Special Projects
1. Binghamton, NY Regional Airport
2. Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino – A
3. Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino – B
4. Vermont Statewide Covered Bridge Study
5. Hillsborough, NH Highway Bypass
These projects are "special," because of
scale, cost savings, environmental considerations,
historic preservation, professional recognition,
or perhaps some combination of these factors.

Binghamton Regional Airport —
Terminal Expansion/Rehabilitation

  • Met the challenge of designing and constructing the project without exceeding state and federal monies. Zero cost to the taxpayers!
  • The design included off-site control monitoring in order for Broome County’s Engineering Department, located in downtown Binghamton, to control the airport’s heating, air-conditioning, security, and lighting systems.
  • Construction occurred in two phases in order for airport to remain open and operable.
  • The expansion of the airport has attracted major airlines to use the facility.
  • Awarded the "Public Works Project of the Year Award" by the Southern Tier and State branches of the American Public Works Association.

Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino — A —
Phase II Expansion

  • One of four prime subconsultants providing services for the development of a $1.4 billion expansion of the Mohegan Tribe of Indians resort and casino.
  • Overall site planning encompassed the existing casino, three new parking garages, major casino expansion, multi-story hotel, utility authority offices, and future tribal government complex.
  • Provided design services for overall planning for all major site utilities including stormwater, potable water, power, gas and sanitary waste.
  • Responsible for coordinating with the Town of Montville, City of Norwich, Connecticut Department of Environmental Conservation, Mohegan Tribe of Indians and utility suppliers in the development of site plans.
  • Provided full-time on-site construction administration supervision.

Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino — B —
Casino Kitchen Waste Modifications

  • Developed a design to separate, collect and remove kitchen wastes (fats, oils, grease, and solids) produced at the resort/casino’s main kitchens, food courts and multiple restaurants.
  • The grease removal system aided in lowering the Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) levels resulting in an estimated savings of $60,000 per month of wastewater charges. In addition, the lower BOD/TSS levels added capacity at the Town of Montville Sewage Treatment Plant.
  • The design included the use of trenchless technologies and underground directional boring to permit installation of eight-inch high density polyethylene piping, under the existing casino and roadway, for conveying collected kitchen wastes to a central grease removal system. Bore lengths between 300’ and 400’ at 8"-35’ depths were constructed.
  • Construction schedules and methods had to be flexible and innovative to meet the owner’s requirements for maintaining 24 hour/day casino and kitchen operations.
  • The project improved kitchen/restaurant working conditions by reducing odors and disruptions associated with manually cleaning grease traps located within the kitchen/restaurant areas. The new system is now located in a remote area of the casino and automatically removes grease from kitchen waste.

Vermont Agency of Transportation —
Statewide Covered Bridge Study

  • Project included a statewide study of 75 historic covered bridges throughout Vermont.
  • Project was the largest and most comprehensive study of covered bridges performed in the United States.
  • Project focused on providing recommendations for preserving integrity of each bridge by analyzing various alternatives including continued use for vehicular traffic, restricting traffic to pedestrian use only, relocating the bridge, etc.
  • Project included an extensive public participation effort including interaction/input from 45 municipalities throughout Vermont.
  • McFarland-Johnson subsequently completed final design rehabilitation services on bridges that are now reopened to vehicular traffic (including Papermill and Hopkins Covered Bridges).

Hillsborough Bypass —
NH Route 9/US Route 202 NHDOT

  • Project included the design of a five-mile bypass around downtown Hillsborough to ease traffic congestion and delays through the business district.
  • Project included a comprehensive aquifer protection and stormwater management plan, and design and creation of six wetland mitigation sites.
  • Through optimization of final design adjustments, McFarland-Johnson was able to save the cost of over $1 million of earthwork while simultaneously reducing wetland and other environmental impacts.
  • McFarland-Johnson accelerated the early design phases of the project to allow the construction under the first contract to begin within 21 months of the design notice to proceed, which beat the original "fast track" schedule by several months.

Pictured: Temporary detour at early stages of bypass construction.