Texas 21, October 11, 2020

State Supplement sponsored by:

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FLATIRON UPGRADES TAXIWAY AT IAH

Construction crews from Flatiron are making steady progress on the $58.9 million rehabilitation of Taxiway WB at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).

By Irwin Rapoport CEG CORRESPONDENT

Seven months into the Houston Airports System (HAS) $58.9 million rehabilitation of Taxiway WB at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), construction crews

from Flatiron are making steady progress on the project that began in early February and has a projected delivery date of early 2022.

The goal of the project is to ensure the efficiency and value of the IAH taxiway, extending its useful lifespan by a minimum of 20

years and greatly increasing safety for planes taking off and landing.

The rehabilitation is part of the HAS’s move towards its 5-star future. This was the fifth year in a row that HAS received a 4-star rating and the third straight year IAH received the same distinction from

Skytrax, a leading global air transport rating organization.

“Beyond the present crisis, these 4-star ratings are indicative of the consistency and sustained excellence that each Houston Airports’ employee is committed to,” said HAS Director Mario

Diaz.“Despite this crisis [COVID 19], we will use this time to continue to make improvements that will help us reach our vision of establishing Houston Airports as a 5-star global air service gateway where the magic of flight is celebrated.”

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Page 2 • October 11, 2020 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • Texas State Supplement • Construction Equipment Guide

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Page 4 • October 11, 2020 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • Texas State Supplement • Construction Equipment Guide

Bullet Train: Dallas-Houston Rail Gets Federal Approval The Webuild Group and its U.S. subsidiary and joint-venture partner Lane Construction are a step closer to starting work on a highspeed railway between Dallas and Houston after the publication of two federal decisions on the historic project that will bring a major boost to the economy and create thousands of jobs.

Texas Central LLC, which awarded the design-build contract for the early works to Webuild and Lane in September 2019, received from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Railroad Administration the Rule of Particular Applicability (RPA) that sets the safety requirements for the railway's signal and trainset control, track rolling stock, operating rules and practices, system qualifications and maintenance. It also received the Record of Decision (RoD), completing the environmental review process and confirming the alignment that the railway will follow between Dallas and Houston.

“This latest achievement, with these two decisions, brings us a step closer to the start of construction on the new railway,” said Webuild Chief Executive Pietro Salini. “Webuild's unique track record, especially in high-speed rail, will see us apply our expertise to this project that is important for sustainable mobility. As leaders of the design and build work, we are

Graphic by Emily Albracht

The railway, which will be 235.5 mi. long, will transform mobility between Dallas and Houston. It will be based on Central Japan Railway’s Tokaido Shinkansen system, the world’s safest mass transportation system. It will carry travellers between Dallas and Houston — with a stop at Brazos Valley near the Texas A&M University — in 90 min.

honored to have been given this unique opportunity to build a highspeed railway in Texas.”

The two decisions are a crucial milestone for the start of work on the project, whose total investment is approximately $20 billion — an estimated $14 billion of which is for the civil works — will prove to be very important for Texas, espe-

cially in job creation. It is forecast to bring an estimated $36 billion in economic benefits during the next 25 years. The immediate impact is estimated to be more than $10 billion in the U.S. Construction, which Texas Central aims to start as soon as possible to help with the economic recovery following the COVID-19 crisis, and will lead to

the creation of 17,000 direct jobs during the first six years of construction and more than 20,000 indirect jobs.

Webuild brings its expertise in building megaprojects throughout the world with a track record of 8,473 mi. of rail and metro lines gained over the span of 114 years.

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new high-speed railway between Dallas and Houston includes the design and construction of the viaduct and embankment sections along the entire route, the installation of the track system and the alignment and construction of all the buildings and services that will house maintenance and other rail system equipment.

The railway, which will be 235.5 mi. long, will transform mobility between the two cities. It will be based on Central Japan Railway's Tokaido Shinkansen system, one of the world's safest mass transportation systems. It will carry travelers between Dallas and Houston — with a stop at Brazos Valley near the Texas A&M University — in 90 minutes, with departures every 30 minutes during peak hours and every hour during off-peak times. It is expected to be 90 minutes faster than car travel and one hour faster than air travel considering boarding times.

Texas Central and its partners are committed to the Business and Workforce Opportunity programs, created to ensure a highly skilled workforce and promote the growth of small, rural, minority, woman, veteran and disabled individualowned businesses in Texas by offering fair and competitive opportunities to bid and participate in building and operating the railway. 

Construction Equipment Guide • Texas State Supplement • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • October 11, 2020 • Page 5

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Page 6 • October 11, 2020 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • Texas State Supplement • Construction Equipment Guide

Terex TA300 Powers Through Job for Houston Contractor It’s back to school for Franco Builders as the family-owned contractor takes on two major new high school projects in the Houston area — Alvin ISD (Independent School District) High School 4 and Fort Bend ISD High School 12.

The 550,000 sq. ft. Alvin ISD High School 4 will accommodate approximately 2,500 students, while the 485,000 sq. ft. Fort Bend ISD High School 12 will provide space for 2,800. Both ISDs are experiencing unprecedented enrolment growth with at least 1,000 new students joining each year since 2014. The new schools will alleviate the overcrowding on existing campuses and help future-proof the districts as rapid residential development continues. They will incorporate academic, athletic and fine arts areas and are planned to open in time for the 2022-2023 school year.

Houston-based earthworks and underground utility specialist Franco Builders won the tender to prepare the building pads, as well as rebalance the soil across the campuses.

“We have more than one million truck yards of material to rebalance over each job site — it’s a massive undertaking,” said Jose Zuniga, who founded Franco Builders along with Manuel Franco in 2002. Helping

tive of Easton Sales & Rentals. “Each hauler has guaranteed service and full warranty on everything so it’s a good business decision.

It can save a lot of money for the contractor and can help them be more competitive in the bidding process.”

Zuniga added, “We really liked the overall package of service, warranty and financing.

Repairs on any piece of capital equipment have the potential to be expensive and there was a good service program offered for the first few years. It’s great that we can work the haulers without having to worry about maintenance or breakdown. That’s all taken care of.”

(L-R): Manuel Franco, owner of Franco Builders; Vic Palermo, sales representative of Easton Sales & Rentals; and Jose Zuniga, owner of Franco Builders.

Zuniga, Franco and their team to complete the work is a fleet of five Terex Trucks TA300 articulated haulers, leased since March 2020 through local dealer Easton Sales &Rentals.

Competitive Spirit “We’ve rented TA300s from Easton for

quite a few years now, we just fell in love with them,” said Zuniga. “We even rented some for the first few months on the Alvin job but we still have over a year of work to do on the site, so it made sense to switch to a lease agreement.”

“Terex Trucks has a terrific lease program,” said Vic Palermo, sales representa-

With all three axles in permanent (6x6) all-wheel drive, the TA300 maintains maximum traction will reducing driveline abuse and wheel spin for lower tire wear and fuel consumption.

Masters of Mud The Terex Trucks leasing program makes a compelling offer, but it was the TA300’s sheer reliability that first made Franco Builders fall in love with the truck. Terex Trucks articulated haulers are renowned for their robustness and are designed to go where others can’t follow. The heavy-duty axles are capable of bearing large loads, while the effective drivetrain gear reduction and differential locks help achieve marketleading traction in poor working conditions, see TEREX page 16

Construction Equipment Guide • Texas State Supplement • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • October 11, 2020 • Page 7

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Page 8 • October 11, 2020 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • Texas State Supplement • Construction Equipment Guide

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TxDOT has promoted Blair Johnson to Amarillo district engineer, effective Sept. 1, 2020. In his role as district engineer, Johnson will oversee the planning, designing, construction, operation and maintenance of 9,394 mi. of roads and 840 bridges spread across 17,848 sq. mi. in the Texas panhandle.

Johnson began his career with TxDOT in December 2002 after earning his B.S. in civil engineering from Texas Tech University. Throughout his TxDOT career, Johnson has served as design team leader, advanced planning engineer, area engineer and, most recently, as director of operations for the Amarillo District.

“Blair is part of this community and is respected and recognized throughout the Amarillo District and state of Texas as a go-to person for getting the job done,” says Quincy Allen, statewide director of district operations. “He has a strong understanding of the project development process including funding, right of way, utilities, preliminary project development, public involvement, environmental documentation, and plan development – all of which will serve him well in his new role.”

In addition to being a key leader in the development of State Loop (SL) 335 and enhancements to the I-27 and I-40 corridors, Johnson has developed the District’s pavement management plan process — effectively identifying and prioritizing pavement projects. 

Construction Equipment Guide • Texas State Supplement • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • October 11, 2020 • Page 9

Page 10 • October 11, 2020 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • Texas State Supplement • Construction Equipment Guide

Flood Damage Calls for New Proposal in Houston Area GALVESTON, Texas (AP) Houston, a Gulf Coast city that barely rises above sea level, has long worried about a worst-case weather scenario — a direct hit from a powerful storm that sends a wall of water barreling into the region’s petrochemical facilities, possibly triggering an environmental disaster.

When it was spared a blow from Hurricane Laura in August 2020, the city breathed a sigh of relief.

Now the close call has renewed a debate about whether the Houston area should build a massive and expensive barrier to protect against storm surge.

After Laura’s close call, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said he hopes some kind of barrier eventually gets built.

“I don’t know how many chances we are going to have ...

Whatever it may be that can mitigate storm surge, then that’s what I am in favor of,” Turner said.

“What I do know is we can’t keep just talking about it.”

In addition to a lack of storm surge protection, the nation’s fourth-largest city floods frequently because it does not have enough infrastructure to handle heavy rain.

The area has developed rapidly in a way that sharply reduced the natural wetlands that could soak up storm water runoff. Its Depressionera drainage systems are woefully inadequate.

The city’s vulnerability was apparent again recently when Tropical Storm Beta flooded roads and filled waterways.

Bill Merrell, a marine sciences professor at Texas A&M University at Galveston who first proposed the coastal barrier, believes storm surge is a grave threat that has been ignored for too long.

“We’re overdue for a Laura ...

We’re starting to see pretty convincing evidence we will have stronger hurricanes” due to climate change, said Merrell, who nicknamed the proposed barrier the “Ike Dike,” after 2008’s Hurricane Ike. Merrell spoke in Galveston, near the inlet between the Gulf of Mexico and Galveston Bay. That’s where he envisions building the Ike Dike’s floodgates, which would stop storm surge from enter-

with trails and camping. The Galveston Bay Park, with a price tag of up to $6 billion, could be done by 2030.

“We’re going to need multiple lines of defense. And right now, we have zero lines of defense,” said Jim Blackburn, the SSPEED Center’s co-director.

But questions remain about both projects.

Environmental groups are concerned that the Army Corps project’s floodgates could affect water flow between the bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Galveston Bay is healthy, and fish and other animals thrive there because water circulates in and out of the gulf, said Bob Stokes, president of the Galveston Bay Foundation environmental group.

Burks-Copes said the Corps has made changes to address environmental and other concerns.

After Laura’s close call, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said he hopes some kind of barrier eventually gets built.

Neither project would have protected ing the bay and traveling north into ing a proposed project the area from Hurricane the Houston Ship Channel, home that borrows from the Harvey, which dumped to some of the largest oil refineries Ike Dike. It would build more than 50 in. of rain in the world and 40 percent of the floodgates, including on Houston in 2017, nation’s petrochemical industry. some sets that would be causing $125 billion in Researchers at Rice University 650 ft. wide, the equivadamage in Texas. in Houston have estimated that a lent of a 60-story buildHarris County, which strong Category 4 storm with a 25- ing laid on its side. includes Houston, also ft. storm surge could damage storThe corps’ proposal is completing several age tanks along the ship channel, also includes constructother flood-mitigation resulting in the release of more ing a beach and dune projects, including than 90 million gallons of oil and system and undertaking widening bayous, hazardous substances into neigh- ecosystem restoration improving drainage and borhoods and then into the bay. projects along the Texas buying flood-prone The barrier system, also referred coast, said Kelly Burkshomes, that are part of a to locally as the coastal spine, has Copes, manager of the $2.5 billion bond probeen studied since Merrell first project. gram approved by votproposed it after Ike, which made The coastal barrier The barrier system, also referred to locally as the ers in 2018 after landfall in Galveston as a Category would create “additional coastal spine, has been studied after Hurricane Harvey.

2 storm and resulted in nearly $30 protections and added Ike, which made landfall in Galveston as a “We’re doing it as billion in damage, mostly from security for our nation’s Category 2 storm and resulted in nearly $30 billion quickly as possible,” storm surge. Because the storm largest petrochemical in damage.

Harris County Judge and its surge did not come up the hub, and for the people Lina Hidalgo, the counship channel, most of the chemical who live and work in these com- would take 10 to 15 years to com- ty’s top elected official, said of the plants and many homes were munities,” said Dennis Winkler, plete, Burks-Copes said. The proj- flood-mitigation projects. “And spared from a direct hit. Ike was executive director of East Harris ect would have to be funded by these storms keep coming.” also much weaker than a potential- County Manufacturers both federal and local dollars.

Stokes was realistic about the Rice University’s Severe Storm prospects for shielding the city ly catastrophic Category 4 or 5 sys- Association, an alliance of chemiEducation and from nature. tem. cal manufacturers in the Houston Prediction, Evacuation from Disasters Center, But a variety of concerns about area.

“No hurricane storm surge barrithe dike, including a price tag of up Another draft report of the proj- or SSPEED, has proposed its own er will ever protect us from 150 to $32 billion and possible envi- ect is to be released later in project — a series of man-made mph winds,” Stokes said. “No hurronmental effects, have been road- October, with a final report set to islands near the western section of ricane storm surge barrier will ever blocks in its construction. be given to Congress by May. If Galveston Bay and the entrance to protect us from rain. So really The U.S. Army Corps of the project gets funded, construc- the ship channel that would be both every storm is different, and there Engineers and the state are review- tion could start as early as 2025. It a storm surge barrier and a park is no silver bullet.” 

Construction Equipment Guide • Texas State Supplement • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • October 11, 2020 • Page 11

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Page 12 • October 11, 2020 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • Texas State Supplement • Construction Equipment Guide

Ritchie Bros. Sees Success at Latest Fort Worth Auction Ritchie Bros. put on another big auction in Fort Worth, selling more than 5,200 equipment items and trucks over two days for $68+ million.

More than 11,300 bidders from 72 countries registered for the Sept. 29 to 30 auction, which was conducted entirely online due to COVID-19.

Approximately 64 percent of the assets were purchased by out-of-state and international buyers, from as far away as Australia, Egypt and Germany.

“We continue to see record numbers of bidders in 2020 — with this September’s attendance up 64 percent from the same auction last year,” said Neal Black, regional sales manager of Ritchie Bros. “This auction had a great selection of yellow iron, but the trucks proved to be the real star of the show. In just one day we sold more than 650 truck tractors, with pretty strong prices throughout. This included a large consignment of trucks from B.J. Services, one of the largest pureplay pressure pumping companies in North America.”

Equipment highlights in the auction More than 11,300 bidders from 72 countries registered for the Sept. 29 to 30 auction, which also included 400+ transport trailers, was conducted entirely online due to COVID-19.

120+ excavators, 95+ flatbed trucks, 75+ skid steer loaders, as well as ag tractors, dozers and dozens of pickups.

Sales Highlights From Fort Worth: •2011 Link-Belt 218HSL 110-ton crawler crane sold for $340,000; •2004 Caterpillar D7R XR Series II dozer sold for $250,000; •2015 Caterpillar 745C 6x6 articulated dump truck sold for $190,000; •2020 Volvo VNL760 sleeper truck tractor sold for $112,000; and •2017 Peterbilt 389 sleeper truck tractor sold for $110,000.

Ritchie Bros.’ next Texas auction will be held in Houston on November 10 to 11, 2020. The next Fort Worth auction will be held in December. For more information about Ritchie Bros., visit RitchieBros.com.  Auction Quick Facts Total gross transactional value: $68+ million Total registered bidders: 11,300+ Total lots sold: 5,200+ Number of consignors: 650+

Construction Equipment Guide • Texas State Supplement • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • October 11, 2020 • Page 13

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Page 14 • October 11, 2020 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • Texas State Supplement • Construction Equipment Guide

Cat 336 Excavators, Cat 966 Loaders Play Vital Role on Job TAXIWAY from page 1

Project Scope The scale and scope of the Taxiway WB initiative is considerable — a full-depth reconstruction, including associated pavements to facilitate a fully functioning taxiway system; construction of storm water underdrains beneath the taxiway; and furnishing and installing new LED centerline lights.

This is backed up by the amounts of materials which will be brought in for the phased construction: 111,500 sq. yds. of total concrete paving; 87,500 sq. ft. of phased airfield paving markings; 118,000 sq. yds. of bituminous concrete pavement section demolition; and 15,450 tons of bituminous surface course.

Robert Barker, chief infrastructure officer at HAS, said, “We fully recognize that significant infrastructure needs have to be properly addressed in order for us to remain competitive in the global marketplace. We are actively working to ensure that our facilities not only meet but exceed demands for increased capacity and optimum efficiency.”

The key benefits of the project are: upgraded aircraft guidance lighting and signage; new markings which will improve movement of pilots – better visibility to the airfield; vast improvements to the intersections and paving; reduced maintenance costs, which translates into minimal impacts to airport operations; and allowing for the movement of larger aircraft to the north end due to changing some of the radiuses and associated happenings.

“Right now the team is focused on demolition – we must demolish up to three separate layers of pavement, all the way down through the subgrade,” said Chad McGhee, HAS construction manager. “We are demolishing roughly 45 inches of total thickness and we will build it back to the HAS current standards. The next steps will be to stabilize the subgrade, then return with embankment fill and build it back up to the paving.”

The project was designed by RS&H Inc. “IAH originally undertook a rehabilitation project several years’ back for Taxiways WA and WB, along with several connector taxiways and multiple connector taxilanes to one of the western complex’ runways [west side of IAH],” said McGhee.

Unforeseen construction issues kept these taxiways closed for several years.

McGhee is working with HAS Construction Manager Johnathan Limb, Resident Engineer Robert Vinson and Airfield Operations Construction Coordinator Jeff Cruser.

“Close coordination is always important,” noted McGhee, “as we are also about to undertake the Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation Project, which will certainly overlap with this taxiway rehabilitation.”

Taking on both taxiway projects has

The project was designed

by RS&H Inc.

ensured more efficient construction.

“This allowed us to start work on WB more quickly,” said Michael Zanella, Flatiron’s Houston area manager. “My experience with airport work started back in the 1980s as the site superintendent for the initial O’Hare International Airport expansion and since then I’ve worked on Jacksonville International Airport, McChord Air Force Base and a small airport outside of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Working with several different airport authorities has allowed me to bring those experiences here and put in some of the best construction practices terms of specifications, what the client is looking for, and helping field operations from a high level to ensure our team is successful.

“We have numerous safety protocols in place, such as maintaining proper distances

between the taxiway and the runway,” he added. “It’s extremely important that when planes are coming in and out of our work zone or to other operational taxiways, that all of our flags and lighting are identifiable, and airport operations know exactly where we are. We have the right personnel in place, including the subcontractors who play a very big and important role in our work. Through trials and tribulations, you better understand sequencing, operations and maintaining schedules, which are extremely important out here. We’ve developed stronger work plans because of that earlier work.”

Relations with HAS and airport operations staff have been excellent.

“Communications is key and working with their assistant director has ensured we have been able to meet all the terms of the contract,” said Zanella. “There will always

be site differences and things that are not in the plans that we have to work through. This partnering allows us to get through issues we run into.”

Elizabeth McNew, Flatiron’s traffic control foreman, stressed how heavy rains have been a challenge.

“We work whenever we can,” she said. “It rains pretty hard and we can be out for a good four or five days. We work 24/7 with day and night shifts. If it rains during the day, we just pick up wherever we can. I learned how to handle the gate and airport regulations and rules, and the concerns of airport operations. If we’re low on supplies, we’ll bring them in rapidly. Safety is a constant concern, and Alex Castellanos, our safety manager, is on top of things at all times. We have flaggers to clear the area when planes pass by. Some of the hangers have scheduled times for when planes come out, and we have to stop all traffic at those times.”

Soil and utility issues are being dealt with as they arise.

“Storm water is an issue we’re always dealing with,” said Tim Gee, Flatiron’s project manager.

Flatiron has dirt work/excavation, pipe installation and paving crews working simultaneously.

“If there are issues, they usually work together on them,” said McNew. “We have plenty of room. The yard is pretty big and we have room the for concrete batch plant, storing of materials and offices. It doesn’t take too long to reach the construction site by the service road.”

The demolition and reconstruction of WB is being done in phases, having started at the north end and proceeding to the south end.

Currently three phases of WB are being worked on – 5, 5B and 5C. The plan of attack for the demolition, for which 20 percent has been done, depends on the type of pavement being encountered.

“We’re pre-planning for future phases,” said Gee. “We’ve got some very different pavement sections – up to 39-inches deep and you can’t use a guillotine piece of equipment to break it up and load it out. We’re using hydraulic hammers to break it up.

There are several different layers of pavement that were poured – you have a top eight inch layer that is unreinforced and then 24 inches of reinforced concrete below that, followed by another unreinforced section. It’s hard on the equipment. We have two Cat 336 excavators with 15,000-pound hammers running double shifts.”

A phase is 1,600 ft. long and takes about 1.5 weeks to demolish.

Trimble Total Station robots are being used to meet specifications for the new taxiway. see TAXIWAY page 20

Construction Equipment Guide • Texas State Supplement • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • October 11, 2020 • Page 15

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Page 16 • October 11, 2020 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • Texas State Supplement • Construction Equipment Guide

Franco Builders Count on Terex Trucks for Reliability TEREX from page 6

according to the manufacturer. With all three axles in permanent (6 by 6) all-wheel drive, the TA300 maintains maximum traction will reducing driveline abuse and wheel spin for lower tire wear and fuel consumption.

“We get a lot of rain the in the Houston area and the off-road trucks have to fight through some pretty nasty terrain at times,” said Zuniga. “The TA300 is a steady machine with good traction. It doesn’t struggle to get in and out of the slope areas so there’s no risk of it getting stuck in a hole.”

Perfect Attendance Record “The trucks have very little downtime and if they ever do have an issue, they are quick and easy to fix,” said Zuniga.

As well as being strong and flexible enough to handle the pressures of tough environments, the TA300 has built-in mechanisms to make service interventions quick and safe to maximize uptime. All test points are located at ground level, with the fully tilting cab and electronically raised hood ensuring easy access.

The three-stage aspiration air filtration provides increased engine protection to lengthen maintenance intervals, while the hydraulic systems with magnetic suction filters guard against contamination and unscheduled maintenance. In addition, the long transmission oil change interval of 4,000 hours helps keep the machine up and running longer.

Schedule for Success “Easton helps us track maintenance intervals and notifies us when it’s required,” said Zuniga. “They’ve been really good at making a schedule to avoid downtime and keep the project going. It’s extremely important that our fleets are updated, and we try to minimize unscheduled downtime on all projects because time is money. It’s all about working efficiently.”

Easton aims to give every customer the special treatment, which has allowed it to develop longstanding relationships, such as with Franco Builders.

“We work together really well,” said Palermo. “If they need machines, I make

The heavy-duty axles are capable of bearing large loads, while the effective drivetrain gear reduction and differential locks help achieve traction in poor working conditions.

sure we have the best ones for the job — and if they have a problem, our service manager will have a crew of technicians out there right away, or if not, the very next morning.”

Zuniga added, “Everyone at the office and service department is really knowledgeable about the trucks. They can pinpoint any warning signs of potential problems that can come up. They’re always just a phone call away.”

Only the Best Will Do “Of course, Manuel Franco and I have known Vic Palermo for more than 20 years,”

The Terex Trucks TA300’s have great traction on tough terrain, robustness and ease of maintenance made it the very best articulated hauler for the job.

A fleet of five Terex Trucks TA300 articulated haulers, leased since March 2020 through local dealer Easton Sales & Rentals, is getting the job done for Franco Builders.

said Zuniga. “He’s incredibly knowledgeable — not only about Terex Trucks. He’ll tell you straight what’s good and what’s reliable and what’s junk. He’s not going to sell you trash.”

Terex Trucks TA300 has incredible traction on tough terrain, robustness and ease of maintenance made it the very best articulated hauler for the job, according to the manufacturer. And due to a proactive and efficient service from Easton Sales & Rentals, Franco Builders can rest assured of completing the projects within budget — and getting the kids to school on time. 

Construction Equipment Guide • Texas State Supplement • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • October 11, 2020 • Page 17

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Page 18 • October 11, 2020 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • Texas State Supplement • Construction Equipment Guide

Prospero 2 Solar Project in Andrews County Underway

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Longroad Energy Holdings announced the financial close and commencement of construction of the Prospero 2 Solar Project, a 331-MWDC project located in Andrews County. Longroad will continue to own the $320 million project, which is expected to come online in the second quarter of 2021.

Longroad also will manage the construction.

Prospero 2 is adjacent to Longroad’s Prospero 1 project, which recently declared commercial operation. Prospero 1 is coowned by Longroad and AIP. “We are pleased to bring Prospero 2 to financial close and to commence construction,” said Peter Keel, chief financial officer of Longroad. “It’s always tough finalizing deals, but even more so in today’s challenging market. We want to commend our lead lending and tax equity partners, U.S. Bank and CIT Group, for being especially constructive and supportive throughout the process.”

The Prospero 2 closing marks more than 2 GW of total wind and solar projects developed, financed and built in Texas by the Longroad team.

“Building a project like this is an incredible team effort and we are happy for the support of University Lands, Andrews County Commissioners Court, Permian Regional Medical Center [Andrews County Hospital District], Andrews Independent School District [“ISD”] and Andrews Economic Development Corporation,” Keel added. “We would like to thank all of our suppliers, construction and utility partners: First Solar, Power Electronics, NEXTracker, Swinerton Renewable Energy and Oncor.”

The Prospero 2 project will cover more than 2,500 acres in Andrews County, Texas.

The project has two 15-year power purchase agreements, one with DaVita and another with a subsidiary of Zimmer Biomet Holdings.

“DaVita is committed to using 100 percent renewable energy and our PPA with Longroad’s Prospero 2 project will help make this happen,” said Peter Berkowitz, DaVita’s VP of real estate and center development. “Our previous PPA with Longroad helped us reach the halfway mark on our goal, and we expect that Prospero 2’s completion will carry us across the finish line.”

DaVita anticipates that its share of the projects under the two virtual PPAs with Longroad will generate as much renewable energy as the amount of electricity used in its North American operations.

The major project components are as follows: • EPC contract with Swinerton Renewable Energy • Panel supply with First Solar, using Series 6 technology • Inverter supply with Power Electronics • Tracker supply with NEXTracker • U.S. Bank is the sole tax equity investor in the project.

“We value our long-term partnership with Longroad and its founders — Prospero 2 is our seventh project with them — and we’re excited to work together to increase solar capacity and create jobs in Texas,” said Adam Altenhofen, senior VP of renewable energy investments with U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation, the tax equity and community investment subsidiary of U.S. Bank. “Investing in solar is one of the ways U.S. Bank can be a responsible steward of the environment, address climate change and also create jobs.”

CIT led the construction and term lending group as the coordinating lead arranger.

Zions, Rabobank, HSBC, Commerzbank, Siemens Financial Services and National Australia Bank also participated in the lending group. 

Construction Equipment Guide • Texas State Supplement • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • October 11, 2020 • Page 19

October 29, 2020

Page 20 • October 11, 2020 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • Texas State Supplement • Construction Equipment Guide

Crews Perform Excavation, Paving Work Simultaneously TAXIWAY from page 14

“The tolerances are tight in regards to specifications and the robots’ level of accuracy is down to the 32nd of an inch rather than a one-half inch with GPS,” said Gee. “The only times we’re going to use GPS is when we have machine controls on a motor grader for grade and subgrade on the shoulders.”

The excavated material is removed a few days later after being broken up to let crews push ahead. This material is picked up by Cat 336s and placed in Cat 966 loaders.

“Once we start loading out, we have two options,” said Gee. “We can bring it to a subThe goal of the project is to ensure the efficiency and value of the IAH taxiway, extending its useful lifespan by a minimum of 20 years and greatly increasing safety for planes taking off and landing.

applied.

“Any time we demolish a section of taxiway,” said Gee, “we have to take extreme caution so we don’t cause spalling or damage the pavement that is proposed to be left in place. With each new phase, we look at what happened in the last one – and what we can learn from the experience.

We’ll step two feet away from an edge that remained in place, put in a The excavated material is removed a few days later after being broken up to let crews push ahead. This material relief cut – full depth to is picked up by Cat 336s and placed in Cat 966 loaders. the bottom and then work our way back to the relief contractor – eight miles away, to be crushed cut so were not putting any pressure on the and turned into P2 219, our base material pavement that stays. The key is to not put too and P304, a cement stabilized base. We just much pressure on it.”

For the storm water underdrains, the pipe recently started bring the material to our yard and stockpiling it. We’ve brought in a crews are installing perforated PVC pipe machine to crush it on-site so we can make wrapped with ¾-in. rock and filter fabric around it. our P2 219 and P304.”

“They are installed prior to the concrete The Erie wet batch plant at the yard is expected to produce 78,000 cu. yds. of concrete. pours and placed on the shoulders of the “The paving crews usually pour at night taxiway,” said Gee. The locations for the LED centerline and on a good day, close to 1,000 tons can be lights, edge lights, and manholes for the conpoured,” said McNew. Gee pointed out that light traffic is gener- duits and conductors to tie them into have ally permitted on the new concrete after been mapped out. EAS is installing the lights three days, and complete curing takes about and is handling all of the electrical work.

Gee is assisted by Field Superintendent seven days.

The new taxiway is based on a 5 in. P2 Shane Flowers and Field Engineers Bharath 219 base, followed by an 8 in. cement treat- Reddy Romdla and Jereon Dijkema.

“Whenever a problem arises, they all ed base, 1 in. thick asphalt bond breaker and an 18 in. thick concrete top. Before the paving work together on it,” said McNew. “We have can begin, the subgrade has to be stabilized. meetings every Monday and Friday. On “We use a cement slurry,” said Gee. Mondays they go over what is going to take “We’ll dump some cement on the subgrade, place in the next two weeks and on Fridays, they review weekly progress and if there are mix it up and let it cure.”

Paving operations are proceeding smooth- changes, come up with alternative plans. ly and lessons learned from WA are being Everyone is working hard to meet the sched-

ule. We have a lot of employees that have been here since WA and you can see the teamwork that has developed. They know the drill and look after each other – they want to get the job done. Everyone is getting enough hours and I’m happy for my employees,. We haven’t been rained out lately. WB is going smoothly.”

Peak days have nearly 60 Flatiron and subcontractor personnel on-site for each shift, with the main subcontractors being ADF Trucking, Agg Tech Aviles, Environmental Allies, Evans &Sons, GMJ, HPSI, Proair, Romar Trucking and Stripes & Stops.

The amounts of excavated materials – concrete, rebar and asphalt – will only be tabulated towards the end of the project.

Flatiron also is using: excavators: a Cat 308 with a hammer and a John Deere 135G; a Cat D6N dozer; a John Deere 644K loader; a Cat C556 roller; a Cat hydraulic box blade; Cat boomlifts, forklifts, buggies and light plants; sweepers; air compressors; backhoes; and a water truck.

“We have a mechanic who works with our concrete paving group,” said Gee. “Any time that we’re doing high production paving, he’ll be there to deal with a hose break or any other issue. He also helps with sizing the pan to get the width we need and pre-check the machine before we start the pour to make sure it is in good and operating condition. The key to maintaining the equipment is daily inspections. When you see an issue, you have to bring it up with our equipment department or vendor that we rented it from. You have to locate high wear and tear items like cutting edges and teeth on buckets. When they get low, you have to replace them before it’s too late.”

In the Houston and southeast Texas area, Flatiron purchases and rents equipment from Mustang CAT, United Rentals and Doggett Equipment Services Ltd. for John Deere machinery.

“If we have a downed piece of equipment, they get out here as soon as they can to either fix it or replace it,” said Gee.“Fostering good relationships with the dealerships is touching base with them periodically to see how everything is going and see what we can do to help them and vice-versa, they call us to see what they could do to help us.”

Airport Background IAH is among the busiest airports in the country. In 2019, it served almost 45.3 million passengers, a 3.3 percent increase from 2018. The taxiway upgrades are part of the plan to improve customer service as the number of passengers continues to increase.

“Houston Airports is actively working to ensure that our facilities not only meet but exceed demands for increased capacity and optimum efficiency,” said Barker.

“The work requires considerable coordination because of its impact to cargo carriers, tenants and others,” said McGhee. “The [construction] has been carefully phased, with some phases of work being performed exclusively at night and other phases during the day since the entire taxiway cannot be shut down during construction. As always, we’ll seek to minimize operational impacts during construction.”

The WB reconstruction was added to the project as substantial completion on WA ($52,319,889.69) was approaching, which began on Oct. 19, 2018, was substantially completed on Oct. 10, 2019, and reopened the same month.

McGhee stressed that improving airfield conditions are critical and go together with improving the customer experience.

“Houston Airports has more than $1 billion of airside civil work -- either in planning, design or under construction,” he said, “and that just strongly illustrates its ongoing commitment to safety, to service, and to state-of-the-art infrastructure.”  CEG

Construction Equipment Guide • Texas State Supplement • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • October 11, 2020 • Page 21

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Page 22 • October 11, 2020 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • Texas State Supplement • Construction Equipment Guide

TEXAS STATE SUPPLEMENT ADVERTISER INDEX BANE MACHINERY ........................................................24 BEE EQUIPMENT SALES LTD ......................................18 COMPACT CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT ..................5 CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT GUIDE ........................19 GOMACO CORP ............................................................21 GORILLA HAMMERS........................................................1 HIGH TECH INDUSTRIES ................................................1 J & B PAVELKA INC ..........................................................8 KIRBY-SMITH MACHINERY INC....................................17 MCCOURT EQUIPMENT INC ........................................23 NIECE EQUIPMENT ........................................................7 NUECES POWER EQUIPMENT - HYUNDAI ................15 NUECES POWER EQUIPMENT - LIEBHERR ..............15 NUECES POWER EQUIPMENT - LINK-BELT ..............15 NUECES POWER EQUIPMENT - TAKEUCHI ................8 NUECES POWER EQUIPMENT - WIRTGEN................15 POWERSCREEN TEXAS ..............................................13 ROMCO EQUIPMENT ......................................................2 ROMCO MATERIAL PROCESSING SYSTEMS ..............2 ROMCO PAVING EQUIPMENT ........................................2 ROMCO POWER SYSTEMS............................................2 SMITHCO ........................................................................11 TROPHY TRACTOR..........................................................3 VERMEER OF TEXAS-LOUISIANA ................................9 WAUKESHA-PEARCE INDUSTRIES INC......................12 WYLIE IMPLEMENT........................................................18 The Advertisers Index is printed as a free editorial service to our advertisers and readership. Construction Equipment Guide is not responsible for errors or omissions.

Palisade Pipeline signed an agreement in 2019 to buy 6 million gal. of wastewater a day from Lubbock.

Contractor to Supply New Pipeline to Permian Basin ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) Oil companies in the Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico need millions of gallons of water to retrieve petroleum.

At the same time, the city of Lubbock spends $1 million each year to dispose its treated wastewater at two city farms.

Enter Palisade Pipeline, a Houston-based company with plans for a 100-mi. pipeline to transport wastewater from Lubbock to the Permian Basin.

The company signed an agreement in 2019 to buy 6 million gal. of wastewater a day from Lubbock.

“This is a win-win for the community of Lubbock, and also to industry, to basically do a flip from a waste stream into a revenue resource,” said Reagan Kneese, Palisade’s executive vice president of operations. “Hobbs will act as our operations hub to distribute that water to various end users in Eddy and Lea counties.”

Lubbock treats the wastewater, so Palisade doesn’t need further treatment, the Albuquerque Journal reported.

Pumps along the route will transport water from a Lubbock city reservoir and reclamation plant to a reservoir near Hobbs, New Mexico.

The project comes as New Mexico encourages companies to recycle their produced water — the wastewater that surfaces along with petroleum — instead of pumping scarce fresh water.

“When you think about how concentrated oil and gas is in one region of New Mexico,

it’s a tremendous amount of water used in a very water-starved region,” said Palisade president Phillip Laughlin. “… Every barrel of water we bring offsets a barrel of potable groundwater that would have been taken out of the hydrologic cycle.”

The state helped create a produced water research consortium at New Mexico State University. The team is exploring non-industry uses for produced water, like municipal supplies or irrigation.

Originally Palisade marketed their wastewater to industry. But the company soon realized its product could also be sold to power plants and municipalities.

“Municipal reuse is checking those boxes now that produced water is trying to get to,” Kneese said.

The city of Jal in southeastern New Mexico is interested in using the Lubbock wastewater to offset groundwater depletions from nearby fracking operations. Jal is currently protesting an application

by Intrepid Potash and NGL Energy Partners to pump more groundwater.

“Once that water’s gone, it’s not coming back,” Jal mayor Stephen Aldridge said earlier this month. “That could devastate future water supplies for a small community like ours, where every drop counts.”

Palisade will source pipeline materials this year. Construction will take six months and cost tens of millions of dollars, Laughlin said. The company aims to have water flowing through the pipeline before the end of 2021. 

Construction Equipment Guide • Texas State Supplement • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • October 11, 2020 • Page 23

Page 24 • October 11, 2020 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • Texas State Supplement • Construction Equipment Guide

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