An innovative plan to use Carson City Public Works Department inspectors to monitor construction activities for a mile-long rehabilitation project on Curry Street helped a Reno engineering company win the work.
The public-private partnership is just one way to maximize resources during financially difficult times, says Randy Bowling, a principal with Bowling Mamola Group of Reno.
Bowling Mamola and the Carson City Regional Transportation Commission partnered on the Curry Street project.
The work includes repaving eight blocks of the street between Rhodes Street and Koontz Lane, as well as improving drainage, replacing curbs, gutters and sidewalks and installing street lights.
Typically, the engineering contractor provides the staffing to conduct inspections of construction projects.
Under the Curry Street agreement, Carson City's field inspectors will monitor construction site activities, while Bowling Mamola Principal Patty Mamola will serve as construction manager and will coordinate inspections and oversee documentation and record keeping.
"There are opportunities out there. It doesn't have to be the same old approach to new problems," Bowling says. "New problems are just opportunities for new solutions."
Bowling Mamola won the job in a four-way competition.
"Patty is one of leading construction engineers in the state," Bowling says. "She looks for opportunities to save clients money. She came up with the idea, and Bowling Mamola analyzed it and thought it was the best approach.
"The Carson City Public Works Department said we have some inspectors that are available, so they fulfilled the field inspection role while Bowling Mamola Group fulfilled the construction management role."
The Curry Street reconstruction project is expected to be completed in November.
A&K Earthmovers of Fallon was selected as the engineering and general contractor.
