Photo By James Finn | Project Engineer 1st Lt. Christian Gray stands with the 55th Chief of Engineers and...... read more read more
Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon recently made his first visit to the Rock Island District as the 55th Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Although it was a quick trip, Spellmon was able to get an idea of the hard work and dedication Rock Island District employees and leadership put into their roles day-in and day-out.
The visit, March 16 focused on Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and the large-scale $117 million flood risk management (FRM) project ongoing throughout the city. This complex project is the largest FRM project in the District’s history.
During a “window tour” of the city, Project Manager Andrew Goodall showed Spellmon many features of the project and discussed orientation of the project sites and features.
“During the tour, we were able to show him the project while also highlighting the strong partnership the Rock Island District has developed with the city,” Goodall said. “We also discussed the project’s challenges for the Chief’s awareness.”
Some challenges discussed during the visit included the complexity of building a flood risk management project of this scale in the middle of a city and how this project differs from building a levee in a less congested area.
“Obviously this project is different than building a levee on farmland,” Goodall said. “There are very tight working spaces for construction contractors, coordination is needed with multiple landowners during construction and real estate acquisition and there is very high visibility as the general public can see the project on a daily basis.”
While challenges exist, having Spellmon visit the project and see how the District has worked to overcome these obstacles gives project team members a chance to showcase Rock Island District’s strengths.
“To have the Chief visit the Cedar Rapids project highlights the very important and critical work we do here in the Rock Island District,” Goodall said. “The District can bring issues to his attention and with his guidance, these items ultimately help us deliver the project more efficiently.”
During the visit, Rock Island District Commander Col. Steve Sattinger was alongside Spellmon as he toured the city and explained just how important visits like this are for the District.
“Nothing compares to a visit from the Chief of Engineers to demonstrate to our partners and stakeholders how important their projects are to the District,” Sattinger said. “Putting boots on the ground and understanding the scope and complexity of a project like Cedar Rapids is invaluable to ensuring that the entire vertical team prioritizes delivery and execution.”
| Date Taken: | 04.23.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 04.23.2021 11:53 |
| Story ID: | 394584 |
| Location: | ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, IL, US |
| Web Views: | 51 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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Army Corps of Engineers
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