THE WILDISH WINDOW |VOL. XLIX No. 2| Summer 2022
A New Chapter
On Friday, April 8, 2022, many of us gathered for our first annual meeting in two years. For all the reasons we know, we missed 2021. It was wonderful being in a group setting, reviewing the past year, planning for the future, and just feeling normal again. While it is too soon to talk about this time as being truly post COVID, how refreshing it is to return to doing many of the activities that we all took for granted, most notably being together.
During these past two years, we have experienced many changes. A significant change evident at our Annual Supervisor’s meeting was Jim Wildish was not present for the first time. As I mentioned to the group at the meeting, our annual meeting was probably my Dad’s most favorite company event. While our company picnic and holiday event were his favorites too, the Annual Supervisors' meeting was extra special to him.
A big part of the meeting is celebrating our work and accomplishments. Nothing made Dad prouder than talking about our work. He was extremely appreciative of the diverse and challenging work that we perform year in and year out. However, most of all, Dad was proud of the Wildish people who perform the work with their skill, hard work, long hours, sacrifice, leadership, and importantly, family support.
After the meeting, I was talking to someone who experienced their first Annual Supervisors' meeting. They said that they were so impressed at seeing and hearing about all the projects that Wildish had worked on and completed. As I listened, I could tell that there was some real pride attached to this person’s comments. I walked away thinking about how pleased my Dad would be that here was a new Wildish employee, attending their first Annual Supervisors' meeting, and they were feeling the same pride and enthusiasm that he felt.
Please take a moment, especially during the difficult times, to reflect upon what you – and we – have accomplished. Stay positive and remember that working together as a team, we can accomplish almost anything. It is the Wildish way.
- Steve Wildish
Wildish Building Company
PM Tim Bonn reports work is on hold at the EWEB campground project
until snowmelt in the spring. When weather allows, work will resume to finish
various trails, install a new septic system, and hook up a new flushable toilet
structure. Brandon Preston leads the WCC crews, and Jake Stucky is the
project supt.
At Adair Village, concrete work on the headworks structure at the wastewater
treatment plant continues into May. Installation of screening equipment, as
well as a new shop building, will keep crews busy for the next 6 months. Supvr
Aaron Hamrick coordinates the on-site work, with WCC Supvr Mike Skeele
and crew performing earthwork.
In April, work began on an addition to EWEB’s Powder Activated Carbon building with WBC crews installing a new bulk bag unloader system. Under the direction of Supvr Jason Blackmore, Wildish crews will self-perform the earthwork and concrete work on the building and will subcontract installation of the structural steel and sheet metal roof and siding. PM Matt Wynne reports that WBC crews and subcontractors are wrapping up work at the Millersburg Fire Station 15 project, which has a substantial completion date of May 30, followed by some punch list work in June and a final completion date of June 28. WBC Supt Dennis Montgomery leads the team with tremendous support from several WCC crews led by supervisors Tony Koker, Mike Skeele, Tom Miles, Jeff Deschamps, and Matt Parker.
Wildish Standard Paving Co.
PM Sean Williams says that work resumed on the Hillsboro Airport Taxiway A project in mid-April. There are 6 phases of work totaling nearly $12M to be completed this season with some tight time frames restricting work to 21-calendar days. On Taxiway F, work is projected to start in July/August. Replacement of part of Taxiway F (near the two Nike hangers) and the repair and sealcoat of the east perimeter road will happen alongside some of the limited duration work on Taxiway A. Supt Dan Payne leads the crew and subcontractors on both Hillsboro projects.
Wildish crews completed the ornamental rail replacement on the Baldwin Bridge in early April. This retrofit/rehabilitation project is over UPRR mainline and sidelines. Active freight traffic at night added some complicated access to the site. Three tube rail adds a new level of crash protection to the structure. Thanks to the crews lead by Supt Joe Peterson for completing this night work project.
On the US30 St. Johns Bridge project, concrete repair and coating work will begin in June on this iconic Portland bridge over the Willamette River. Wildish crews and subcontractors will be busy on the rehabilitation project through April 2024.
PM Eric Holland tells us that work is progressing smoothly at the Yaquina Bay Bridge project in Newport. It is on track to meet the projected 2023 completion date. Scaffolding is being installed for Stage 5 at Arch Span 5N/4S, and the dry blast removal of the existing zinc coating is nearing completion for Stage 4 at Arch Span 6N/5S. After the survey and repairs are complete, new zinc coating will be applied., which should be complete by mid-June when work will shift to the next section further out in the bay. Kudos to Dan Lutze, Tony Perez, and April Nelson.
Cormorant and gull nesting posed a significant concern for the project during the last nesting season. This year, APHIS and Wildish crews have so far been successful in hazing efforts to deter nesting within the next phase of work on the bridge. This hazing includes using a propane cannon, water blast, pyrotechnics, and paint balls Our project goal for this year is to complete the arch section up to Arch Span 4S before winter.
At the I-5 Bridges project, PM Alan Bird reports that crews are on the last location, which is the northbound on-ramp from Highway 99W (Barbur Blvd) to I-5. Lane closures will be provided for our painting subcontractor working in stages across the freeway. This can be a slow process as the job involves containment, removal of old paint, and re-coating of the steel bridge girders with a three-step coating system. This project should finish in early June. Supvr Donna Prominski leads the effort and shares the crew with the Baldwin Project.
At the Barbur / Capitol project, the crew led by Supt Duston Cabrera is removing and replacing 11 ADA ramps at 8 corners, upgrading traffic signals and re-paving two intersections. Only one corner can be closed at a time. We are limited on the length of those closures, so the pressure intensifies. This project should be completed by the end of May.
In Eastern Oregon, the Union County Curb Ramps project recently added some work in Cove and Island City to extend last season’s contract. Supervisors Nate Adkins and Al Frye Jr. are leading the effort and will be done in early May. We are also preparing for the new Baker City Curb Ramps project, which kicks off in early May and covers 324 curb ramps over 190 locations. We expect a busy summer.
PE Nathan Gilbert shares that the crew on the Yamhill River Bridge (YRB) project has worked hard over the last 9 months building the detour bridge to divert traffic and begin demo of the existing bridge. The project team includes PM Eric Holland, Structures Supt Shawn Cook, Site Work Supt Scott Wade, PE Nathan Gilbert, Supvr Joe Reyes, and Suprv Jason Baxter. A few of the work horses on the team are Them Kjar, Brett Waldron, Steven Bobb, Crystal Tipton, Peter Suzuki, Nicholas Griffith, and Randy Yates. Each crew member contributes to keeping this project on track and progressing the work.
So far in the project, we have reached two major milestones: Bypassing the sanitary sewer force main and switching traffic onto the new detour bridge. Looking forward to this summer, there’s significant work to complete within the designated 2 ½ month “in-water” window allowed by ODOT. This will include excavation, cofferdams, a work bridge, pile driving, and pouring of pile caps and columns. It will be an all-hands on deck situation for a few months, and we are looking forward to overcoming the challenges.
Wildish Construction Company
According to PM Stan Gappa WCC crews will begin the Lebanon School District’s Phillips Subdivision in mid-May. We will construct the infrastructure for the 12-lot subdivision, and then the school district will begin building houses on the lots as part of its construction class curriculum. Supvr Rod Wood and his pipe crew will begin pipe installation. Supt Dondi Russell will have a concrete crew onsite. Supt Jay Ross’ asphalt paving crew will also be on-site. This project is scheduled to be completed by August 31st.WCC is scheduled to begin Lane County’s 2022 Bridge Approach Repairs project in June. The project includes the earthwork and structural fill placement for new concrete end panels. There are two bridges on Crow Road at MP 5.0 and one bridge on Seavey Loop as you enter Howard Buford Recreation Area.
Supvr Brandon Preston and his crew started the demolition of an existing structure for the Ausland Group and a future Human Bean Coffee kiosk. The project includes excavation and grading, as well as asphalt paving. The anticipated completion date for this project is mid-July.
WCC is the apparent low bidder for ODOT’s OR569: Greenhill Road to Coburg Road project, which includes ADA ramps and sidewalk, median barrier replacement, bridge rail replacement, construction of an Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) bridge deck overlay, roto milling, asphalt paving, the installation of an Intelligent Traffic System (ITS), signing and striping. It has a completion date of October 31, 2023.
PM Kevin Friedel tells us that work is progressing on the Highways OR228 and US20 project through Sweet Home. Crews led by supervisors JP Williams and Tom Miles are working to build 245 ADA ramps at 41 intersection sites with work expected to complete by April 2023.
Wildish was low bidder on the City of Eugene Riverfront Access and Parking Lot Riverfront Park from Hilyard Street to Eighth Street. Work cannot begin until after August 1st, and includes 4,800 CY of earthwork, 600 CY of concrete flatwork and 2,000 T of asphalt. Most of the work will be completed in 2022.
PM Colin Cunningham reports that work has wrapped up on the Eugene 4th St. project and Supvr Jeff Frank and crew are working on the Eugene Jessen Drive job with completion scheduled for early June. Pete Linscott is supervising crews on the 17th Ave job, pushing for a mid-July substantial completion.
Plans are in the works for two airport jobs – Corvallis and Creswell – which are both scheduled to start mid-August.
Around the Yard
Retirement After more than 31 years of digging in the dirt and laying pipe, Supvr Mike Skeele retired from WCC. He’s looking forward to fishing, spending time with his family, and sleeping in! Thank you, Mike, and enjoy your retirement!Retirement calls for General Supt Scott Vogl after more than 33 years with WSTP. Scott is considered to be one of WSTP's MVPs! Congratulations, Scott!
Recognition of Service
Special thanks go to all who joined Wildish one, five, ten, fifteen, twenty or more years ago during the months of May, June and July.46 YEARS Tim Hendrix
43 YEARS Rick Hamm
34 YEARS Jeff Frank, Colin Cunningham
33 YEARS Trudy Peron, Dawn Drury-Odom
32 YEARS Mary Lou Wilson
31 YEARS Jim Anderson
29 YEARS Phil Johnson Jr.
27 YEARS Jason White, Scott Rogge
26 YEARS Tony Koker
25 YEARS Matt Parker, Gary Monson, Eric Holand
22 YEARS Erica French
21 YEARS Mark Harrington, Wayne McCraken
20 YEARS Harold Johnson
15 YEARS Scott Fugate, Todd Krueger, Kirk Freeman
10 YEARS Roger Bankes
5 YEARS Dennis Mittleider Tim Whiteis JP Williams Jesse Peone Vickie Gruver Nicholas Griffith Gonzalo Sanchez Trevor Thomas Jeff Deschamps Myranda Kelly Mike Parrish Daniel Sotin
1 YEAR Jamie Leroux Lane Diess Acey Runningbird Chris Williams Mike Pouppirt Charles Lane Anthony Smith Aaron Hamrick Dennis Montgomery, Jr. Dale Casey Steven Bobb Tya s Scott Randall Yates Jesse Lippold Todd Green Nathan Payne Matt Koeste
Get a Load of This
WSTP is a Finalist for the 2022 Daily Journal of Commerce Top Projects Award in the Transportation category (and overall Top Project of the Year) for Flanders Crossing, a newly built steel bridge over I-405 to carry pedestrians and cyclists in NW Portland. Kudos to a host of bridge and sidewalk/ramps builders! Leadership was provided by Scott Vogl, Joe Peterson, and Duston Cabrerawith support from Jim Gibson, and Rene Miller!
