Symposium 2017

The ACECH State-Counties-City Symposium held on April 4, 2017 at the Hale Koa Hotel, provided networking and educational opportunities for ACECH members and industry partners. Governor David Ige welcomed attendees and acknowledged the critical role design professionals play in building a better Hawai’i. Representatives of various government agencies, including officials from Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii Counties, presented workshops focusing on upcoming projects, agency specific rules and regulations, strategic initiatives, and other topics to improve and enhance the knowledge base, technical expertise, and business bottom-line of member firms. The closing event, an informal Pau Hana, provided the perfect opportunity for attendees to compare notes and network on both professional and personal levels. Mahalo to all who attended!

Video and Files from the Workshop Session Presentations

2017 Engineering Excellence Grand Conceptor Award Winner

H-1 PM Contraflow Project submitted by Wilson Okamoto Corporation
The H-1 PM Contraflow Project increases the capacity of the H-1 Freeway for westbound commuters from Radford Drive Overpass to Waiawa (H-1/H-2 merge), a six-mile corridor, during afternoon peak traffic period. The HDCC-WOC team developed alternative improvements that reduced construction and operational costs and implemented with a shorter schedule and less disruption. Overall, the project added a full lane of capacity for afternoon traffic from Halawa to Waikele with the portion from Pearl City to Waikele available to drivers during all hours. The combination of innovative techniques and materials, including utilizing a precast concrete slab system, which was the first application of rapid concrete pavement replacement with precast pavement panels in Hawaii, helped the overall project timeline and reduced impacts to those affected by the project. Construction commenced in June 2012 and was completed October 2015 at a cost of $82 million.

2017 Engineering Excellence Honor Award Winner

The Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline Rockfall Hazard and Mitigation Design Project submitted by Hart Crowser. Touted for its natural splendor, the Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline is a prized resource whose preservation is of the highest priority. To the State Department of Land and Natural Resources, preservation includes taking care of the environment and the public who want to enjoy the resource. The State was undertaking a major project to improve and renovate the 2-mile-long pathway leading to the spectacular Makapu’u Lighhouse overlook, and became concerned about rockfall hazards along the path. Not wanting to blindly apply unsightly rockfall fencing or netting in such a setting, Hart Crowser was able to adapt three established systems of analysis in order to determine which hazards posed the highest risk, design mitigation strategies for these hazards, and manage the construction for this project in just five short months in order to stay o budget and fulfill DLNR’s needs.