work to ensure proper highway construction. To assist the Secretary of Public Works, Transportation and Housing (SOPTRAVI) in its mission, the Berger Group was selected to survey current and future highway needs, evaluate the capacity and condition of the national road system and prepare a manual addressing the specific challenges of road construction in Honduras.

Drawing on years of experience in highway construction and design in the region, the Team evaluated the road system and prepared a seven volume manual addressing critical administrative issues and concerns, contract execution, drainage, embankment, geologic, environmental and structural designs and route selection issues, as well as construction management procedures.

Experienced environmental planners reviewed the varied environmental impacts specific to Honduras, including preservation of natural habitats, erosion and deforestation and suggested procedures to minimize adverse impacts. Berger also analyzed different highway design approaches and layouts and included a chapter on the most appropriate designs. The final volume of the set contained guidelines and recommendations for various bidding procedures, as well as practical checklists for SOPTRAVI personnel in the field offices, providing an easy reference for simplifying construction management and improving efficiency.