Question= The specifications call for a light abrasive blast and a final coat of inorganic zinc to be applied in the field after installation of the piling.

The coating manufacturer's tech service does not recommend the inorganic zinc being topcoated with itself, unless it is done in successive passes in the shop, and is essentially a one coat application. The reason for this is there is no certainty that the field applied inorganic zinc will "wet in" and adhere to a sweep blasted surface, since the coating has already cured.

The manufacturer's recommendation is to touch-up areas damaged during installation by SSPC-SP2 Hand Tool & SSPC-SP3 Power Tool Cleaning and applying a single coat of Organic Zinc Rich Epoxy by spray or brush in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.

Will the spot touch-up with Organic Zinc Rich Epoxy be allowed in lieu of the final coat of inorganic zinc?

• No, Bid per contract documents.

Question= What can we get in an electronic format?

• Please refer to the INFORMATION AVAILABLE listed above.
• The Machine Control Surface Model File will be posted if it becomes available before bid opening. Otherwise, it will become available after approval of the contract per section 5-1.26.
  

How do we get It?

• Click on one of the items under the Information Available to view or download.
  

Does this also include the cross sections mentioned in 5-1.17 ?

• Yes, cross sections will be posted soon.

Question= Is there a designated borrow site for this material and will this have to be trucked in?

• There is not a borrow site designated for this project.  Item 43 will need to be transported to the project.
  

Please forward Granite Construction Company Land XML, dwg or dgn files that contain the following vector information for the Brawley Bypass 78/111 job in Imperial County:
1.      Original ground cross sections for main and intersecting lines.
2.      Finished grade cross sections (regular stations and transition stations)
3.      Coordinate geometry (cogo) for horizontal alignments
4.      Vertical cogo for profile grade lines
5.      Proposed design linework (2D geometry chains or 3D breaklines)
Granite Construction Company relies upon modern, computer-aided estimating and production methods to provide competitive bids and timely grading performance.  In addition to paper plans, receiving the grading geometry in computer readable form helps us to do our best work for Caltrans.  As stated in Special Provision 5-1.26 regarding Machine Control Grading, the previously mentioned file types are available to bidders prior to the bid opening when properly requested through your office.
Terms of release and hold-harmless agreement:  We understand that we may be receiving electronic data containing intermediate survey and design information, not necessarily intended for construction.  We agree to hold Caltrans and the State of California harmless from any defects in this data.  We agree that our sole use of this data shall be for practical estimation of quantities, positions and grades in accordance with our duty as a licensed contractor.  We agree that it shall be our responsibility to reconcile this electronic data with paper plans, and that only the paper plans shall be regarded as legal documents for this job.
Please let me know by phone or e-mail when I can drop by to get these files from your office.
Mr. Adibi, thank you for your able assistance in this matter.

Sincerely,
Sara Van Patten
Granite Construction Company
svanpatten@gcinc.com

• The Machine Control Surface Model File will be posted if it becomes available before bid opening. Otherwise, it will become available after approval of the contract per section 5-1.26.
• Cross Sections are now posted.
  

Question= Are the design files (i.e. CADD or MicroStation) available to contractors?

• No, only the Machine Control Surface Model File.
  

• The Machine Control Surface Model File will be posted if it becomes available before bid opening. Otherwise, it will become available after approval of the contract per section 5-1.26.

Question= How soon will the plan cross sections be made available?

• Cross sections are now posted.

Question= Subject: Requesting Grading Geometry Files for Contract No. 11-167884

Dear Mr Adibi,

Please forward Skanska USA Civil, dwg or dgn files that contain the following vector information for the Route 78,111 in Imperial County Near Brawley.

1.Original ground cross sections for main & intersecting lines.
2.Finished grade cross sections (regular stations plus transition stations)
3.Coordinate geometry (cogo) for horizontal alignments
4.Vertical cogo for profile grade lines
5.Proposed design linework (2D geometry chains or 3D breaklines)

Skanska USA Civil relies upon modern, computer-aided estimating and production methods to provide competitive bids and timely grading performance, In addition to paper plans, receiving the grading geometry in computer-readable form helps us to do our best work for Caltrans.

Terms of release & hold-harmless agreement:  We understand that we may be receiving electronic data containing intermediate survey and design information, not necessarily intended for construction.  We agree to hold Caltrans and the State of California harmless from any defects in this data.  We agree that our sole use of this data shall be for the practical estimation of quantities, position and grades in accordance with our duty as a licensed contractor.  We agree that it shall be our responsibility to reconcile this electronic data with paper plans, and that only the paper plans shall be regarded as legal documents for this job.

Mr Adibi, thank you for you able assistance in this matter.

Best Regards,

• The Machine Control Surface Model File will be posted if it becomes available before bid opening. Otherwise, it will become available after approval of the contract per section 5-1.26.
• Cross Sections are posted.

Question= The Table included indicates that by bid time all 4 listed  Right of Way parcels will be available...Is this the case?

• Yes, unless they are changed by addendum.
  

• Yes
  

• It is not listed under State Furnished , thus the State will not provide.
  

• No goal, but encouraged.

• No.
  

• The State has no information, but will research.

12

Q:01/08/08
R:01/08/08

R:01/13/08

• Yes.
  

• To be determined.
• Please refer to Addendum #3.

• Under order of work construction of the "S"  "I"  "T" and  "W" Imperial 111 and "D Lines, shall be the first order of work as shown on the plans.  Construction of the "P" Line between stations 219+40 and 219+60, shall be the last order of work as shown on the plans.  Access through existing Alley Way between shall be maintained until all other access roads have been built or when directed by the Engineer.  So the answer to that question is that the "P" line does not have to be 100 percent completed and what we determined is you can work out of stage.  As long as you make progress on the current stage of work and it doesn't conflict with access points or construction handling issues on the contract. 

• The Machine Control Surface Model File will be posted if it becomes available before bid opening. Otherwise, it will become available after approval of the contract per section 5-1.26.
• Cross Sections are posted.

• See Section 19-2.05 Slopes (Standard Specifications) for requirements regarding these locations.

•      The railroad agreement documents are now posted above.
  

• Yes, the permeable material is surrounded by filter fabric.
• Sheet 336 of the plans shows 4 layers of filter fabric with a 600 minimum overlap for all edges.
  

• No, no additional mandatory prebid meeting.

19

Q:02/05/08
R:02/07/08

R:02/13/08

Plan Sheet / Specification Reference= Addendum No 3. 

Question= When will the new cross sections be available showing the new excavation quantities? 

• The new x-sections are posted above.

Are the quantities shown on the bid schedule derived from the supplied cross sections or are they calculated from another source?

• Quantities are derived from the cross sections provided.
  

The soils report(foundation recommendations for Brawley Beef Way UC) states that the contractor can expect 6 to 12 inches   settlement over the period of construction for the deepest fills yet you have reduced the subsidence quantity from 110,756 cubic meters to 26,320 cubic meters. We assume that the quantity of fill remains the same so why is the quantity reduced?
If the P line is constructed early on in the project and completed to finished grade including the pccp and asphalt and at the end of the project the the fills do settle, (ie the constructed center line is lower by 1" to 12" after 1.5 to 2 years), how will Caltrans address this?

• Please bid per the current contract documents.
  

Plan Sheet / Specification Reference= Item 7: Temporary Erosion Control

Question= Pg 198 For the Materials Section, under Tackifier 1) & 2), why is there a discrepancy in the required "minimum functional longevity"? Section 1) Tackifier (Plant Based) calls for a minimum longevity of 3 months, while Section 2) Tackifier (Polymeric Emulsion Blends)calls for a minimum of 6 months. Why the different requirement?

• Please bid per the current contract documents.
  
  

21

Q:02/08/08
R:02/11/08

• No, insertion method is not allowed.
• Insertion method for tie bars is allowed per Section 10-1.44, Page 263 "INSTALLING TIE BARS" of the Special Provisions as an option for installing the tie bars. Contract plans do not reflect a preference for dowel baskets over dowel bars, therefore placement of dowel bars by the "Insertion Method" would be allowed.