We also carry the complete line of contractor, landscaper and storage trailers.  Visit us at www.blaisdellmotoring.com for more information or call our toll free number, 800-905-3685.

 “I had no visions of grandeur when I started my company,” Craig explains. “I literally started with a pick-up truck and a hammer.

“Both my father and grandfather worked in heavy highway construction, but neither of them worked on bridges, so I decided I’d do that,” he adds.

All of Blaisdell Construction’s projects are public works projects, completed for government on all levels (county, state and federal) in California, Oregon and Nevada. Their typical jobs range in size from $.5 million to $6 million. Although the company’s union workforce fluctuates, they have about 50 employees presently.

Blaisdell Construction is currently working on two bridge projects in Northern California. The first project is the Dye Creek Bridge on Highway 99 in the Central Valley. Highway 99 is one of the older roads in the state and is being updated as funding comes available. The $4 million project for Caltrans involves demolishing and replacing the bridge, originally built in 1952. Blaisdell Construction has also built a large, paved and striped temporary detour. Blaisdell began the project in May and expects to be completed by Thanksgiving, or a bit ahead of schedule.

The new bridge is box-girder construction, which is hollow, and is paved with concrete. The connecting roadway has asphalt paving. The bridge is 140 feet long and 45 feet wide. It is a clear span with post-tension, instead of having supports in

the creek bed. Blaisdell will place 700 cubic yards of concrete on the project and 5000 tons of asphalt for the roadway. The new bridge will be the width of four lanes, but will have two lanes for traffic, a turning lane and wide shoulders for bicycle use.

Blaisdell’s subcontractor, EP Jarrett Foundations, used their heavy cranes to drive the H piles for the bridge support. Concrete is then placed on top of the piles.  Most of their equipment is manufactured by Caterpillar, but they also have John Deere and Komatsu equipment. Blaisdell also owns all of its own equipment including excavators, loaders, pavers and bulldozers.

California’s bridges are being replaced, Craig says, because after 50 years, concrete begins to lose some of its good qualities and its strength. The older bridges aren’t up to the current safety standards, including being too narrow and not having the right type of guardrails on the sides.

One of Blaisdell’s advantages over its competition is that they complete the whole package: bridge and connecting roadway. Craig says most companies do one or the other and sub out the rest of the work.

Blaisdell purchases all its pick-up trucks, 27 total, from their fleet manager, Kelly Breedlove at Benny Brown’s, Corning Ford, in Corning, California. For the best deal in the state visit www.corningford.com or call 530-824-5434

“They are one of the greatest Ford dealers I’ve ever seen,” Craig says. “They know they’ll beat anyone else in price and they know what you need in your fleet almost before you do.”

Craig sees the biggest challenges for his company as rising fuel and insurance costs. They also have to work with the new environmental requirements that are implemented each year.

Craig says that he plans to keep the company the size it is right now, with a volume of $6-7 million each year. Cc