Unity Bridge

The JBLM Unity Bridge, also known as the Joint Base Access Corridor, was a design-build project that provided the first phase of linkage between the Lewis and McChord sites of Joint Base Lewis-McChord after becoming a joint base in October 2010. The project involved both horizontal and vertical construction, including roadways, a roundabout, and a bridge over the BNSF Railroad and the publicly accessible 150th Street/Perimeter Road to connect Lewis Main and McChord Field.

As Design Manager, AHBL worked with the design-build team to break the project into three design packages to meet the critical path schedule. Design Package 1 (DP-1) involved clearing activities so that tree cutting could be completed outside the migratory bird nesting period (mid-May through August), in compliance with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The 100% DP-1 and Corrected Final DP-1 packages were prepared, submitted, and approved by the government within two months.

Design Package 2 (DP-2) included the vertical and horizontal construction of the roadways and bridges, as well as the originally proposed “T” intersection (which was later modified to a roundabout). DP-2 was completed in less than eight months. Due to the change from a “T” intersection to a roundabout, Design Package 3 was created. AHBL prepared a schematic design of the roundabout for government approval in just 10 days. Once approved, AHBL accelerated the final design, completing it in just two weeks.

The project celebrated its grand opening in May 2015, ahead of the scheduled completion date. In October 2015, AHBL and the construction team were recognized with a 2015 Small Business Silver Award for Design Excellence from the Society of American Military Engineers, Seattle/Mt. Tacoma Post.