What do you do on the project?
As one of the City's construction managers, I assist with overseeing the day-to-day construction activities and work closely with the Resident Engineer on the resolution of major issues or challenges that may arise on the project. My duties are focused on the administration of the contract, and oversight of our scheduling and field engineering consultants. I also coordinate with other third party agencies such as LADOT and LADWP, as well as with other projects within our vicinity.
When did you start working on the project?
I joined the project team in June 2016.
How do you overcome challenges that arise while you’re working?
One of the best things about the project team is the excellent collaboration that we have -- most of us have been on the project for a number of years, and over the course of time we've built trust and great communication as a team, so when challenges or issues arise, it's all hands on deck to come up with the solutions that are needed to keep the project moving forward. I always feel that I have the support of my colleagues and managers when I have an issue or challenge, so I'm never going it alone.
What’s helped you most while working on the viaduct?
My previous construction management experience has helped a lot in terms of knowing the dos and don'ts, and I'm fortunate that I still have a line of communication with my prior managers that I can call upon when I need help, in addition to my current managers who bring a wealth of project and construction management experience to our team. I also worked for several years in the private development sector of BOE, so I have a lot of knowledge about permits and the roles of various different City departments, which proved to be very handy during our right-of-way phase when we were working on building demolition and utility relocations.
What motivates you?
I am the kind of person that is motivated by challenges and deadlines, and with a project of this size and complexity, there is no shortage of challenges. Part of what attracted me to engineering was being able to solve real-world problems, so every challenge is another opportunity to learn and gain more experience.
What’s your favorite part of the project?
After being on the project for just under 4 years, and seeing how far we've gotten in construction, I can't wait to be able to walk across the completed bridge. It's going to be an icon for the City, and something that all of us on the Project team can be so proud of!
This month, we conducted an interview with Natalie Moore, one of the members of the Bureau of Engineering's team leading the construction of the Sixth Street Viaduct Replacement Project. Natalie is part of the team leading the project for the City and we asked her to tell us more about her role on the largest bridge project in the history of the City of Los Angeles: