Memorial Drive Relocation & Enhancement
     Hinesville, Georgia

Studies performed for the City of Hinesville indicated that aligning Memorial Drive with East Washington Street would create a much needed corridor in the Downtown District.

This project entailed aligning Memorial Drive with East Washington Street by means of a roundabout at the intersection of Main Street. Utility relocation along East Washington Street and a portion of Memorial Drive generated the majority of the construction costs.

In addition to the realignment to improve vehicular circulation, the streets were also enhanced to better accommodate pedestrian and bicycle traffic. The previously four-lane Memorial Drive was transformed into a two-lane street with a landscape median to include large shade trees. 

The use of street lighting, pedestrian friendly corridors and a wide array of southern landscaping returned a sense of place to the Downtown District. This project provided an opportunity to remedy some of the inadequate infrastructure within the project area as well as other areas in the Downtown District. 

2.0 MGD Water Reclamation Facility                                   
     Hinesville, Georgia

P.C. Simonton & Associates is in the process of designing and constructing a water reclamation facility for the City of Hinesville to meet future wastewater needs.  The proposed plant will be constructed to treat 2.0 MGD of wastewater with expansion to 4.0 MGD.  This plant will discharge wastewater, treated to Georgia Reuse limits, to Peacock Creek during high stream flows.  During periods of low stream flow, the plant will discharge to the City’s reuse system. 

 The City currently owns and operates a 7.15 MGD facility located on Fort Stewart.  While Fort Stewart is a customer to the City, the U.S. Government owns 53% of the treatment plant.  The remaining 47% (3.3 MGD) belongs to the City of Hinesville.  In the past, the City of Hinesville has regularly exceeded its allocated capacity; however since Fort Stewart was not using their full capacity this was possible without violating permit parameters.  This situation changed in the Spring of 2005 when Fort Stewart notified the City of Hinesville that it would need its full allocated capacity within 24 months.  The City had already taken steps to expand their wastewater treatment capacity by requesting wasteload allocation for a second wastewater treatment facility.  The government notification simply put this plan on a fast track.  The wasteload initially was for discharge to Mill Creek and Horse Creek.  Due to recent TMDL’s the wasteload was denied and the City was directed to investigate other options.  Another wasteload allocation was requested for Peacock Creek which resulted in issuance of a Hydrograph discharge on Peacock Creek.  The City recognized that an alternate means of treated wastewater disposal would be required during periods of low stream flow.  To meet this alternate disposal need, the City turned to water reclamation (reuse) as their method.  With the City’s sites set on Hydrograph discharge and reuse system development, we began the task of permitting and building a 2.0 MGD water reclamation facility in 24 months.  P.C. Simonton prepared a work scope and bid documents for solicitation of “not to exceed price proposals” from contractors.  This bid package was prepared without detailed plans and had to meet the specific requirements of the Georgia Public Works Law.  The City officials did not like the concept of Design/Build where the engineer works for the contractor, so we prepared a hybrid work plan that combined the traditional design-bid-build concepts with design/build to come up with a program that E.P.D., GEFA and the City Attorney could all approve and keep the project on the fast track. 

 While working out this plan and we prepared bid packages for the major equipment needed in the plant.  Bid packages for the SBR package, influent filter screen, grit removal system, effluent filters, and UV systems were prepared and equipment was ordered while the agreements were being negotiated with the contractor.  The equipment purchase and contractor solicitation took the first twelve months leaving us 12 months to complete design, obtain permits and construct the $14,000,000 facility.  The 2.0 MGD facility will be complete and ready for operation this summer to meet needs of the City and Fort Stewart.

In 2007 a major expansion of the D. Ray James Prison took place.  The expansion was to happen in an extremely short period of time and would almost double the City of Folkston’s population.  For the City to capture and treat the prisons wastewater, a treatment facility expansion was necessary.  In comparing the prison’s timeline with what it would take to design, permit and fund a conventional expansion, it was evident that an alternative design route would be necessary.  Through our relationship with the EPD, DCA and One Georgia, we were able to add .40 MGD capacity at a minimal cost to the City within the 12 month deadline.  This expansion included a turn key moving bed bioreactor and the elimination of approximately 200,000 GPD of inflow and infiltration.

The Wastewater Treatment expansion included an inflow and infiltration elimination phase as well as the addition of an MBBR (Moving Bed Bioreactor) tank and two pump station.  The I&I elimination included the lining of over 690 vertical feet of manholes and the replacement of approximately 1500 LF of sewer pipe.  This phase of the project eradicated approximately .2 MGD from normal daily flows and much more during periods of heavy rainfall. Couple the I&I eradication with the addition of the Moving Bed Bioreactor and a total of .46 MGD of treatment capacity was gained from the project.

Marcus Sac, the project Engineer says, "This project was unique in that we were able to create capacity for the City through innovative technology in an extremely short amount of time.  The timeline was shortened through studying and knowing the conveyance system and decreasing the permitting time required by using the majority of the infrastructure in place.  Typically in this area wastewater treatment is done at seven to ten dollars per gallon.  In Folkston we were able to provide the .46 MGD at a fraction of that cost, just under four dollars per gallon".

Lake Oconee Village
     Greensboro, Georgia

Lake Oconee Village is a multi-phased project that incorporates a multitude of development types from professional and medical offices to restaurants and retail stores.

P.C. Simonton and Associates was most recently involved in the site planning and design for Phase IV of the development. This phase, which will include commercial and flex office space and is now under construction.

In addition to the aforementioned development within the Lake Oconee Village, is the Village Park. Focused more on passive recreation and special events this project was designed around an existing lake constructed during a previous phase. Initial elements currently under construction include an open lawn areas, walking trail with boardwalks, and a wharf dock.

D. Ray James Prison is located in Folkston Georgia and is owned by Cornell Companies based in Texas.  In 2006, the facility had 1,640 beds and was the largest privately owned prison in Georgia.  During the fall of 2006, P.C. Simonton & Associates, Inc. partnered with Performa, Inc. as the design team for the design build project managed by Miron Construction, Inc.  This project was planned to construct one housing unit and one support building on the north side of the facility with a total of 315 new beds for Federal Detainees.  A groundbreaking ceremony was held in February 2007 and by January 2008 the new facility was open for business and at maximum capacity within weeks.

Immediately following the completion of the Federal Housing Unit, the design team went back to work.  The next expansion would occur on the south end of the facility to include two housing units and one support building.  Similar to the previous expansion, this project included utility infrastructure, parking, roadway, drainage and access permitting for the tree buildings under construction and adequate infrastructure for one future building.  Construction began in January 2008 with a scheduled completion date of December 2008.  When complete, the Georgia Housing Expansion will add 780 beds for a total capacity of 2,735 beds at D. Ray James Prison.