Vector

With most endeavors, there are setbacks. Without motion backwards, we would never really know which way is forward now, would we. Sure we would. Who wants to be a tiny vector? It is those long, colorful vectors that get all the press. Triumph over adversity builds character,... and adds interest. That said, the rant continues....

Adversity implies an adversary, and this project has three; the Contractor, the Client, and the utilities. Every couple of months, AMC will dust off the most excellent World War II drama, “Young Lions”? The Job has a few similarities. Take the cast,... please.

As Americans, the Company staff gets to play Dean Martin’s character, Michael Whiteacre. Rich, smooth, and all-powerful, he is a lover, not a fighter, and can croon with the best of them. The contractor is like Montgomery Clift’s Jewish character, Noah Ackerman. Out of principal, he lets himself get beat to a pulp again and again and again. He and Dean are fighting for the same cause, but for wildly different reasons. The Client shall be cast as Lieutenant Christian Diestl, the Nazi officer played by Marlon Brando. Idealistic to a fault and, shot dead face down in a drainage ditch, he is the loser in the end, the obvious demise of a flawed ideology. The Utilities,.... hmmm,... let us say the utilities are the Bavarian Alps in the first scene. The immovable object.

There are three major utilities that we have to work with, around, and through. Jamaica Public Services Company (JPSCo.), a recently divested, quasi-governmental organization, provides electricity to the island. The vast majority of their distribution facilities are on power poles adjacent to the roadway. As we widen and realign the highway, we force the relocation of these poles. In the States, most utilities occupy the right-of-way under the condition that, if public work in the right-of-way requires is in conflict, they will be immediately relocated. Sure, there are conditions where major facilities require modification to the roadway design. However, it is usually no big deal to plant a few more poles and swapping the lines. Unless you are here.

In Jamaica, most of the holes for power poles are dug by hand by a couple of guys using long iron bars with a flattened tip. Once the holes are dug, the poles are erected, but there is usually no crane, so this takes a while using only A-frames, blocks and tackles. Then, the poles are climbed by the linesmen who, armed with a hand augers and open ended wrenches, affix the cross members and accouterments. The cables are unreeled by hand, then dragged and scratched across hill and dale by gangs of men to positions under the poles, from whence they are hoisted up to their final location. This slow and steady method might win this race, except when the going gets too tough, the crew may just get going, give up and move on to an easier task for a while.

Once JPSCo. has energized the new lines, they are not out of the way, because the telephone cables are still hanging on the old power poles. The telephone utility is Cable and Wireless, Jamaica, Limited (CWJL). For years, their concession agreement included a guaranteed of profit. They are totally uncooperative, and demand four weeks once the power lines are moved to relocate their lines to the new poles. Once four weeks are up, they will demand four weeks to relocate their lines to the new poles. Once four weeks are up, they will demand four weeks to relocate their lines to the new poles (continue ad nauseam). Only then can the old poles be retired by JPSCo. and the work proceed.

Neither JPSCo. nor CWJL will temporarily relocate their facilities, which further slows the process. They want the contractor to complete excavation before they will act, yet the contractor expects the utilities to be out of his way before he takes possession of the site. If the contractor was smart, he would be charging for additional time and overhead as his project is being delayed. Well he’s not and he isn’t,... a victim of his own inefficiencies.

The third utility is the National Water Commission (NWC). The NWC is a cabinet level agency, yet cut from the same cloth as the power and phone companies. Sadly, while we can see exactly where aerial cables are located, the water mains are (usually) buried. More sad is the fact that the NWC has no accurate idea as to where their facilities are, and exerts no control over those who would make illegal taps and steal its water.

There is no service providing joint utility locating information for excavators here. Fortunately, there is no natural gas, because most buried utilities are located with heavy equipment. When a water service is yanked, someone will hack off a tree limb with their machete, and then whittle a point on the end, so that it can be crammed into the gushing pipe to stop the flow. If reported, the NWC may be back to restore service in a few days. If it is a leak in a main and it is not too bad, it may runs for weeks or months before repairs occur.

An 800 millimeter water main runs between the treatment plant at Great River (Chainage 162+650) and the end of the project at Bogue (Chainage 171+200), just outside of Montego Bay. This main is the primary supply line for Montego Bay and cannot be disrupted. The cover over the pipe varies between 1.2 meters and 0.0 meters, depending on the material to be excavated during its installation. In rocky or swampy areas, the pipe is hardly buried. It is completely exposed and vulnerable as it spans creeks and gullies at numerous locations. In this section of the project, the old 250 millimeter distribution and supply line is still alive and buried just below the right edge of pavement. Then, there is a way old 100 millimeter asbestos distribution line, the location of which is unknown until we break it again. Unfortunately, as our project flattens both horizontal and vertical curves, conflicts develop between our proposed improvements and the existing facilities.

Recently, I have been trying to get the NWC and the contractor to determine the exact locations of these lines, so that I can better determine the actual level of conflict (and limits of redesign, eventually). As always, it is the contractor’s responsibility to determine the actual location of all utilities and to inform the Engineer of any conflicts therewith. So, after numerous beatings and admonitions, I accompanied both contractor and utility to scores of locations where we would dig potholes and survey the pipes in place. Eventually, the work got too hard for them, so the effort was abandoned with a dozen holes to go.

Shortly thereafter, the NWC presented me with a detailed bill for the two and a half days that they assisted the effort with labor and the scariest backhoe that I have every seen. The bill, quite detailed, including rental receipts for the hoe, was for four and a half days of effort. Straight faced was the criminal who presented it to me. [Certain earthmovers may want to consider this place once their time is up.] Straight faced was I as the bill was rejected. [But not on this project.]

Over two years have passed since the start of the Works, and utility conflicts are delaying the progress on almost 40% of the length of the project.

To cop a Jamaican attitude - this means job security. Read More......