White Construction Group, a Colorado-based commercial general construction firm, was recently awarded the Ken Mitchell Lake Park Boardwalk & Fishing Pier project for the city of Brighton. Faced with the problem of having to install a fishing pier in a filled lake, White built a platform to hold the 125-ft crane needed to drill caissons 45 ft below the surface of the lake.

A 14-piece barge was shipped in from Jackson, Miss., in six trucks. Each piece weighs 24,000 lb and took a week to assemble. When complete, the entire system, with the Anderson Drilling crane, weighs 620,000 lb.

Jim Lang, the project superintendent for White Construction Group who recently completed the 171-ft extension to the Dry Creek Pedestrian Bridge for Arapahoe County, said, “It’s like building a bridge upside down.”

The barge is anchored with four 760-lb spuds and has two ramp systems.

Other considerations in dealing with this unusual project are the use of life jackets, safety tie-offs, buoys and life rings. The project, which will complete in June, also involves construction of a new boardwalk, a children’s playground and dog friendly picnic area.

Peak Civil Consultants of Englewood is the engineer and the owner is the city of Brighton Parks and Recreation. White Construction Group’s project team includes Daymon Johnson, project manager; Jim Lang, superintendent; Vanessa Hamm, project engineer.