The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded VCC a competitively awarded task order on the USACE Louisville District HUBZone Contract to repair the damaged Bullnose of the Markland Locks & Dam, just west of downtown Cincinnati and on the Ohio River. In December 2018, the Markland Dam Bullnose was crushed after the barge operator lost control of the barge entering the locks. The project requires a large crane-barge and specialty marine construction expertise to engineer and repair the upstream entry point of the locks.
Vazquez Commercial Contracting will strategically remove large areas of the damaged concrete, cut away unserviceable rebar, design, prepare, and install new rebar and concrete from a floating plant. The Bullnose finish work includes multiple applications of high-visibility, black, white, and yellow caution markings designed to reflect light in the night and present great visibility during the daytime. The specialty paint and color combinations produce easy-to-see concrete abutments and warn operators approaching the locks of the dangers. This critical waterway infrastructure repair project reduces the chances of another collision in the future and improves the safety for commercial operators, private boaters, and the USACE employees working the locks and dam.
“We are thrilled to assist the USACE and the Lockmaster at the Markland Dam. This is a tremendous opportunity to make the locks a safer place for boaters, commercial barge operators, and the USACE employees working on the Ohio River. We are humbled the USACE selected VCC to repair the damaged locks and make the dam a safer place to work,” said Joe Vazquez, President of Vazquez Commercial Contracting. “VCC is a proven partner to the USACE and those stakeholders’ moving cargo on the Ohio River from Portsmouth, OH to Paducah, KY.
