August 1st, 2007, the Interstate 35W Saint Anthony Falls bridge spanning the Mississippi tumbled in its entirety into the waters below. Disbelief was the immediate reaction of most citizens throughout the state, and across the nation, as images of broken concrete, bent iron, and crushed cars filled our TV screens for weeks to follow.
For Jon Chiglo, Caledonia native and Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) engineer, disbelief is only the beginning of the story. Twenty-four hours later he would be called upon by Khani Sahebjam, MnDOT’s deputy commissioner and chief engineer to be the project manager for the $235 million reconstruction of a bridge that would likely receive more public attention and scrutiny than any project in the history of the department. It was to this project he would devote his life over the next year and few months, often times working around the clock.
Chiglo first learned of the bridge collapse while on his way to a bar to meet some friends. His wife, Sherri, a photographer for the St Paul Pioneer Press, called and told him the news after she was called back to work to photograph the catastrophe.
“I told her it couldn’t have been a bridge, must have been a piece of a bridge. I walked into the bar and asked the bartender to turn the channel to a local news station. The whole restaurant went quiet. Disbelief. Engineers are supposed to instill confidence in what they build. We lost a lot of trust and confidence in our industry and department,” explained Chiglo.
The loss of the 35W bridge was calculated to cost $400,000 per day in lost revenue. While rebuilding the bridge became MnDOT’s number one goal, of equal importance was rebuilding public confidence. Suddenly the infrastructure carrying Minnesotans to and from work was no longer taken for granted by people like you and I.
In commenting on the department’s desire to restore public trust, Chiglo pointed out they never turned down an interview. “Communication was the biggest challenge. We didn’t have opportunities to make mistakes. We focused on being accessible, communicating clearly, and in a timely matter. As a result the public and press have been very appreciative of the amount of effort.” Appreciative press includes myself who stole half an hour of his precious time for one more interview.
While Chiglo realizes that rebuilding confidence and trust will not result from this project alone, he views the transparency and attention to public concern as an important first step forward.
On any given day Chiglo could be found making sure any project issues were resolved in a timely manner, responding to contractor’s questions, working with other departments to make informed decisions, managing design and construction, meeting with the public, answering questions for the press, talking with legislators, or on some days, all of the above. Even now, 3 months after the bridge has reopened, he continues to work on the project tying up loose ends.
When asked how he handled the stress, Chiglo is quick to point toward his family.
“Sisters, brothers, parents, and especially Sherri were all very supportive of what I was doing. When you have that support it helps get your mind off of things.”
For Chiglo, the most rewarding aspect was accomplishing the main project goals of building it safely, at high quality, and on schedule. In fact, not a single lost time incident was reported during the construction project, a feat in itself. He credits much of the success to the crew working with him.
“There existed an enormous amount of doubt that we could accomplish what we were saying we were trying to accomplish. About 75% of the public doubted we could build it by the end of December.”
When the bridge opened September 18th, over 3 months before the December 24th deadline, news stories turned from doubt to astonishment. Despite the quick construction, MnDOT officials assured the public every step of the way quality was not sacrificed for speed.
The new bridge features a 100-year lifespan, 10 lanes of traffic plus wide shoulders, room to accommodate future light rail expansion, energy efficient LED lighting, 48,700 cubic yards of highly durable concrete, 17 million pounds of rebar, redundancy measures, and an assortment of sensors to continually monitor temperature and stress changes. The bridge’s automated anti-icing system is activated when temperature, humidity, and wind speed reach specified levels as monitored by these sensors.
Chiglo graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1997 with a bachelors of science degree in civil engineering. He began his career working in Rochester doing surveying and bridge maintenance and later oversaw construction and design projects in Owatonna. When funding opened up for the Highway 52 project in Rochester, he was instated as the project manager for development. Next he moved on to manage the Highway 212 project in the southwest metro area before being called upon to manage the 35W Bridge reconstruction.
Much of his inspiration for becoming an engineer came from his father, Nester. Nester spent 34 years working for the soil conservation service on erosion control by building dams and laying out contour strips for area farmers. While it was his dad’s influence that interested him in engineering, his mother, Phyllis, was a driving force as well. When not busy with sports, Phyllis encouraged her children to work, work hard, and do the job right or not do it at all. For Jon, that started as mowing neighborhood lawns.
“We wanted to keep them busy so they would stay out of trouble,” explained Phyllis. “They always told me I made them work too hard,” she stated with a grin. “Kids learn a lot if they have to work and earn their own money.” Anyone who ever rode Phyllis’ bus route can testify firsthand to her don’t-mess-around attitude.
Speaking of his own upbringing, Jon explained, “both my parents raised me to do things right. They instilled a very sound work ethic in me and all my brothers and sisters. We were taught to be honest and straightforward.”
Throughout the project Chiglo was heralded by the media and his superiors for his matter of fact attitude, the direct, honest way he answered questions, and the sincere look in the eye that accompanies everything he says. “It comes from where I grew up,” explained Chiglo. These qualities made Chiglo the perfect choice for a position where restoring public trust was a high priority.
When asked of any other influences, Harold Olson and Ken Van Den Boom were mentioned. Both served as teachers and coaches to Chiglo in high school. Teacher and neighbor, Terry Mulins, also provided Chiglo with inspiration. Chiglo stated, “He is someone I have a great deal of respect and admiration from his experience with cancer.”
Throughout the project, Nester collected related news articles from the Star Tribune, Pioneer Press, and other local papers and now has enough content to nearly fill two scrapbooks. His growing collection of memorabilia also includes magazine articles from Popular Mechanics, Roads & Bridges, and Minnesota, a University of Minnesota Alumni publication. That’s not to mention the hours of video tape from television interviews featuring Jon. On one occasion, Nester got an up close view of the work. “We were up there a couple of times and Jon gave me a hard hat, vest, and glasses and I was watching how they were doing stuff.”
Even in spending only a short amount of time with Nester and Phyllis, one can quickly see the pride they have in their son.
“Jon has a lot of determination. He likes challenge. He’s not afraid to take on something,” said Phyliss about why Jon was a good choice for the position.
Now that the 35W project is nearing completion, Chiglo foresees opportunities working in a statewide role. The state legislature provided money to replace bridges throughout the state. His new job will be managing the proposed statewide bridge replacement projects. Further stimulus packages are being heavily discussed by President Elect Obama and could potentially free up more funds for infrastructure improvements in which Chiglo could play a role.
While for many the horror and disbelief of the 35W bridge collapse will not soon be forgotten, the thorough and timely response that ensued has given Minnesotans hope for a safer future thanks to the dedication and leadership of Jon Chiglo and his crew. Mix two parts determination, one party honesty, a supportive family, and top it off with a Caledonia upbringing and you’ve created a recipe for success.
