Four Corners 12, June 4, 2023

Ahead of the Curve

Crews Demolish Bridges as Part of ‘Ready to Rubble’ Event

Construction crews working for the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) reached a critical milestone on a crucial Phoenix project, which also served as an educational endeavor.

The Interstate 10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project team demolished the old 48th Street and Broadway Road bridges as part of the I-10 Broadway Curve Project.

The I-10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project is ADOT’s largest urban freeway reconstruction project to date.

Crews laid more than 1 ft. of aggregate on top of the pavement directly under the bridges to serve as a protective layer during the bridge removal process.

Crews utilized excavators with a munching attachment to break down the concrete bridge deck and excavators with a shearing attachment were used to cut the existing girders. The steel girders were cut into sections less than 38 ft. in length and were then hauled away from the project site for proper disposal. The removal of these three existing bridges took two days.

ADOT used this portion of the project to conduct its “Ready to Rubble: The Ultimate Bridge Takedown” event, where engineering students from around the state were invited so they can see how what they learn in the classroom has a real-world impact. They had an opportunity to ask ADOT engineers and industry professionals questions about the construction and removal process of the outgoing bridges.

“Engineering students today are the ones who will shape and change the world around us,” said Robert Samour, ADOT’s senior deputy state engineer of major projects. “They’re the ones who will solve problems and build things that will benefit people's everyday lives. Having these students see how roadway bridges are removed will be an

see CURVE page 10

The Interstate 10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project team demolished the old 48th Street and Broadway Road bridges as part of the I-10 Broadway Curve Project.

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CDOT, Coulson Excavating to Start Highway Project

The Colorado Department of Transportation and Coulson Excavating Company will improve nearly 5 mi. of Colorado Highway 257 between U.S. 34 Business (Mile Point 5.6) in Greeley and Walnut Street (MP 10.4) in Windsor this year.

Planned bridge repairs at MP 7.6, which is approximately 2 mi. north of U.S. 34 Business, will require a temporary 20day closure of CO 257 in the fall.

Long-Time Family Biz First to Deploy

Zero-Tailpipe Volvo VNR Truck in Utah

Volvo Trucks North America customer Utah PaperBox, a 109-year-old family-owned business that has delivered paper products in the Salt Lake City region for five generations, has become the first company in Utah to invest in a zero-tailpipe emission Volvo VNR Electric truck. The Class 8 battery-electric truck will help to reduce emissions in the region — which has significant air quality challenges due to its unique topography — and support Utah PaperBox’s commitment to being a sustainability leader.

“With roots that go back more than 100 years in the community, Utah PaperBox is a prime example of an established company that is changing the way they operate to be a good environmental steward for future generations,” said Jared Ruiz, regional vice president — West, Volvo Trucks North America. “In addition to supporting Utah PaperBox, our dealer partner Mountain West Truck Center will support other customers in the region in deploying battery-electric trucks as the dealership completes our rigorous accreditation process to become the first Volvo Trucks Certified Electric Vehicle (EV) dealership in the state.”

The Volvo VNR Electric is the first heavy-duty Class 8 battery-electric truck in Utah PaperBox’s fleet. The sixbattery configuration Volvo VNR Electric offers a range of up to 275 mi., enabling the company to service its high-traffic delivery routes between Provo, Ogden and Salt Lake City, Utah. Designed as a zero-tailpipe emission

solution for fleet operators supporting local and regional distribution, the Volvo VNR Electric truck excels in torque and performance, especially in the heavy-idling, stop-and-go nature of urban goods movement, which is particularly taxing for diesel trucks. The Volvo VNR Electric model also reduces heat, noise and vibrations, allowing for a clean and comfortable experience for drivers.

Charging infrastructure for the Volvo VNR Electric is expected to be installed in preparation for the truck’s arrival at Utah PaperBox’s Salt Lake City facility. The 150 kW chargers will provide the Volvo VNR Electric truck with an 80 percent charge in approximately 90 minutes and will utilize its existing solar power to avoid off-peak costs for charging from the grid. As part of its overall sustainability initiatives, the family-run paper company has made significant investments in solar energy, previously installing 1,000 solar panels that generate up to 1100 kWh per day. The solar panels also provide power to 40 kWh charging stations for employees’ personal electric vehicles at its facility.

“My daughter is the fifth generation of our family to join the business, so we understand the vital importance of protecting the air quality in the community where we have lived and worked for decades,” said Steve Keyser, president, Utah PaperBox. “We are proud to be the first company in Utah to deploy a Volvo VNR Electric and our driver is wild with excitement at the chance to

drive the battery-electric truck. I predict we will not be the only company making the transition, not just from an environmental standpoint, but for the many business advantages offered.”

Utah PaperBox purchased its 6x2 Class 8 battery-electric truck through the Utah Clean Diesel Program, an incentive offered through the Utah Department of Environmental Quality to offset costs for clean fleet transition. The funding program required the company to dispose of one of its Class 8 diesel trucks in its fleet to be replaced with the Volvo VNR Electric.

Utah PaperBox worked with Mountain West Truck Center to identify the ideal Volvo VNR Electric configuration to ensure the heavy-duty battery-electric truck would support both urban traffic in Salt Lake City and the rugged mountain terrain on its delivery routes. The dealership also provided driver training to optimize the range of the Volvo VNR Electric, including instructions on how to leverage regenerative braking benefits to add power back to the battery. The Salt Lake Citybased dealership is in the final phase to become the state’s first Volvo Trucks Certified EV Dealer, a milestone that would ensure the team is trained and prepared to service the Volvo VNR Electric truck when it is delivered to the paper company later this year.

For more information, visit Trucks North America and the Volvo VNR Electric at https://www.volvotrucks.us/ trucks/ vnr-electric/ 

(Photo courtesy of Volvo.)

“This is a busy construction season for CO 257 between Greeley and Windsor,” said CDOT Region 4 Transportation Director Heather Paddock. “Around 20,000 vehicles a day travel the corridor and several projects are about to break ground. Fortunately, we’ll be able to maintain traffic on CO 257 for most of the season. However, major bridge repair work on the south end and reconstruction of the highway in coordination with the railroad on the north end will require periodic full or directional closures.”

This project resurfaces CO 257 to provide a smoother driving surface and increase the longevity of the highway. Intersection improvements at Crossroads Boulevard will enhance mobility by adding a second eastbound left turn lane to northbound CO 257. Safety improvements include installing new guardrail, roadside delineators and rumble strips.

CDOT will coordinate work and traffic impacts with adjacent projects. The town of Windsor will make improvements to the CO 257 / Eastman Park Drive intersection this year. For more information on this project, visit the town’s webpage at windsorprojectconnect.com/257-eastman-construction.

CO 257 was identified as a priority corridor for CDOT’s Surface Treatment Program. Funding from the program will improve drivability and highway safety on CO 257.

Coulson Excavating Company was awarded the contract to construct the improvements. CO 257 will remain open during construction except for the 20-day full closure needed for the bridge repairs. The project may require single lane operations with flaggers alternating traffic or a temporary short-term detour for one direction of CO 257 at a time. Project completion is anticipated in fall 2023.

General work hours are Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. with occasional extended hours and weekend work. The construction schedule is weather-dependent and subject to change. Weekly updates are available on the project webpage.

Drivers will pass through at least two work zones and should prepare for periodic traffic delays on CO 257.

Drivers should expect trucks entering and exiting various work zones. At times, a temporary concrete barrier wall will be used to separate the work zone from adjacent travel lanes. A work zone speed limit reduction may be in place. Drivers are encouraged to take alternate routes, use extra caution in the work zones and follow all signs and markings.

More information will be posted on message boards and on the project web page in advance of closures.

Volvo Trucks North America customer Utah PaperBox is the first company in Utah to deploy a zero-tailpipe emission Volvo VNR Electric truck.

Crews Perform Emergency Repairs at Washed Out Slope

Emergency contract work is under way to stabilize a slope that washed out from the recent heavy rains on May 12 next to a section of northbound U.S. 285 north of Parmalee Gulch.

Colorado Department of Transportation maintenance crews immediately responded to the wash out with temporary measures to further prevent damage, including a closure of the shoulder and right lane on northbound U.S. 285.

CDOT secured a contract with GeoStabilization International that started work on Thurs., May 18 on a temporary repair to stabilize the ground below the roadway. The work requires a specialty contractor that can use equipment that sits at the roadway level and reaches down into the scoured area to install reinforcing bars into the slope below the roadway.

CDOT said the temporary repair was completed on May 26. This is considered a temporary repair. CDOT is starting the design process for a permanent repair, which will take place later in the summer. Specific timeframes and details are not determined yet.

Numerous Officials Break Ground On Frisco’s Granite Park

The Colorado Department of Transportation, the town of Frisco and elected officials came together to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Granite Park Employee Housing Site in Frisco on Tues., May 16. The new employee housing development will help to address workforce housing challenges, which has reached crisis levels since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The future development will include 22 units that will be exclusively made available to qualifying Summit County employees and CDOT maintainers.

“Being able to recruit and retain employees in high-cost-of-living areas has been a challenge for CDOT,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew. “We knew we needed to think outside the box and collaborate with our community partners to identify ways we can collectively provide affordable workforce housing as this is an issue that expands across indus-

tries. We are thrilled to be celebrating alongside our partners at the town of Frisco and show the power of collaboration that works to do what is in the best interest of our communities.”

In August 2020, Frisco Town Council approved the Employee Housing Planning Agreement between CDOT and the town of Frisco to develop an employee housing project on the lot owned by CDOT in the town of Frisco. The agreement lays the foundation to jointly undertake all necessary actions to design and develop workforce housing units by requiring CDOT and the town to share all costs 50/50 (excluding each agency’s staffing and personnel costs). This initiative helps address the critical need of recruiting and retaining a sustainable workforce.

In 2022, the town of Frisco and CDOT were joined in this unique partnership by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA), which awarded $1.5 mil-

lion to the town of Frisco to help bring Granite Park to reality through their Innovative Housing Opportunities Incentive grants. The DOLA, through the Division of Local Government, awarded more than $18 million in funding across 13 counties in Colorado through this program. These 14 Innovative Housing Opportunities Incentive (IHOI) grants will provide 1,872 additional housing units, providing housing for approximately 4,867 people across Colorado.

“Workforce housing has been a pressing need in Frisco and Summit County for many years and has reached crisis levels over the past two years,” stated Frisco Mayor Hunter Mortensen “It is a crisis which will require many creative partnerships like this one and we are gratified to be on the forefront of this approach with CDOT and DOL.”

“It is so exciting and encouraging to see the groundbreaking of

the Granite Park Employee Housing Project today,” said Sen. Dylan Roberts. “This partnership is a perfect example of government working well to solve one of our most pressing challenges: affordable housing for our local workforce. Every employee that makes our mountain communities run, from snowplow drivers to teachers, police officers to restaurant employees, deserves to be able to live in the community where they work and this project will make that a reality for many. As Summit County’s State Senator, I am honored to have helped secure funding to help make this project happen and thank all the other partners for their leadership that made today a reality. Let’s build more housing now.”

The Granite Park Employee Housing site is one of two projects that is breaking ground this year as part of CDOT’s initiative to recruit and retain maintainers, particularly within mountain communities. The

next development, which begins construction in summer 2023, will be built in Fairplay and will house both CDOT maintainers and Colorado State Patrol employees.

“This housing effort is a matter of necessity and builds on other efforts to draw in and keep our professional highway maintainers,” said CDOT Director of Maintenance and Operations John Lorme. “CDOT also has increased our housing stipends that can boost pay by more than 60 percent in areas with unsustainable costs of living. CDOT is taking a strong stance in finding innovative solutions that will directly benefit our CDOT family, which will also have a direct benefit to the traveling public by having more maintainers on our roadways and hiring within local communities rather than have folks commute in from surrounding areas. Its important that our maintainers live and work in the same areas. They are part of the community they serve.” 

CDOT photo Colorado Department of Transportation maintenance crews immediately responded to the wash out with temporary measures to further prevent damage, including a closure of the shoulder and right lane on northbound U.S. 285.

CDOT photo Contractor crews place a large drill that places reinforcing steel bars under the roadway to stabilize the slope that was washed out.

Fed Invests $585M for New Water Infrastructure Projects

New Mexico is poised to receive more than $30 million in federal funding for water infrastructure projects.

The U.S. Department of the Interior announced recently that $585 million of funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will be spent on 83 projects in 11 states, including six New Mexico projects.

The projects in New Mexico are on the Rio Grande and include:

• $7.1 million for upgrades to the Bonita lateral at Caballo Dam;

• $1.78 million to repair a restaurant patio at

the Azotea Tunnel outlet on the San JuanChama Project. The San Juan-Chama Project starts in Colorado and moves water from the Colorado River Basin to the Rio Grande Basin through a series of tunnels, including the Azotea Tunnel. The outlet of the Azotea Tunnel is on Jicarilla Apache land near Chama. This provides access to Colorado River Basin water for municipalities like Albuquerque. The Animas-La Plata Project also is on the list as a Colorado project. The project will receive $10.8 million. This will be used to cover design, construction, compliance and commissioning costs for the Navajo Nation municipal pipeline. The Animas-La Plata Project includes Lake Nighthorse, which is located in Durango, Colo. Water that will benefit the Navajo Nation is stored in Lake Nighthorse. Currently, the only way to get water from Lake Nighthorse to Navajo Nation is to release it from the headgates into the Animas River. That leads to potential water losses to seepage into the soil, evaporation and potential diversion.

Yuma Project: High Density Poly Ethelene Pipe Replacement for Yuma County Water

Users Drainage System

Reclamation Funding: $6.5M

This project will fund all or part of the replacement of aging and failed HDPE advanced drainage system pipe that was installed during the expansion of Highway 95 in the Yuma area (during the mid1990s). This pipe has consistently failed, resulting in leaks, which reach the surface in many cases and require unplanned outages of the system to make expedient repairs.

Laguna Dam Settling Basin Dredging

Reclamation Funding: $4M

This project will fund partial dredging of the Laguna Dam Settling Basin.

Colorado

the Elephant Butte Historic District Recreation Area;

• $3.39 million to rehabilitate roads and parking lots at the same recreation area;

• $9.6 million for water infrastructure rehabilitation at Elephant Butte Recreation Area;

• $4 million to repair damaged concrete at the base of El Vado Dam;

• $4.5 million for a study about improvements in the Lower San Acacia Reach of the Rio Grande that are intended to “improve water conveyance, maintain or increase habitat available to endangered species and improve cost-effectiveness of operation and maintenance actions.”

These investments come as decades of drought have strained water resources in the western United States.

Federal officials toured the Imperial Dam in California and Arizona, where they announced the new investments in infrastructure.

“The president knows that you can’t have a strong country without strong infrastructure,” White House Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator Mitch Landrieu said during a press conference. He said, in the west, that means having strong water infrastructure.

Several projects that will benefit New Mexico are listed under Colorado’s on the official sheet. These projects cross state lines. This includes $1.5 million to remove and replace

Colorado’s lists of projects also includes $56 million to finalize planning, design and construction of a treatment plant for mine waste from the Leadville mine drainage tunnel and a chemical storage building.

A full list of projects that will receive funding can be found at https://www.usbr.gov/bil/docs/infrastructure/F Y-2023-Aging-Infrastructure-Projects.pdf.

Arizona

Colorado River Front Work, Levee System: Arizona Palo Verde Division Bankline Road Repair

Reclamation Funding: $7.04M

Rehabilitate approximately 4 mi. of gravel road with new aggregate base from the Cibola Oxbow Bridge to Farmers Bridge.

Brock Reservoir Forebay/Afterbay Inlet

Gates Rehabilitation/Replacement

Reclamation Funding: $10.2M

Pending nondestructive testing, either replace all gates and frames or implement operation and maintenance recommendations to replace bronze seats, refurbish frames and leafs, install cathodic protection and coat metal. Planned funding reflects rehabilitation by implementing recommendations.

Leadville Mine Drainage Tunnel: Leadville Treatment Plant Construction of Mine

Drainage Water Treatment Facility and Chemical Storage Building

Reclamation Funding: $56M

Funding will finalize planning, design and subsequent construction.

San Juan-Chama Project: Upper Colorado River Storage Project Azotea Tunnel Outlet

Transition and Drop Structures

Reclamation Funding: $1.5M

Remove and replace the Azotea Tunnel outlet transition and remove and replace the four existing drop structures due to degradation.

Animas La-Plata Project: Navajo Nation Municipal Pipeline

Reclamation Funding: $10.8M

Design/construction/compliance/commissioning cost of the new alignment, to mitigate risk of future slide damage, for the Navajo Nation municipal pipeline.

New Mexico

Rio Grande Project: Caballo Dam and Reservoir Bonita Lateral Upgrade

Reclamation Funding: $7.1M

Rio Grande — Bonita Lateral Upgrade

Assessment will be made of the life expectancy of the Bonita pipe. If determined necessary, the remaining funds will be used for replacement or relining of pipe as recommended by the evaluation.

Rio Grande Project: Elephant Butte Historic District Recreation Area Restaurant, Patio

Reclamation Funding: $1.78M

Complete study, design and estimate to fix the restaurant patio. Construction to repair foundation, drainage, building, roof, solar panels, etc.

Rio Grande Project: Elephant Butte Historic District Roads and Parking Lots

Rehabilitation Reclamation Funding: $3.39M

Rehabilitation of Elephant Butte Historic District interior roads and parking lots. This project includes all of the interior roads and parking lots at the historic district.

Rio Grande Project: Elephant Butte Recreation Area Water Infrastructure Rehab

Reclamation Funding: $9.6M

Remove existing cast iron piles, reroute water lines to bypass old tanks, install a lift station, three new low profile tanks, upgrade distribution system lines.

Middle Rio Grande Project: El Vado Dam and Reservoir Repair

Reclamation Funding: $4M

Repair damaged concrete at the base of the El Vado Dam outlet works stilling basin to prevent additional damage.

Middle Rio Grande Project: Rio Grande Channelization Lower San Acacia Reach Improvements

Reclamation Funding: $4.5M

This project is extraordinary maintenance of existing assets to improve water conveyance, maintain or increase habitat available to endangered species and improv cost-effectiveness of operation and maintenance actions. Funding is provided to complete a planning study 

(Photo courtesy of New Mexico Department of Transportation.)

Many states will receive funds to upgrade water infrastructure projects, like $9.6 million for rehabilitation at Elephant Butte Recreation Area.

UDOT Names Huot Deputy Dir. of Planning, Investment

Ben Huot will serve as the Utah Department of Transportation’s new deputy director of planning and investment starting July 15. Huot will succeed Teri Newell, who is retiring after 35 years of service in the transportation field.

In this role, Huot will be responsible for statewide transportation planning; project prioritization and programming; coordination with other agencies, metropolitan planning organizations and local governments; environmental studies and impact statements; strategic investments; and technology and innovation.

Huot currently serves as UDOT’s director of program development. His group recently developed a new prioritization model and process that prioritizes UDOT projects based on quality-of-life outcomes: Better Mobility;

Good Health; Connected Communities; and Strong Economy. He also has led planning efforts for the electric vehicle charging infrastructure network initiative championed by Gov. Cox and played a key role in the design and completion of multiple phases of Mountain View Corridor.

Huot has spent his entire career (nearly 26 years) at UDOT, serving in roles such as project manager in Region Two; design squad leader; innovative contracting engineer; and director of preconstruction.

He is an active member of the American Association of Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO), a national transportation industry organization and has served on the AASHTO Subcommittee on Design and the AASHTO Council on Active Transportation. 

UDOT photo

Ben Huot

Crews Take Down Three Bridges Over Two-Day Period

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important part of their learning process."

“The bottom line is that this is a huge opportunity for engineering students and others to see how a signature project for the Phoenix-Metro area goes from a visual concept to a structural reality,” said Randy Everett, division administrator of ADOT’s Central District.

“This is far beyond textbooks and theory,” Everett added. “It opens aspiring engineers to the possibilities of how rewarding this career could be.”

This event marked a farewell to the old bridges that motorists drove on for nearly six decades to make way for new ones.

Before demolition activities, ADOT and the developer conducted an inspection of the bridge prior to the removal process to commence the demolition.

Next, construction crews closed I-10 in both directions. During this closure, the existing condition of the pavement under the bridges were inspected and documented prior to the bridge removal to ensure the roadway did not get damaged during the removal process.

These new, modern bridges are ready to meet the growing number of Arizona motorists in the valley, which is expected to increase by 25 percent by 2040.

Aspiring Arizona engineers had an opportunity to see how their field of study affects everyone.

Everett said engineering students have continued to show interest in learning about how projects such as the I-10 Broadway Curve are conceptualized and delivered. Last year, Everett invited students to tour the construction area. Since then, he said interest has grown with more students wanting to tour the site and learn about it from industry professionals.

“We need engineers,” ADOT Major Projects Construction Manager Julie Gadsby said. “It is important for young people to see the significant role these professionals play in building for the future. This is a rewarding industry. Whether you are a man or a woman, we need people to step up to the challenge to ensure we continue to innovate and move forward.” 

(All photos courtesy of Arizona Department of Transportation.)

The I-10 Broadway Curve Improvement Project is ADOT’s largest urban freeway reconstruction project to date.

Crews laid more than 1 ft. of aggregate on top of the pavement directly under the bridges to serve as a protective layer during the bridge removal process.

Crews utilized excavators with a munching attachment to break down the concrete bridge deck and excavators with a shearing attachment were used to cut the existing girders.

The steel girders were cut into sections less than 38 ft. in length and were then hauled away from the project site for proper disposal. The removal of these three existing bridges took two days.

ADOT used this portion of the project to conduct its “Ready to Rubble: The Ultimate Bridge Takedown” event, where engineering students from around the state were invited so they can see how what they learn in the classroom has a real-world impact.