Building for tomorrow, today.
We are a forward-thinking design and consulting firm specializing in engineering, community planning, environmental, and construction services. We partner with other industry experts, like Ames Construction, to provide the top of the line services our clients deserve.
Who we are – About WSB
Our Alternative Delivery Experience
Construction Cost: $208M
Contractor: Ames Construction
Owner: MnDOT
Design/Construction Dates: September 2018 – Completion Expected Fall 2021
Contract Duration: August 2018 – Pending
Role: WSB was selected as MnDOT’s Design-Build Verification Consultant (DBVC) providing design verification (geotechnical, structural, drainage and roadway) and construction administration including contract administration, quality management (inspection, and materials sampling and testing) document management, environmental compliance, change management, and general project oversight for conformance with the contract.
Summary: MnPASS is being installed on I-35W between Roseville and Blaine in the northern Twin-Cities metropolitan area of Minnesota. Ames was selected to provide 12 miles of new concrete interstate roadway, frontage roads, noise walls, ITS, drainage structures and the replacement or rehabilitation of 5 bridges. The project is a continuation of the strong working relationship between Ames and WSB which started in 2006 on the TH 212 project.
Construction Cost: $127M
Contractor: Ames Construction
Owner: MnDOT
Design/Construction Dates: May 2018 to Fall 2020
Contract Duration: May 2018 to pending
Role: WSB is performing as the owner’s representative on the Design-Build Verification Consultant (DBVC) team providing design review services, contract administration, and quality assurance(inspection and materials sampling and testing).
Summary: MnDOT, in partnership with Dakota County, Hennepin County, the City of Bloomington, and the City of Burnsville, is developing a project to replace the bridge and pavement on I-35W between Cliff Road and 106th Street. As part of the project, the two I-35W bridges will be replaced and the profile of I-35W will be raised out of the floodplain. The work provides for MSE walls, ground improvements concrete paving, supplemental bridge replacement and improved pedestrian access across the river.
Construction Cost: $64M
Contractor: Ames Construction
Owner: MnDOT
Design/Construction Dates: September 2016 to October 2017
Contract Duration: September 2016 to March 2018
Role: WSB served as the Design-Build Verification Consultant (DBVC) for MnDOT providing design verification, contract administration, schedule review, change management, and quality management (inspection and materials sampling and testing) for conformance with the contract.
Summary: TH 169 is a major north-south route in the southeastern portion of the Twin-Cities metropolitan area. As part of the Nine Mile Creek project, Ames was selected to replace the Hwy 169 bridge over Nine Mile Creek in Hopkins, Minnetonka and Edina with a causeway. The project included reconstruction of more than six miles of pavement on TH 169 and construction of acceleration and deceleration lanes.
Construction Cost: $99M
Contractor: Ames Construction
Owner: MnDOT
Design/Construction Dates: July 2013 to December 2015
Contract Duration: July 2013 to June 2017
Role: WSB was Owners Representative as the Design-Build Verification Consultant (DBVC) providing design review services, contract administration, quality assurance (inspection and materials sampling and testing) change order management, environmental compliance (erosion control and known contamination), materials and pavement expertise, and schedule review
Summary: The I-35E MnPASS Express Lane construction project was part of a larger effort, located on I-35E north of St. Paul. The improvements included:
Construction Cost: $189M
Contractor: Ames Construction
Owner: MnDOT
Design/Construction Dates: March 2013 to November 2016
Contract Duration: March 2013 to March 2018
Role: WSB served as the project representative and oversight team to provide contract administration and quality managements services. Responsibilities included design review, inspection and materials sampling and testing, environmental compliance, schedule review, labor compliance, EEO, and change management for all aspects of design review, bridge and roadway construction, noise walls, retaining walls, reinforced slopes, drainage and all other project features.
Summary: The I-90 Bridge spans the Mississippi River between Dresbach, Minnesota and La Crosse, Wisconsin. Built in 1967, it is a 2,490-foot-long steel girder, 4-lane bridge. The existing fracture-critical bridge had narrow shoulders that caused lane closures when vehicles were stranded or during routine maintenance operations. The interchanges geometry created difficult and unsafe traffic movements for commuter traffic. The new bridge is two segmental, cast-in-place structures with a fully redesigned interchange on the Minnesota side. The new interchange includes seven new curves, steel bridges, numerous retaining walls, soil improvements, rock cuts, recreational trails and scenic features.
Construction Cost: $238M
Contractor: Ames Construction
Owner: MnDOT
Design/Construction Dates: March 2005 to June 2009
Contract Duration: March 2005 to June 2012
Role: WSB was part of the Owners Design-Build Verification Team (DBVC); providing contract administration, quality management (inspection and materials sampling and testing), design review, change management, materials and pavement expertise, and environmental compliance to ensure conformance with the contract.
Summary: Hwy 212 is a freeway serving the southwestern portion of the Twin Cities metropolitan area and beyond. As a commuter route between suburban residential areas and the I-494 urban ring route, it connects employment areas of the greater metropolitan area. It also serves as a link between the metropolitan area and rural areas to the west. The new Hwy 212 significantly relieved the traffic congestion that existed along several parallel routes such as old TH 212, Pioneer Trail, and TH 5.
Construction Cost: $234M
Contractor: Flatiron
Owner: MnDOT
Design/Construction Dates: August 2007 to December 2008
Contract Duration: September 2007 to November 2008
Role: WSB was part of the contractors design-build team providing quality control construction inspection, quality management and material sampling and testing for the project including monitoring rock excavation, drilled shafts and oversight of the casting yard for the segmental components. WSB provided four staff for the project, with our staff level peaking to include over 50 employees working split shifts to cover the 24 hour/7 day a week construction schedule.
Summary: The new I-35W St. Anthony Falls Bridge replaced the bridge that collapsed on August 1, 2007, which carried more than 140,000 vehicles a day. The new bridge consists of 10 lanes that are 189 feet wide; includes 13-foot left shoulders and 14-foot right shoulders, and is light rail transit ready.
Construction Cost: $50M
Contractor: Mathiowetz Construction
Owner: MnDOT
Design/Construction Dates: October 2015 to November 2017
Contract Duration: October 2015 to June 2020
Role: WSB partnered with a contractor and provided preliminary and final design for roadway, structures, drainage and all other aspects of design. Additionally, we provided geotechnical and quality management in the form of QC construction inspection, materials sampling and testing, schedule preparation, environmental compliance and hazardous materials.
Summary: WSB provided the final design for the expansion of Highway 371. The four-lane expansion started just north of CSAH 18 in Nisswa to County Road 107 in Pequot Lakes on the existing alignment. The highway then becomes a bypass from Pequot Lakes to Jenkins. For the $50 million construction project, we used innovative methods and ideas with Alternative Technical Concepts (ATCs) to efficiently manage the earthwork quantities. The assumed common excavation for the project was 2 million cubic yards including subgrade and topsoil.
The water resources items included flood control, water quality treatment, stormwater runoff volume control from new impervious areas, and sustainability of the stormwater management system. The construction of basin outlet control structures, infiltration systems, and major storm event erosion control measure were implemented throughout the project corridor.
Construction Cost: $156M
Contractor: Kiewit
Owner: MnDOT
Design/Construction Dates: April 2015 to November 2017
Contract Duration: April 2015 to Present
Role: WSB provided the construction oversight for this project and represented MnDOT. Responsibilities included design review, contract administration, inspection, materials sampling and testing, environmental compliance schedule review, change management and overall responsibility for the project’s construction.
Summary: The team, which included WSB and five other national and regional consultants, was selected to support MnDOT District One with project administration, design and construction for the relocation of TH 53 over the Rouchleau Pit in northern Minnesota. TH 53 had to be relocated due to an expiring easement agreement with the local taconite mining company and thus, a new alignment was created to accommodate the relocation over Rouchleau Pit. The pit was approximately 250 feet deep at the crossing and the bridge spaned approximately 1,100 feet with 180-foot, or taller, bridge piers within the pit. The rock excavation for this project was extensive and the contractor was able to incorporate all the material that was mined back into the project and incorporated into a variety of applications including fill, aggregate base and concrete.
This project was the second Construction Manager/General Contractor (CMGC) in Minnesota and required special attention to the plans for compliance in order to be approved by MnDOT Central Office staff. WSB, along with the design and construction teams, kept this project on track for a 2017 completion while allowing the mining company access to their minerals underneath the existing TH 53.
Construction Cost: $63M
Contractor: Zenith Tech Inc
Owner: MnDOT
Design/Construction Dates: July 2013 to December 2015
Contract Duration: July 2013 to June 2017
Role: WSB was the quality management consultant providing construction quality control for the contractors’ team including contract administration, construction inspection, materials sampling and testing and environmental compliance to ensure compliance with the contract requirements.
Summary: MnDOT, in cooperation with WisDOT, the FHWA, and the City of Red Wing, conducted the Red Wing Bridge Project. It included the Highway 63 (Eisenhower) Bridge over the Mississippi River and the Highway 63 Bridge over Highway 61, in addition to highway connections and interchanges to Highway 61, Minnesota Highway 58, and the approach roadways in Wisconsin. The Eisenhower Bridge provides the only regional river crossing for several Minnesota and Wisconsin communities for nearly 30 miles upstream and downstream. The river bridge consists of prestressed beams and tub and provides for rock excavations, drilled shafts for the bridge foundations and soil corrections and improvements.
We partner with our clients and communities to build what’s next in infrastructure—the places, spaces and systems that support our lives.
