Ralph L. Wadsworth Awarded I-80 Reconstruction Project

$110 million project will include widening of I-80 from State Street to 1300 East, replacement of 12 existing bridges, construction of three new bridges.

Aerial view of section of I-80 that will be reconstructed by Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction of Draper, Utah. Construction will begin this fall on the $110 million project. (photo courtesy Don Green Photography)

Ralph L. Wadsworth (RLW) Construction of Draper, Utah, was recently awarded by the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) a CM/GC contract for the complete reconstruction of I-80 in Salt Lake City from State Street to 1300 East. The eventual value of the contract will be approximately $110 million. 

Don Green Photography

Current project scopeconsists of widening I-80 from three to four lanes in each direction plus auxiliary lanes, removing and replacing 12 existing bridges and adding three additional bridges, retaining walls, sound walls, advanced traffic management system and signal work.  The design phase of the project began in July, with actual construction expected to start this fall and continue through the summer of 2009.

“We’re extremely excited about working with UDOT on this project,” said Kip Wadsworth, president and CEO of RLW Construction. “After completion, Utah’s commuters will have a less congested and more aesthetically pleasing driving experience than they have had in many years. Kudos go to UDOT for implementing innovative contracting methods such as CM/GC to help minimize the impacts to the traveling public and to provide the best value to the taxpayers.”

Wheeler Construction Building St. George Musical Theater

A new theater will be replacing the St. George Musical Theater in St. George, Utah. Earlier this summer, the previous building was demolished to build a newer environment to carry out theatrical events. Wheeler Construction of St. George is the general contractor on the project, which began in June and has a 4-5 month construction schedule.

The $1.5 million, 14,000 sq. ft. project has a steel and masonry block structure.

WGI Awarded Suncor Contract

Washington Group International announced that its Canadian subsidiary, Washington Group Northern Ltd., has been awarded a contract by Suncor Energy Services Inc. to provide detailed engineering, procurement, and construction services for a second gas-fired cogeneration project in support of the planned continued development of Suncor’s Firebag oil sands reserves in the Athabasca region of Alberta, Canada. The Firebag site is located approximately 310 miles north of Edmonton.

Washington Group is to provide overall project management, engineering, procurement, and commissioning/startup for Suncor’s plans to build a two-unit, 160-megawatt Firebag Stage 4 cogeneration facility and related support facilities.

Camco Completes Projects

Camco Construction, Inc. of Salt Lake City has completed construction on EJM Development’s newest project, which consists of two 70,000 sq. ft. building shells with concrete truck and dock areas. The project is located in Landmark Industrial Park in Salt Lake City. The project team was lead by Brent Kimball, project manager, and Jeremy Eddings, project superintendent.

Camco also completed construction of Murray Park Medical Office building for Hamlet Development in Murray. The 33,500 sq. ft., three-story building features a colonial design. The office space includes a heavy-duty electrical design and strong flooring for medical equipment such as X-ray and MRI machines. The project team included Justin Deputy, project manager and Vaughn Sager, superintendent. James B. Glascock Architects of Salt Lake City designed the project.

Bangerter Crossing Project Breaks Ground

Construction of Bangerter Crossing, a major retail and multi-use development in the South Mountain area of the Salt Lake Valley, broke ground in July in Draper, Utah at 150 East 13800 South.

The two-phase project sits on a 16.5 acre site and will be anchored by a 70,000 sq. ft. Harmon’s Grocery Store, which will be constructed by R&O Construction of Ogden.

In addition Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction of Draper will serve as the construction manager for 19,000 sq. ft. of anchored retail space, along with nine outlying multi-tenant retail pads that range in size from ¾ acre to 1.5 acres. Phase I (Harmon’s and the 19,000 sq. ft. retail) is expected to be completed in March 2008.

H-K Begins U.S. 26 Project in Idaho

Construction on U.S. 26 between Ririe and Swan Valley near Rigby, Idaho, began July 30. H-K Contractors Inc. of Idaho Falls is the contractor for the $4.8 million project, which includes the repaving of roughly 14 miles of highway between the junction of U.S. 26 and the East Ririe Highway and a point about five miles east of the Clark Hill rest area. Crews also will repave about one mile of highway between the junction of U.S. 26 and 130th Road East and Ririe City.

According to Idaho Transportation Department, H-K will use a new construction process called stress absorbing layer of straight asphalt (SALSA). This process consists of shooting a layer of straight asphalt on the pavement, then a thin coat of chips. The SALSA method includes both the oil with rocks and an overlay of asphalt plant mix.

The process has been used successfully in Lewiston, but this will be the first time that ITD has used the process in eastern Idaho.

Construction on the Ririe to Clark Hill project is scheduled to be finished in mid-September, with seal coating planned in 2008.

Whitman Hotel to be Renovated into Multi-Use Development (w 2 photos – 3a and 3b - run side by side one col. wide – before-after)

DeWall Construction Company of Pocatello, Idaho is the general contractor on the renovation of the old Whitman Hotel in Pocatello that will be transformed into a multi-use development.

The project was slated to begin in August, with a projected completion date of October 2008.  The Whitman Hotel building is approximately 42,000 sq. ft. and includes four levels with a basement.

With this being a tax credit project, Pocatello-based Myers/Anderson Architects said meeting compliance structurally while keeping costs within budget have been challenging thus far in the design and construction process.

Hogan Underway with Timpanogos Elementary

Hogan & Associates Construction Inc. of Centerville, Utah is the general contractor on the new Timpanogos Middle School in Provo.  The $11 million project began in June, and is set for completion in early October 2008. 

The three-level Timpanogos Elementary will consist of 69,000 sq. ft. with load-bearing masonry walls with a masonry and glass exterior. The project replaces an older middle school. An irrigation ditch at the site of construction has made things challenging during the early construction process.   

Tass Barracks Phase 1 Camp Williams

Okland Construction Co. of Salt Lake City is the general contractor on a new Phase I Tass Barracks Building at Camp Williams in Utah.  Two new additional buildings to the camp – 30,000 sq. ft. and 50,000 sq. ft. respectively – are estimated to cost about $14.1 million. The structure is a concrete masonry block with architectural pre-cast concrete and brick veneer with some painted concrete block. WPA Architects of Provo designed the project.

Nez Perce County Detention Center Underway

Swank Enterprises of Kalispell, Montana is the general contractor on the new Nez Perce County Detention Center in Lewiston, Idaho. The new detention center is estimated to cost more than $16 million and replaces an old 1930 jail.

The project began July 2007 with a slated completion of September 2008. The 60,300 sq. ft. facility is one level with a concrete masonry block and tilt-up structure with a metal and rough roof deck.

Ovard Building Hillview Elementary

Ovard Construction of Idaho Falls, Idaho is the general contractor on the new Hillview Elementary school located in Ammon, Idaho, a project expected to be built in three phases.  This $3 million project began in June with the first phase slated for completion August 17. The following two phases will be completed when school is out next summer. The first phase is approximately 10,000 sq. ft. with masonry and brick veneer exterior.

There was significant demolition work done prior to the construction process. Nielson, Bodily & Associates, P.A. of Idaho Falls designed the project.

Middleton High School

Scott Hedrick Construction of Boise is the general contractor on the new Middleton High School in Middleton, Idaho, which will replace a previous high school that recently burned down.  Construction of the $6 million, one-story facility began in July and is slated for completed July 2008.

Exterior finishes include brick veneer, stucco and concrete masonry units; interior finishes will mostly consist of gypsum and concrete masonry units.  Classrooms and administrative areas will have painted gypsum and wainscot in the corridors.

Thus far, clearing the debris from the remnants of the burned building has been the biggest challenge for the construction team. Design West Architects of Logan designed this project.