Four Corners 8, April 21, 2024

University of New Mexico Project Earns AGC Construction Award

The AGC of New Mexico recently recognized the University of New Mexico for its outstanding work on the construction of the new UNM New Mexico Mutual Champions Training Center.

The AGC awarded the new facility as the Best Buildings Award within the $2.5 million to $5 million range. Franken Construction was the general contractor responsible for the project. Projects were judged by accomplished peers who looked deeper into the construction management challenges, expertise of crafts and sustainability of a project.

The project will be honored at the AGC NM Best Buildings & Education Auction event, which is scheduled for May 17 at Sandia Resort and Casino, celebrating the best in construction. The event recognizes outstanding projects and the expertise of crafts in the industry.

“This new 11,312-square-foot facility is in the University’s Football End Zone Club, but will be used by all Lobo athletic teams,” Franken Construction said. “It’s even big enough to allow more than one team to use it at a time.

see AGC page 7 Franken Construction photo The Associated General Contractors of New Mexico recently recognized the University of New Mexico’s Mutual Champions Training Center with the honor of Best Buildings Award within the $2.5 million to $5 million range.

UDOT to Implement Digital Construction Technology

The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has been awarded nearly $5 million in federal grant funding to advance the implementation of digital construction technology. The funds will help UDOT improve design, construction and asset maintenance databases to interact more efficiently with private sector partners.

The grant funds come from the “Advanced Digital Construction Management Systems” (ADCMS) grant program, a part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) that was passed by Congress in 2021, with $85 million designated nationwide for improving digital construction technologies that save time and money. UDOT will receive $6.25 million in funds, which includes $5 million from the BIL and $1.25 million in matching state funds. Of the 10 state transportation departments that were awarded from the initial round of ADCMS grant funding, UDOT was awarded the largest amount.

The grant and matching state funds will help secure consultant support for UDOT and procure the necessary hardware and software for UDOT’s digital-first infrastructure that will allow the department to become more efficient — especially where it interfaces with contractors and outside parties. In particular, the new systems and tools will allow digital files to be utilized throughout all phases of construction and maintenance once construction ends. Funding also will be used for training with new systems and tools. The funds will not increase UDOT’s employee headcount.

George Lukes, design and standards engineer of UDOT, said one of the benefits of using digital tools is that the department can continue to learn about projects long after

they are completed since data from roads and surrounding areas are continuously being gathered, stored, and analyzed.

“We have much better design and construction data than 10 years ago,” Lukes said. “We will use the grant money to continue work to get that data into a database that can be used DOT-wide and for other stakeholders. By establishing data governance and data architecture, we save money and get crews on projects faster.”

UDOT has been piloting and implementing digital construction tools since 2014. In 2021, UDOT phased out the production of paper plan sets for some construction projects and started only providing digital design files to contractors. Doing so has allowed UDOT to begin creating a database that holds all of the digital design data. This data will be easily accessible for contractors and UDOT.

“In the past, projects were created in 3D and rendered down to 2D so the project could be physically printed for contractors,” Lukes said. “The contractor would then build their own 3D model to construct the project. It was incredibly time consuming and inefficient for all parties, but that’s how it had been done for decades. We aim to change that.”

Two previous federal grants laid the groundwork for getting the initial databases up and running, allowing UDOT to achieve many of its goals for going paperless with engineering plans and piloting new tools and processes. This has

already led to both cost savings on various projects and a higher attention to detail in digital plans that couldn’t be achieved with paper.

These efforts support UDOT’s “Digital Twin Strategic Plan,” which was formalized in 2021 as an overarching vision for the future of data related to Utah’s transportation assets. For more information, visit digitaldelivery.udot.utah.gov/. 

The funds will help UDOT improve design, construction and asset maintenance databases to interact more efficiently with private sector partners.

Arizona Chip Factory Will Expand With $6B in New Funds

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) The Biden administration pledged to provide up to $6.6 billion so that a Taiwanese semiconductor giant can expand the facilities it is already building in Arizona and better ensure that the most-advanced microchips are produced domestically for the first time.

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said the funding for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. means the company can expand on its existing plans for two facilities in Phoenix and add a third, newly announced production hub.

“These are the chips that underpin all artificial intelligence and they are the chips that are the necessary components for the technologies that we need to underpin our economy,” Raimondo said on a call with reporters, adding that they were vital to the “21st century military and national security apparatus.”

and will see the company’s commitment increase to a total of $65 billion, Raimondo said.

The investments would put the U.S. on track to produce roughly 20 percent of the world’s leading-edge chips by 2030 and Raimondo said they should help create 6,000 manufacturing jobs and 20,000 construction jobs, as well as thousands of new positions more indirectly tied to assorted suppliers in chip-related industries tied to Arizona projects.

The Biden administration has promised tens of billions of dollars to support construction of U.S. chip foundries and reduce reliance on Asian suppliers.

“Semiconductors — those tiny chips smaller than the tip of your finger — power everything from smartphones to cars to satellites and weapons systems,” Biden said in a statement. “TSMC’s renewed commitment to the United States and its investment in Arizona represent a broader story for

The funding is tied to a sweeping 2022 law that President Joe Biden has celebrated and which is designed to revive U.S. semiconductor manufacturing. Known as the CHIPS and Science Act, the $280 billion package is aimed at sharpening the U.S. edge in military technology and manufacturing while minimizing the kinds of supply disruptions that occurred in 2021, after the start of the coronavirus pandemic, when a shortage of chips stalled factory assembly lines and fueled inflation.

semiconductor manufacturing that’s made in America and with the strong support of America’s leading technology firms to build the products we rely on every day.”

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing produces nearly all of the leading-edge microchips in the world and plans to eventually do so in the U.S.

It began construction of its first facility in Phoenix in 2021 and started work on a second hub last year, with the company increasing its total investment in both projects to $40 billion. The third facility should be producing microchips by the end of the decade

The potential incentives announced include $50 million to help train the workforce in Arizona to be better equipped to work in the new facilities. Additionally, approximately $5 billion of proposed loans would be available through the CHIPS and Science Act.

“TSMC’s commitment to manufacture leading-edge chips in Arizona marks a new chapter for America’s semiconductor industry,” Lael Brainard, director of the White House National Economic Council, told reporters.

“We are thrilled by the progress of our Arizona site to date,” C.C. Wei, CEO of TSMC, said in a statement, “And are committed to its long-term success.” 

Freepik photo

TSMC photo

Embankment, Approach Repair Wins Best Project Award

The Best Project Program Award recognizes projects that are developed and constructed by NMDOT District personnel. The planning and coordination during a project are examples of the skills and knowledge that the men and women of the department provide every day to all constituents. The magnitude, complexity, coordination and teamwork are significant to this recognition.

District One won the 2023 Statewide Best Project Award for the Emergency Abutment Embankment & Approach Repair for Structure 6685 (U.S. 180 over Greenwood Canyon). This emergency project was required due to major flooding that occurred on Aug. 22, 2022 and Aug. 23, 2022, in the 13 sq. mi. drainage basin upstream of structure 6685, which overtopped U.S. 180 and caused both abutment embankments at the bridge to fail. The August 2022 flood event in this area was unusual in magnitude and overwhelmed the waterway opening at structure 6685 for the first time since it was put into service in 1966. U.S. 180 was closed unexpectedly for four days, stopping all travel between Cliff and Silver City, including emergency services and school buses.

The intent of the Emergency Abutment Embankment and Approach Repair was to provide expedited temporary erosion control measures. However, it will likely serve as a permanent fix because it was so well built and drainage analysis has confirmed that the waterway opening is adequate for future use per the current criteria. The total cost of repairs was $522,406.02.

The District One Heavy Maintenance Crew worked to implement this unique erosion control plan in a very efficient and effective manner and

was able to complete utilizing their proper equipment, manpower and knowledge. They were able to complete the task, maintain public safety and get the structure open to traffic with only minimal delays. This was a complex project due to the size of rock and tight spaces for placement between the piers and abutments. This project required significant planning and coordination with District Maintenance Bureau crews, suppliers and contractors. The temporary erosion control portion of the project was performed solely by NMDOT forces using guidance from the District One Bridge Section,

Department equipment, rock from a local supplier (T.G. McCauley) and traffic control plan per State Maintenance Standards.

Cliff Crew 41-44 and Heavy Maintenance Crew 41-88, along with the General Office Drainage Section, General Office Bridge Management Section, Chip Seal Crew (Crew 4181) and the District One Bridge Section all reacted well to this critical finding and safely expedited the use of U.S. 180 at this location as efficiently and effectively as possible.

New Mexico Department of Transportation photo Workers with the New Mexico Department of Transportation successfully backfilled both washed-out approaches to the Greenwood Canyon bridge on U.S. 180.

Background

The Cliff Patrol recommended the of closing the highway for safety on Aug. 22, 2022, prior to failure of the roadway. The east approach slab became completely undermined and failed on Aug. 23, 2022, which left a hole in the roadway measuring approximately 10-ft. long by the entire width of the highway.

During the four-day closure of U.S. 180, Freeport McMoRan allowed emergency travel on a mining roadway three times a day to deliver supplies of food, medicine as well as emergency services while U.S. 180 repairs went underway.

Structure 6685 is located on a portion of U.S. 180 that serves 1,356 vehicles per day with 17 percent truck traffic as a rural minor arterial route. However, the detour around structure 6685 on paved highways is approximately 175 mi. U.S. 180 serves as an important route for U.S. Forest Service, NM State Parks, ranchers, citizens of numerous communities and other public commuters. 

Officials Approve Final Federal Assessment for Highway Project

Plans to expand 26 mi. of Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Casa Grande are moving forward following environmental approval late last week. The widening project will increase capacity and reduce congestion on a busy section of I-10 near Wild Horse Pass within the Gila River Indian Community.

A key segment slated for improvement is the I-10 Gila River Indian Community Project, a nearly 12-mi. section from Loop 202 (Santan/South Mountain) to just north of the Gila River Bridges. A portion of the segment is within the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) region, which includes state and federal funding and more than $220 million in funding through Proposition 400 — the dedicated half-cent sales tax for transportation funded by Maricopa County voters.

Other corridor improvements that are part of the I-10 Wild Horse Pass Corridor include widening 13 mi. of roadway from south of the bridges to State Route 387. Funding for the remaining 13 miles south of the bridge are made possible by state and federal funds, plus a $95 million federal

grant awarded in January.

Additional improvements within the corridor that were not part of this federal environmental assessment are the removal and replacement of the I-10 Bridges Over the Gila River Project to modernize a key piece of infrastructure. The bridge project is expected to begin construction this spring and is funded by state and federal funds.

Environmental Approval

The Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and the Final Design Concept Report (DCR) have been prepared and will be made available to the public for 30 days.

After this 30-day period, in approximately April of this year, ADOT is anticipated to sign the Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). The Arizona Department of Transportation prepared the Final EA in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

The final documents include comments made by community members during the public comment period, which lasted 51 days and included four public hearings in the fall of 2022. The environmental

approval documents are available on the project website at: https://i10wildhorsepasscorridor.com/corridor-planning.

The Environmental Assessment was completed in cooperation with the Gila River Indian Community and MAG. The Gila River Indian Community approved the release of the documents during a Community Council meeting last week.

Governor Stephen Roe Lewis has identified the Wild Horse Pass improvements as a key priority for his 100-Day Plan for his newest term in office.

Major Project Benefits

The proposed improvements will provide local, statewide, and national benefits. As the main roadway between metro Phoenix and Tucson for commuters, crosscountry travelers and commercial traffic, I10 is a Key Commerce Corridor for Arizona and the U.S.

The proposed improvements will enhance the reliability of the freight traffic in the corridor, which provides connectivity to Mexico and the ports of southern

California. Locally, the route serves the Gila River Indian Community by providing connections to employment, medical, educational and other critical services both within and outside of the Community.

Capacity, Safety

The proposed improvements include adding a new general purpose lane in both eastbound and westbound directions, extending the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane on I-10 from Loop 202 to Riggs Road, and improving interchanges and crossroads to increase capacity and access. This will also improve safety by reducing congestion and travel times and lessening detoured traffic on the Gila River Indian Community.

Other improvements include new and improved traffic interchanges to create safer crossings for farm equipment, bicyclists and pedestrians, and the installation of fiber optic infrastructure within the ADOT right of way to allow for the installation of sensors, cameras and other highway safety-related technology.

Franken, UNM Construction Take Lead On Stadium Job

AGC from page 1

“The facility more than doubled the previous athletic performance space,” Franken Construction added. “The new, larger space allowed UNM Athletics to replace antiqued equipment with new free weights, squat racks, benches and a designated area for cardio. The larger facility also will let the staff use the latest technology for injury prevention and rehab. We look forward to seeing this new facility put to good use to benefit UNM Athletics.”

UNM Facilities Design & Construction, a department of Institutional Support Services (ISS), played a crucial role in the development of the Champions Training Center. The department collaborates on outcomes aligned with the University’s mission, enhancing the campus experience with safe, sustainable environments.

The recognition of the UNM New Mexico Mutual Champions Training Center by AGC New Mexico highlights the university’s commitment to excellence in construction and its dedication to providing facilities for its student-athletes.

The 11,312 sq. ft. UNM training facility, located in the South End Zone of University Stadium, supports UNM Division 1 and

Olympic athletes. The facility is split into two levels; the first is a 9,774 sq. ft. weight training floor and the second is a 1,538 sq. ft. cardio mezzanine, which has views of the UNM Lobos football field.

The new facility replaces an outdated temporary facility, which was formerly housed in a large tent and did not have adequate space or systems to support athletic training.

The center is large enough to support multiple teams training at the same time and allows UNM’s medical and athletic training staff to use the latest technology in injury prevention and rehabilitation. The facility is designed to provide UNM student athletes with a motivating space to train, maintain their physical health and compete at the highest level.

On game days, the Lobos enter the playing field through a ceremonial pathway incorporated into the champions training center.

UNM Athletics also was approached by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) about featuring the facility in the “Facilities Showcase” section of their March 2024 magazine. 

This new 11,312 sq.-ft. facility is in the University’s Football End Zone Club, but will be used by all Lobo athletic teams.

Franken Construction photo

University of New Mexico photo

Projects were judged by accomplished peers who looked deeper into the construction management challenges, expertise of crafts and sustainability of a project.

University of New Mexico photo

The larger facility will let the staff use the latest technology for injury prevention and rehab.

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