When Clackamas County needed to upgrade pedestrian infrastructure in the Southwood Park neighborhood ahead of a major pavement preservation project, they faced a complex challenge: installing 21 ADA-compliant curb ramps across multiple busy intersections while maintaining strict traffic flow and meeting aggressive deadlines.
The project required precision timing, specialized expertise, and flawless coordination—exactly the kind of municipal infrastructure work Angelo Underground excels at delivering.
Complex Municipal Infrastructure Under Pressure
The Southwood Park neighborhood, originally built in the early 1970s, needed comprehensive ADA compliance upgrades before Clackamas County could proceed with planned pavement preservation work. The scope was extensive and demanding:
21 ADA-compliant curb ramps across 7 intersection locations:
- 63rd Avenue & Southwood Drive (3 ramps)
- 63rd Avenue & 64th Avenue (2 ramps)
- 64th Avenue near addresses 13179 & 13190 (2 ramps)
- 63rd Avenue & Douglas Drive (2 ramps)
- 63rd Avenue & 63rd Place (4 ramps)
- 62nd Avenue & 63rd Avenue (4 ramps)
- Additional ramp locations (4 ramps)
But the real challenges went beyond the scope:
Traffic Management Pressure: Working at multiple active intersections meant navigating strict traffic control requirements with severe financial penalties—$500 per 15 minutes of lane closures and $250 per 10 minutes of holding traffic.
Unforgiving Timeline: The contract demanded substantial completion by April 30, 2024, with liquidated damages of $700 per day for delays. Every day mattered.
Regulatory Compliance: The project required full compliance with Oregon prevailing wage laws, outreach to Historically Underrepresented Businesses, and extensive bonding and insurance requirements.
Systematic Solution Through Leadership and Specialized Partnerships
Angelo Underground approached this complex municipal project with a combination of strong internal leadership and strategic partnerships with proven specialists.
Centralized Project Leadership Michael Martin served as both Project Executive and Project Manager, streamlining decision-making and eliminating communication delays. This dual role approach ensured rapid responses to field conditions and kept the project moving forward without bureaucratic bottlenecks.
Strategic Subcontractor Partnerships Rather than attempting to handle every specialized aspect in-house, we assembled a team of proven experts:
- High Quality Traffic Control, LLC for flagging and traffic management
- RECORP, LLC for surveying and staking work
- Northwest Infrastructure, LLC for trucking and materials transport
Comprehensive Compliance Management We maintained rigorous oversight of all regulatory requirements, including prevailing wage certifications, subcontractor disclosures, required bonds and insurance, ensuring every compliance box was checked while field work progressed smoothly.
Why Our Excavation Experience Made the Difference
This project leveraged Angelo Underground’s core strengths in ways that made a measurable difference:
Site Preparation Expertise: Our extensive excavation experience enabled safe and efficient demolition of existing ramps and sidewalks, proper grading, and site preparation for new concrete installations.
Utility Awareness: Our background in utility trenching allowed us to work confidently around existing water, gas, and sewer lines, preventing construction delays and safety incidents that often plague municipal infrastructure projects.
Municipal Project Experience: We understand the unique demands of working in public spaces—from traffic management to regulatory compliance—ensuring smooth project execution without surprises.
Outstanding Results with On-Time Delivery and Expanded Scope
The Southwood Park ADA project delivered exceptional outcomes for Clackamas County:
Project Achievements:
- 21 ADA-compliant curb ramps installed with truncated dome surfaces for full accessibility
- Complete sidewalk and curb replacement at all intersection locations
- Zero traffic incidents despite complex intersection work
- Full regulatory compliance with all prevailing wage, safety, and bonding requirements
- On-time completion meeting the April 30, 2024 substantial completion deadline
Immediate Client Satisfaction and Expansion. The quality of Angelo Underground’s work was so impressive that Clackamas County issued Amendment #1 during the project, adding four additional ADA ramps and increasing the total contract value to $229,590.68.
Building Long-Term Municipal Partnerships
“As a project manager for Clackamas County Department of Transportation and Development, Transportation Maintenance, I have worked with Angelo Underground and Michael Martin. The project that Angelo Underground successfully bid on was an ADA ramp reconstruction project in the northwest portion of Clackamas County in a subdivision originally built in the early 1970s, the Southwood Park ADA Project. This project was completed on time. Michael was responsive and kept in good communication with both the County and the inspection team. The County was satisfied with the completed work and would like to work with Angelo Underground again.”
— Clackamas County Department of Transportation and Development, Transportation Maintenance
Long-Term Community Impact
Beyond meeting immediate compliance requirements, the Southwood Park project delivered lasting benefits:
- Enhanced pedestrian safety and accessibility for all community members
- Full ADA compliance ensuring long-term accessibility standards
- Support for ongoing pavement preservation efforts in the neighborhood
- Durable infrastructure improvements built to serve the community for decades
The project demonstrates Angelo Underground’s capability to handle complex municipal infrastructure work while maintaining the high standards and reliable communication that public agencies require.
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