About Danella

Danella Companies, Inc. provides a total turnkey solution for the most difficult projects, in the safest, most cost-effective, and efficient manner.

Danella provides construction and engineering services to major telephone, fiber, electric and gas utility companies throughout the United States. In addition, we are a leader in the truck and construction equipment rental industry, servicing primarily power/utility companies and railroads.

With over 38 years of experience, Danella sets the standard of excellence for full service contracting, dedicated to providing the highest quality services in a safe work environment. We have grown from one small utility contractor in 1972 to ten offices with 28 yards in 11 states, employing over 1,800 employees.

Communications System Project, Atlanta, GA to the Alabama/Mississippi State Lines

Description

In this project, Danella was responsible for placing a three-duct communications system alongside of and in the same private right-of-way with an existing and functioning fiber cable and an abandoned, dead coaxial cable. Danella was responsible for design engineering, permit acquisition and construction management, as well as development of the as-built drawings and closeout of the project.

The entire project spanned over 300 miles.

Project Details

For this project, Danella:

  • Developed base map information and GPS of features; placed these reference points and duct systems onto base maps to develop construction drawings for bid purposes.
  • Acquired all necessary permits from DOTs, Corps of Engineers and municipalities. Supported the private right-of-way (ROW) acquisition effort with the ROW team.
  • Lead the construction bid process with client to select bidder’s proposals. Performed construction management duties with inspection and program management on behalf of the client.

Unique Challenges

There were two major challenges in this project – one predicted and one unpredicted.

  • Don’t hit the live cable. The project required Danella to be responsible for the building the new system parallel to two existing cables – one dead and one live. “The biggest challenge was to engineer it and direct construction so that we didn’t hit the live cable,” said Thomas Brady, Division Manager of Danella Engineering and Construction Corporation, noting that Danella was responsible for protecting the existing fiber optic cable in order to avoid service interruptions during the construction activities. “The owner had specifications for working around the cable – and not to cut the cable. If we had mismarked it, we would have had to pay for it.” Brady pointed out that Danella is one of the few engineering and construction firms that provide special, certified training for their employees that cover challenging situations like this one.
  • Rain, rain and more rain. The project started in May 2008, and the owner wanted it to be completed by June of 2009. However, an entire summer of unpredictable rain and a winter with record snowfalls delayed the work considerably and it was completed in the spring of 2010. “We had been under a drought for five years, and then the drought was over. The amount of rain and snow we had was uncharacteristic. That can’t be controlled,” said Brady. “In this project, the client was very understanding.”

Division

Danella Engineering and Construction Corporation

Industry

Communications

Completion Date

2010

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