Major Environmental Drilling Projects
Zoo Interchange Reconstruction, Milwaukee, WI
The Zoo Interchange transportation project addresses the obsolete design of the freeway system, replacing deteriorating pavement and bridges, and accommodating future traffic volumes at an acceptable level of service. The project includes the system interchange of I‐94, I‐894, and US 45 and the four approach legs. Termini are 124th Street on the west, 70th Street on the east, Burleigh Street on the north, and Lincoln Avenue on the south. The Zoo Interchange connects three major highways and serves nearly 300,000 vehicles per day traveling within and through Metropolitan Milwaukee.
GESTRA provided drilling services for approximately 20 Phase II Environmental Site Assessments as part of the Zoo Interchange Reconstruction transportation project. Results of the Phase II investigations were used in the design for reconstruction of the busiest interchange in Wisconsin. The Phase II sites included former dry cleaning facilities, former gas stations, railroad right of ways and historic fill sites. Approximately 70 soil borings and 20 temporary groundwater monitoring wells were installed during the subsurface investigations. |
Milwaukee Bucks Arena, Milwaukee County, WI
The Milwaukee Bucks are completing design for a new basketball arena that will be located two square blocks due north of the existing BMO Harris arena. A subsurface investigation was completed for foundation design and environmental characterization of soil and groundwater. Environmental study results will be used to characterize subsurface soils and groundwater and determine how to manage them during the construction phase.
Approximately 30 environmental probes and 12 groundwater monitoring wells were installed by GESTRA during the environmental investigation for the study area. In addition, environmental staffs have been on-site during the geotechnical drilling to field screen collected soil samples. A total of approximately 50 geotechnical borings have been completed for the project. |
30th Street Corridor, Milwaukee County, WI
Planning is underway to reduce the risk of flooding and basement backups in the heavily urbanized, industrial area on the north side of Milwaukee. Intense storms send storm water across pavement without having a chance to infiltrate into the subsurface. The 30th Street Corridor Project will use multiple green infrastructure techniques to help manage storm water where it falls. Detention basins will also be used to help store excess water during heavy rains. The overall goal is to reduce the risk of flooding for neighbors and businesses and help keep water out of sanitary sewers, which decreases the threat of basement backups.
GESTRA is providing environmental and geotechnical drilling services for the project. Approximately 35 geotech/environmental soil borings, 30 groundwater monitoring wells, and 15 soil probes have been performed for the design of detention basins and conveyance alignments. The results of the environmental subsurface investigation will be used to determine how to manage soils impacted by industrial by-products during project construction |