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Building Blocks

The use of geofoam blocks played a key role in the overall success
of the 16-mile long, $750 million West Davis Highway.
By Reuben Wright

Crews working on bridge sections of the project did the majority of heavy-lifting—as seen with these giant cranes lifting heavy girders—during the wee hours of the night, part of UDOT’s expectations of keeping traffic moving by limiting road closures. (night photos by Kjell Gerber, BuildWitt)

Innovation remains a calling card for the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) on its major highway projects, with the recent completion of the mammoth $750 million design-build West Davis Highway (WDH) project utilizing geofoam blocks to combat challenging soil conditions and provide a solid foundation on one of the major ramps.


Comprised of expanded polystyrene, the use of EPS geofoam blocks in construction originated more than 50 years ago in Norway and was used significantly in Utah on the Interstate 15 Reconstruction from 1997-2001, which coincided with the International Geofoam Conference being held in Salt Lake City in 2001.

UDOT has implemented geofoam on various projects since then, including the 1100 South bridge over I-15 in Brigham City and the 5600 West bridge near 700 South in Salt Lake City.


"Sometimes there are unique challenges on our projects, and they require innovative solutions," said Corey Nelson, UDOT Project Manager on WDH. "Geofoam is another tool in our toolbox to efficiently build the roads, trails and bridges we all need to get where we want to go."


Nelson said approximately 3,000 geofoam blocks were used to build the ramp that connects West Davis Highway with southbound I-15 in Farmington. These blocks are considerably lighter than dirt, allowing crews to build the new ramp in close proximity to I-15 as well as the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) and Utah Transit Authority (UTA) tracks without concern of additional shifting or settlement.


Each block weighs about 200 pounds and measures 4 ft. by 5 ft. by 9 ft. The blocks were brought to the construction site and then either placed as-is or cut to fit as needed. Once all the blocks are in place, a concrete slab is poured on top to evenly distribute the load of the ramp pavement and traffic, and concrete walls are installed along the sides.



"The geofoam blocks helped [solve] potential issues that would have resulted from a large [tall] fill embankment being built next to a very sensitive rail corridor," said Jared Hobbs, Deputy Project Manager for Ogden-based Staker Parson Materials & Construction. "The lightweight fill helped alleviate settlement concerns and met the needs of a zero-settlement tolerance for the UPRR/UTA rail facilities."

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Giant EPS geofoam blocks played a key role on the construction of this bridge ramp that connects West Davis Highway to Southbound I-15. Aerial view of the massive bridge structure, one of the true highlights of this $750 million project. (photo by Bobby Gibson; courtesy UDOT)

Three-firm JV Offers Great Depth and Unique Skillsets

Spanning six Davis County cities and constructed by the three-way joint venture of three prominent general contractors known as Farmington Bay Contractors (FBC)—Ames Construction, Wadsworth Brothers Construction, and Staker Parson—the project benefitted from having a deep pool of resources and specific expertise from each company.


Ames served as managing partner, and its self-performed work included primarily mass earthwork, retaining wall and drainage work, as well as some structural support. Wadsworth Brothers was tasked with constructing the 15 bridges and 15 box culverts on the project. Staker Parson provided earthwork, drainage, wet utility installation/relocation, aggregate base placement, and asphalt paving.


"Each partner brought unique abilities and resources to the team that complimented each other very well," said Hobbs.


Nelson added that a JV with three firms allows the team to share in the ownership, risks and returns of each project and is considered a more responsible and productive way to tackle a project the size of West Davis Highway. He praised the FBC team's ability to "work seamlessly together and deliver the project early. In this unified effort, each company shared in the overall scope of work."


West Davis Highway is a new 16-mile, 4-lane divided highway that serves primarily the west side of Davis County. The first phase of construction connects to I-15 and Legacy Parkway at approximately Glovers Lane in Farmington and extends west and north, terminating at 4500 West and the future extension of S.R. 193 in West Point. It is expected to reduce traffic delays by more than 30% on local roads west of I-15 in the county.


The project also includes over 14 miles of new trail and trail connections to create a consolidated trail system connecting Emigration Trail to Legacy Parkway Trail. The project also preserved 1,100 acres of wetlands near the Great Salt Lake to help safeguard the environment.


Former UDOT Project Director Rex Harris praised the FBC team for its cohesiveness and for its research during the pursuit of the project. Harris said FBC found out that the first four miles of the project had excessively soft soils, so the team did a test fill area that sat for 8 months before the project bid. It gave the team solid data about how the soil would behave and helped shape a forward-thinking design and construction schedule. FBC was able to lower overall risk and be more confident with its cost estimate.   


"Farmington Bay Contractors [shares] UDOT's commitment to enhancing quality of life by keeping Utah moving," Harris said at the time the contract was awarded. "Their proposal provided the best value through innovation, safety, quality, and reduced impacts to local communities—at a very competitive cost."   



Material Shortages, Labor and Tight Schedule Among Top Project Challenges

Like countless other construction projects around the state, supply shortages were a recurring challenge on this 30-month project. These shortages, particularly with materials like concrete, required strategic scheduling of deliveries, helped FBC to minimize schedule impact and ensure consistent material supplies.


Consistently staffing a project of this size required a sizeable workforce. Despite severe labor challenges, FBC prioritized tasks based on their importance. By strategically allocating resources and focusing on essential aspects of the project first, FBC ensured key milestones were met. FBC's strategic approach helped optimize productivity within the constraints of available resources.


The team was also able to meet the strict project schedule by successfully handling issues such as the settling of surcharge dirt, third-party utility work, a brutal winter season, and material shortages. When aspects of the schedule went beyond its control, FBC shifted focus to other tasks that could be completed in parallel and minimized the impact of delays on the overall schedule.


One of the key decisions of the entire project was determining whether to temporarily close a major arterial road in Syracuse or employ a hefty traffic management plan that would ultimately cause a longer schedule. Through extensive collaboration with the city, local emergency services, and proactive communication with stakeholders well in advance, the team garnered support for a two-month closure by emphasizing its potential to expedite the project. Remarkably, the closure progressed smoothly, with minimal complaints from the community.


Clear communication enabled residents to navigate alternative routes effectively, and the effort propelled the project significantly ahead of schedule.

Another significant challenge was moving and hoisting precast concrete and steel beams exceeding 200 ft. in length. Careful coordination was required for their placement between dozens of organizations—from orchestrating travel arrangements for the beams to scheduling road closures, the process was complex and intense. Detailed erection plans, some spanning 200+ pages, showed the intricacy of the undertaking. Critical areas such as I-15 in Farmington and Antelope Drive in Syracuse necessitated extensive planning. Transporting and erecting the beams required Utah Highway Patrol escorts and specialized semi-trucks, with only two trucks available statewide.


According to Dustin Belnap, Project Superintendent for WBC, the giant I-15 structure is an eight-span bridge with approximately 1.25 miles of total girder length, clocking in at a mind-boggling four million pounds. It spans over I-15 in both directions, over the UTA and UPRR tracks, under high-voltage power lines, and over both directions of Legacy Highway, allowing northbound I-15 traffic to access the West Davis Corridor.


The erection process took months of planning between Farmington Bay Constructors, UDOT, UPRR and Rocky Mountain Power all working together in a highly collaborative process. The duration of erecting the steel took approximately four months to complete using nighttime lane closures and weekends, to ensure that traffic, as well as trains, kept moving as much as possible during the process.


Asphalt paving crews performed admirably, given that they placed over 433,000 tons of material, a special performance-grade asphalt that includes additional polymers for added durability. The highway also had a 1.5-in. layer of SMA (stone matrix asphalt) placed on top. Crews also placed more than 71,000 cu. ft. of curb and gutter, 162,000 LF of pipe, 267 bridge supports, 246,000 LF of fence, 281 new lights, and over 1,100 new signs.


Hobbs said one unique aspect of the paving process was that the pavement section had a lot of variance in the final design, with it based on projected traffic counts of future roadway use. For example, at different longitudinal sections where anticipated traffic counts are less than other sections, that section was thinned (or thickened) to handle the future demand. Another example is ramps and outside shoulders having different pavement sections than the two mainline general-purpose lanes. In all, crews placed 330,000 tons of granular borrow (subbase), 850,000 tons of untreated base course, and 430,000 tons of asphalt mix material.


In future phasing, the highway will extend to 1800 North in West Point, with long range plans for it to possibly extend further into West Haven and Hooper, ultimately connecting back to I-15.


Grade-separated interchanges were constructed at Legacy/I-15 (Farmington), 950 North (Farmington), 200 North (Kaysville), 2700 West (Layton), 2000 West (Syracuse), and Antelope Drive (Syracuse).



"It goes without saying that any successful project can be attributed to a team of individuals working together towards common goals," Hobbs concluded, offering praise to all firms who contributed to this mighty effort, including UDOT Region 1, Salt Lake-based HDR and Pleasant Grove-based Horrocks Engineers (program management), Midvale-based Raba Kistner (QA/QC), many key subcontractors and other third-party representatives.


West Davis Highway

Location: Davis County (Centerville, Farmington, Kaysville, Layton, Syracuse, West Point)

Cost: $750 Million

Start/Completion: May 2021/January 2024

Delivery Method: Design-Build

Length: 16 miles

Surface: Asphalt

No. of Bridges:  15


Project Team

Owner: Utah Department of Transportation

Owner's Rep: Corey Nelson (PM)

 

Design Team

Program Management Team: HDR; Horrocks Engineers

Design: HNTB; FBC

 

Construction Team

General Contractor: Farmington Bay Contactors (FBC)—JV of Ames Construction; Wadsworth Brothers Construction; Staker Parson Materials & Construction

Earthwork: FBC (Ames; Staker Parson)

Retaining Walls: FBC (Ames)

Bridges/Box Culverts: FBC (Wadsworth Brothers)

Paving: FBC (Staker Parson)

Steel/Rebar: Utah Pacific; Harris Rebar

Subcontractors/Role: Cache Valley Electric (ATMS/Electrical/Signal; Gateway (Painting); Restruction Corp (Polymer); Craghead (Curb Gutter/Sidewalk; Harper Precast (Noise Walls); Comers (Concrete Barrier and Coping); RECO (MSE Walls Fabrication); CellCrete




Innovative Education

By Brad Fullmer • 01 Apr, 2024
It's not every day that an architect designs a project around a native flower, then again, the new Career and Technical Education (CTE) High School in St. George is far from your standard K-12 school. "Essentially, we patterned the floor plan around the Bear Claw Poppy," said Bryan Dyer, Director of Facilities for Washington County School District (WCSD), and one of the primary designers of CTE from 2018-20 while at St. George-based NWL Architects prior to joining the District. "The courtyard is the center of the poppy; the rooms represent flower petals. I think it turned out nice—the courtyard is heavily used and is a unique part of the project. The school board tasked us to do something unique to the District—it's the only building of its kind in the state where students have educational and vocational all in one." "It was kind of a philosophical departure for the District—they recognized the need to pick up the students that fall into a category of not being traditional students—they wanted something different and arrived at the need for a career and technical emphasis," added Terrance White, Principal-in-Charge for NWL. As the first standalone career and technical education facility in Utah, the revolutionary $29.6 million, 126,000 SF school offers eight pathways for the nearly 500 students enrolled at the school (capacity is 800), including: business, construction, culinary arts, engineering, education, graphic design, health science, and information technology. The two-level design prioritizes functionality, creating a dynamic environment where students can explore their chosen fields with purpose and passion. WCSD officials and architects from NWL were inspired by similar CTE schools they toured in Houston and Las Vegas and were able to successfully translate the vision inspired by those schools into a tangible space that fosters true collaboration between students and sets a new standard for a career-focused educational platform. "We toured a school in Houston [...] and recognized the architecture of that building took on more of a junior college feel—it felt like it was something more than a high school but not quite a university," said White. "It's great to see a school district recognize where they can take better care of their students."

A Quarter Century of Leed

By Brad Fullmer • 01 Apr, 2024
It's been more than three decades—1993, to be exact—since the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) was co-founded by S. Richard (Rick) Fedrizzi, David Gottfried, and Michael Italiano, which ultimately spawned the revolutionary Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) in 1998, a points-based rating system that offered legitimate third-party verification of green buildings. The goal of the fledgling association was simple: Increase overall sustainability of new construction projects including improved energy efficiency and creating a better, healthier environment for building occupants—all with the goal of reducing construction's carbon footprint. At the time, it was considered a bold initiative, with significant potential real-world benefits to the A/E/C industry. It took several years for the LEED initiative to get off the ground, but by the turn of the 21st Century, the phenomenon started taking root in the design community. "When LEED began in the late 90s/early 2000s, it was an incredible ambition to transform the building industry and to bring sustainability into the conversation," said Whitney Ward, Principal with Salt Lake-based VCBO Architecture and one of the firm's leading sustainable design experts. "[USGBC] had some big hurdles to overcome, including a general lack of knowledge about or mistrust of global warming and climate change." Ward said the U.S. Green Building Council and the LEED rating system had an immediate and profound effect on: —Creating more transparency in material manufacturing and getting manufacturers to care more about developing more sustainable/greener materials (carpet, flooring, paint, textiles, etc.) —Highlighting the true value of sustainable buildings through "incredible marketing efforts" and spurring owner demand. —Becoming the "go-to" third party certification agency for sustainable buildings. "The environmental consciousness of designers, builders, and owners [...] has really evolved to (where we say) 'we're going to do the best we can'," said Ward. "LEED has been an incredible tool in reshaping the industry and helping manufacturers, contractors, architects, and other industry partners understand the impact that their decisions have on the environment and on energy use," said Peter McBride, Principal with Salt Lake-based Architectural Nexus. "The conversation 20-30 years ago used to be 'how much does this cost?' or 'what is the percent increase cost in doing (LEED) vs. the baseline?' As each version of LEED established itself as an industry standard, the answer has been that LEED Certified or LEED Silver costs no more—or slightly more—than a baseline design. With each subsequent version release, LEED continues to push the boundary—sustainable design is now the baseline." "LEED has increased awareness for sustainability and energy conservation in buildings," added Chris Cox, Building Performance Program Manager for the State of Utah Division of Facilities Construction and Management (DFCM). "As far as the biggest pro, LEED brought the integrated design process to the forefront—user groups, owners, maintenance teams, architects, engineers, and builders work together in achieving the best outcomes."

Q&A w Bryan Turner

By Brad Fullmer • 01 Apr, 2024
UC+D: How was it working with Gary Payne for so many years? Turner: His impact on the Davis School District will last many years due to the buildings that were constructed during his time. Rather than being satisfied with the status quo, we worked to develop school buildings that would accommodate innovate teaching styles and would be safe, economical, and exciting places where children would want to be. UC+D : It's been 10 years since Odyssey Elementary was completed. What is the analysis of how it has performed? Turner: It is not very hard to create a truly Net-Zero building. We can produce enough electricity to offset the electricity used, plus the natural gas usage—however, the power company will not give us credit for electricity generated above what we use. An energy model was used to estimate the Energy Use Index (EUI) of Odyssey Elementary. It predicted that our EUI would be 22. The first year it was actually 17. An ideal Net-Zero building would not have any natural gas usage. We elected to install a gas boiler in the building to help control the "demand" charges that would occur on cold days when all the heat pumps would start up in the building. For 2023, the PV array produced 213,066 kWh; we used 188,088 kWh in electricity. We used 421 decatherms of gas, giving us a cost of $0.33/sf for energy usage, compared to an average building in the district (about $1.25/sf). UC+D: What is the greatest success with Odyssey? What would you do differently? Turner: Odyssey Elementary, with all its energy-efficient features, provides an excellent educational experience that benefits both teachers and students. The building accommodates different learning styles, collaboration, and individual exploration. First and foremost, the building is a school, albeit one that is very maintainable. There is not anything I would do differently. Since this was the first of a series of prototypes, a lot of thought from a lot of people was put into it.

Literacy Level-up

By Talia Wolfe • 01 Apr, 2024
Before the Logan Library ribbon-cutting ceremony began, two children eagerly ran past the staff toward the children's section. Inside the children's area, two girls, with their arms linked, skipped past the shelves of books while a little boy raced along the cobblestone path that weaves through the bookshelves. A young girl in the reading nook called her mom over to see, and a little girl with pigtails used the miniature-sized door into the children's section to enter the playhouse. The ribbon-cutting began in the lobby and adjacent community room, which were filled with patrons of all ages despite the stormy weather outside. As they entered, a string quartet greeted people with lovely music, and cameras lined the walls for press coverage; even the local firefighters came to show their support. Before the library's opening, Mayor Holly Daines shared how the facility was designed and built with modern and historical intentions. The mayor and various library donors spoke excitedly about the new library before the giant scissors were used to cut the ribbon. Immediately after, patrons with arms full of books were perusing the bookshelves. Children read in the aisle, too excited to move to a table, while parents formed a line waiting to check out books for the family. Quiet laughter emanated from the "teen and tween" section, and Utah State University and the Logan Latter-day Saint Temple are visible from the third-floor windows. From 1985 to 2021, the previous library was in an old and converted Sears building. For the last 20 years, Logan City leaders have discussed providing residents with a modern library. "The library was old and dark, and the systems were failing. It never was a purpose-built library," said Daines.

Landmark Lehi Hospital

By LADD MARSHALL • 01 Apr, 2024
Since its inception more than a century ago in 1922, Primary Children's Hospital has set a standard for pediatric healthcare excellence by continuing to produce world-class facilities throughout the Beehive State. The latest cutting-edge offering is the Intermountain Primary Children's Hospital, Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Campus in Lehi (PCH Lehi), a project of significant importance to this burgeoning city, one that ranks among Utah's fastest-growing communities. Aided by a $50 million gift from the Miller Family Foundation, this landmark five-story, 486,000 SF, 66-bed project features the latest and greatest in medical technology in a building that is fun, playful, and energetic, with colorful design elements playing a vital aesthetic role throughout. The value of a project on this level is beyond measure, said Blake Court, Vice President of Salt Lake-based Jacobsen Construction. "Primary Children's really has a special place in my heart—they are a very special entity," said Court, a veteran healthcare professional with nearly 35 years of overall experience, including 19 years at Jacobsen along with stints at the State of Utah Division of Facilities Construction and Management and the Department of Veteran's Affairs. "It has been embraced by the community. Lehi and the surrounding areas are growing so fast. It's just amazing to see what's going on there." "It's a once-in-a-lifetime project," said Jeff Pinegar, Principal with Salt Lake-based VCBO Architecture, who partnered with Page Southerland Page of Houston on an exhaustive 19-month detailed planning and design process to create a comprehensive hospital and clinic in one congruous structure. "To see these kids have the spirit they have [...] it's a life-changing project. I'm so glad I had the chance to be part of it. I love the challenge of healthcare." As with most construction projects that originated during the pandemic, PCH Lehi kicked off in August 2020, which proved immensely challenging from the onset in regard to worker health and volatility of material cost and availability. "Everyone knows the story—people got sick, it spread to co-workers, and we would lose entire crews [of subcontractors]," said Court. "We would constantly be down manpower. And then [material] lead times just skyrocketed. Materials that we normally get off the shelf went to a year-and-a-half overnight because manufacturing plants were shutting down. Add in price escalations and it was just a trifecta."

Taking Another Shot

By Brad Fullmer • 01 Apr, 2024
At an age when most folks are kicking off their post-retirement "golden years", 66-year-old Cal Wadsworth is attacking this chapter of his life with the zest of a man reborn, having fired back up his general contractor firm in 2020 with a vision of eventually turning it over to the next generation. It speaks to his resolve as a businessman and construction lifer, as a parent who wants to do right by his children, but even more as a person who has rallied/is rallying back from a challenging period personally, which coincided with the great recession and led to him shuttering Cal Wadsworth Construction in 2010. "I'm realizing more with time that I'm not in control as much I thought," said Wadsworth. "There is the realization that you've got to give up control. You can't base all your happiness on the money that comes from this business. Learning to live with disappointments is something I'm getting better at. Learning to live with them and not let them ruin my confidence, or my ambition. I live by the 'Serenity Prayer'."

Robust Growth Fuels Lehi City's Development

By Brad Fullmer • 01 Mar, 2024
Adobe’s 680,000 SF Lehi Campus is an iconic project in Lehi that was completed in two phases, with the first phase opening at the beginning of 2013 and signaling a new era of development along the Silicon Slopes corridor. (photo by Dana Sohm) Inset: Aerial view showing an illustration of Texas Instruments’ new 300 mm semiconductor wafer manufacturing plant—referred to as “LFAB2”—which broke ground last November and marks the single largest investment (over $11 billion) in state history. (photo courtesy Texas Instruments)

Forging Ahead

By Brad Fullmer • 01 Mar, 2024
Work continues to grind forward on the mammoth new Salt Lake City Water Reclamation Facility (WRF)—a critical $850 million project being built by a joint venture of the Salt Lake regional offices of Sundt Construction and PCL Construction that will replace the current facility in North Salt Lake once it's turned over to SLC's Department of Utilities (SLCDPU) in July 2026. As it stands, this is the second-largest project in City history, trailing only the recent $2 billion-plus Salt Lake International Airport Redevelopment (Phases 3-4 ongoing), and one of the most technically challenging projects in the state. "We are up for the challenge every day—the magnitude of this thing is unreal," said Manny Diaz, Project Manager for Salt Lake-based Sundt, as he drove around the massive 30-acre site in late-January, a worksite teeming with 300 current employees (it will peak at 400 workers this summer) and myriad complicated structures being built simultaneously. Diaz is a long-time veteran of the water reclamation facility industry—this project marks plant No. 26 in his own personal history—and he was brought in a year ago by Sundt because of his expertise. When he arrived in Salt Lake at the beginning of last year, it was right smack dab in the middle of what proved to be a record-breaking year for snowfall. "It was quite a welcome to Utah!" Diaz chuckled. "We keep very close tabs on the weather." And while crews haven't been subjected to the same inclement weather this winter, site conditions are still generally wet and muddy, and the difficulties associated with building the various structures are constant. Crews are nearing the halfway mark, so certainly it's a milestone worth acknowledging, even though a mountain of construction is still left to climb. "It's such a huge accomplishment to be this far," said Jason Brown, Deputy Director of Public Utilities for SLC. "We've faced a lot of challenges, Covid, material shortages [...] it's amazing to be part of a team that works so well together. We still have a long way to go, but we'll get there. We've made a lot of progress and should be proud, but it's hard to celebrate success with so much work still ahead." Diaz, along with PCL Project Manager Shayne Waldron, said crews recently achieved a major milestone: one million hours worked, a notable accomplishment. “Achieving the ‘one million hours worked’ milestone is a testament to the coordination and collaboration required of a project this size," said Brown, adding that the new WRF project benefits from regular and ongoing staff collaboration, under the watch of Sundt/PCL, designers AECOM and Jacobs, and SLCDPU leadership. “This [milestone] is the culmination of many different efforts,” added Mauricio Ramos, District Manager for PCL’s Civil Infrastructure Division. “From local engineers to pipe layers, journeymen, construction trade workers, foremen, and general laborers, every team member has been instrumental in reaching this benchmark. The collaboration between PCL and Sundt has been a testament to our shared commitment to excellence and innovation.” "Our crews are working together seamlessly to ensure that the final product meets the goals and needs of the community," said Sam Reidy, Senior VP and District Manager for Sundt. "Celebrating this milestone recognizes the hard work and commitment each member of the project team has made to this project and the Sundt/PCL partnership." Diaz and Waldron said soil conditions challenged the team right out of the gate and took significant time to stabilize the site. "At the very beginning, the project was designed to be built on top of where the sludge beds were at, but it turns out the sludge beds were on shaky ground," said Diaz. "This whole area is young in age, so it's all soft clays and sands," added Waldron. "Soft clays are compressible, so the big issue is settling. It would have [cost] $80 million in piles to shore it up, and then in between buildings you have all the pipe and utility duct banks, so they would almost need to be built on piles." Waldron said the idea came up to pre-load the whole site, where crews built a flat pad, installed wick drains, then pre-loaded 30 ft. of dirt, with drains going down 125 feet and providing a way for water to be pushed out of the clay. "We had over seven feet of settlement," said Waldron. Crews also set up sophisticated monitoring equipment "to see where ground was settling and what layers were compressing the most. It was really scientific—a lot more than I've seen before." Diaz said it took six months to haul in the fill dirt where it remained in place for eight months, then took another six months to excavate out—close to one million yards of total material. It was an exhaustive process, with an average of 400 trucks per day and close to 500 trucks hauling 18,000 tons on the best day. Having a cohesive, highly collaborative team of designers and construction experts has been a boon to the project schedule. Once completed, Salt Lake City’s new WRF will serve over 200,000 residents as well as those who commute downtown to work or visit Utah's capital. It will replace the City’s current—and only—wastewater treatment facility, which is over 55 years old and near the end of its service life. Maintaining reliable operations at the existing facility while constructing the new WRF nearby has been critical for the project’s success. Since breaking ground in 2019, the project team has completed approximately 65% of structural concrete work as well as soil mitigation, deep foundation work, and the installation of underground utilities. In late January crews began excavating dual 63-in. diameter pipelines, along with a 78-in. effluent pipe that is being hauled one giant piece at a time from Canada, a new type of corrugated HDPE with welded joints that should provide greater durability. All in all, crews will ultimately pour 93,000 CY of concrete and install 22 million pounds of reinforcing steel, along with 89,000 LF of underground pipe ranging in diameter from 1.5-in. to 78-in. "The camaraderie among the team members allows for a very cohesive team," said Diaz. "The only way you can tell who works for who is by the color of the truck. We have a 'one project' mentality. The complexity of the job and being trusted to lead this effort [...] have been [important] for me. It's been a great job so far." Diaz, who said his first wastewater treatment plant was in North Miami Beach in the late 80s right after he graduated from college, hopes to remain in Utah once this job is completed and turned over to the client by mid-2026. “I plan on staying here and continue to work on treatment plants in Utah,” he said. “There’s a lot of work here. We have vast experience, and we have a lot of people who want to be in Utah—it’s a great place to live. Let’s do it!”

Let the Good Times Roll

By Brad Fullmer • 01 Mar, 2024
It's been more than 45 years (1978) since The Cars released their debut album highlighted by the wildly popular song Good Times Roll, but if there was ever a tune to sum up the general sentiment of local A/E/C professionals regarding Utah's 2024 Economic Outlook, Good Times Roll would be up there. "Our members are expecting another good year," said Joey Gilbert, President/CEO of the 650-member Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Utah. "For our contractors in both the building and highway markets, the outlook is good. Many still have decent backlogs to keep them busy through 2024 and in some cases, even 2025. The public sector is strong, and on the private side, owners are still investing in some big projects." Robert Spendlove, Chief Economist for Salt Lake-based Zions Bank, reported at the AGC's Economic Outlook meeting last November that commercial construction was up 1.6%, while Utah as a whole reported 2.5% growth overall, and believes both will continue to fare well in 2024. "Utah also has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the U.S. [2.5%]; when it gets too low, you get real struggles of labor shortages," he said. "It prevents companies from growing and is one of those defining economic characteristics of this past cycle. If we get above 4-5% we get nervous that it's a sign of a recessionary environment." Spendlove said tailwinds include strong consumer spending, a strong labor market, and an overall robust economic Intermountain West region, while headwinds could include a lack of new workers, government shutdowns, energy prices, and international uncertainty. Another bonus is that Utah remains one of the strongest states economically, regardless of what is happening nationally. "I would say uncomfortably optimistic," countered Dejan Eskic, Senior Research Fellow for the Kem Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah, citing a number of factors potentially slowing down the design and construction industry such as housing, labor, and material price fluctuations—basically the same post-Covid headwinds Utah-based firms have been battling the past couple of years. "On paper, we should have a decent economic year in Utah. Because it's an election year, it brings more optimism generally. Stock performance does better in an election year, jobs do better. You have to stick to those basics. Eskic has been with the Gardner Institute for eight years, including the past five in his current role, explained that some of the uncomfortableness facing the local economy stems from having virtually no labor pool in certain segments, including construction—which continues to face a dearth of skilled craftsmen in virtually all subcontractor trades. "We still have red flags," he said, noting concerns with still-high housing costs. "Maybe it's too early to call if we've cracked inflation. 2023 ended up way better than anybody expected—it was supposed to be a recession year, but the recession never came, and the labor market exceeded expectations. "I'm bullish on Utah," he added. "I look at the numbers and how we're going, and we're in a very strong growth pattern with the economy. Things will continue to expand." Indeed, despite nasty rising interest rates that put the brakes on some speculative development projects, Utah-based owners continued to plow ahead on projects, and by-and-large most market segments continued to see a healthy amount of activity as firms set about tackling healthy project backlogs.

Heart of a New City

By Brad Fullmer • 01 Mar, 2024
It's been a long time coming for elected officials and the citizens of Millcreek City, but their beloved $45 million, nearly 80,000 SF City Hall is finally complete, ending a lengthy five-year process that tested all parties involved but produced an awe-inspiring six-story building that will serve as the public heart of this rising community southeast of downtown Salt Lake. "It's awesome!" gushed Jeff Silvestrini, in reference to his view as he peered out across the Salt Lake Valley from his fourth-floor corner office, with captivating views via a complex glass curtain wall system highlighted with an intricate, highly functional screen shade. As the only mayor Millcreek City has known during its brief seven-year existence (it was incorporated Dec. 28, 2016), Silvestrini was recently re-elected for another four-year term (he ran unopposed) and has been a driving force behind this new project. "I could see this [view] was going to be amazing when I climbed up the crane when the concrete structure was going up. Standing on the exposed sixth floor before the curtain wall went up, I was humbled at this monumental undertaking for a new city. What we do as a city government is serve the people. We can serve the people much better in a facility like this." Unique Municipal Design Fosters Public Engagement with a "Downtown" Feel Millcreek City Hall builds upon the momentum created by the adjacent Millcreek Common to the east (opened in December 2022) to create an actual "Downtown" or "City Center" space at the bustling area of 3300 South between 1300 East and Highland Drive, which includes a host of exciting new nearby multi-family and mixed-use developments under construction. The project leverages a public-private partnership (PPP) with a local developer on an adjacent shared parking garage, along with the much-needed residential housing. Silvestrini said City leaders "did not contemplate putting City Hall here" initially, but public feedback made it clear residents wanted a downtown area to call their own. Millcreek Common—replete with an ice ribbon, splash pad, and room for food trucks—was planned as a public plaza space and has been wildly popular since its completion in late 2022. Residents also wanted City Hall to have real spaces for the public, not just a strictly-government facility, which provided exciting design opportunities for Salt Lake-based MHTN Architects, which initially worked with City officials in 2017-18 on a City Center Master Plan, which came about via a grant through the Wasatch Front Regional Council, according to Ryan Wallace, Principal-in-Charge for MHTN. "It's located roughly in the geographic center of the community and easily accessed by vehicle, transit, and active transportation—it's something that can unite the community," said Wallace. "The client has created four projects in one," aided by a vertical building mixed-use approach on the narrow footprint, a key to allowing optimum future adjacent development. "We realized early on that there was an opportunity to build a true civic center," added Silvestrini. "The more we thought about it, the more it made sense." The commitment to having a true community building is evident on the first floor, which includes a coffee house, a restaurant, and a flex public market with rotating businesses. "[City leaders] wanted an activating ground floor use that would support their idea of a downtown," said Wallace. "They didn't want City Hall to only be active 8-to-5 and then a dead zone at night." City officials and MHTN staff also drew inspiration on a tour of the new City Hall in Lenexa, Kansas, which includes adjacent common space and a ground floor retail/public market. "Everyone seemed to be thinking on the same wavelength," said Peggy McDonough, MHTN President who served as Project Executive on Millcreek City Hall. "We all felt like this was a completely unique project, unlike any other city hall that we've been a part of, and the second that has a market level. It's being looked at as an example of good development." While level 1 is sure to be a hit with Millcreek residents and visitors over time, levels 2 through 5 showcase the versatility and functionality of the project, with all essential government functions for Millcreek City, along with Unified Police and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). Unified Police is housed on level 2 and utilizes a one-level sally port/private garage under the building (another bonus of the PPP parking garage). Millcreek City is housed on levels 3-5, with the top floor—level 6—serving as prime community space highlighted by the Grandview community room and its opulent Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) roof that evokes a natural warmth throughout the space.
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