Altoona Blair County Development Corporation, Blair County
Keller Engineers’ team provided all necessary survey and civil engineering services to design and construct a new 114-acre industrial park. Specific amenities in the park include design and construction of 2,300’ of new Township roadway and infrastructure such as utility extensions, drainage, water, and sewer. Drainage improvements included constructed wetlands and bio-retention facilities to control stormwater runoff rate and volume, and to improve water quality.
Project Uniqueness/Challenges: The most challenging aspect of this project was obtaining the NPDES permit. FEMA revised the floodplain maps after design was under way, which resulted in the wetlands being reclassified as Exceptional Value (EV). This change made permitting wetland impacts far more difficult. Once permits were obtained, a major modification was made to the NPDES permit to better utilize the available grant money.
We have teamed with Keller Engineers on several design-build projects for PennDOT. When selecting a designer, the more critical factors are trust and competence, more so than a low price. If your designer makes a mistake in quantities it can cost you a lot of money. We have stayed with Keller Engineers because we trust them to provide competent service at a competitive price. S. Scott Grannas, Vice President Grannas Bros. Stone & Asphalt Co., Inc.