One of Utah’s largest design-build highway projects, the widening and reconstruction of Utah County’s I-15 covers 26 miles of roadway, more than 60 bridges, 10 interchanges, and 130 mechanically stabilized earth walls. Projected to take three years to complete, the revamped I-15 Corridor Expansion (CORE) will meet Utah’s growing transportation and commerce needs.

Aggressive Construction Goal

The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) embarked on the I-15 CORE reconstruction project to meet long-term transportation demands and restore aging infrastructure along this busy transportation corridor. UDOT selected the winning design-build contractor to fit the project’s aggressive three-year construction goal. This decision meant fast-tracking the project’s geotechnical investigation and design while addressing subsurface and seismic conditions in accordance with UDOT requirements.

Streamlining the Design Process

Within seven days of the Notice to Proceed, Kleinfelder began investigation. Mobilizing more than 60 Kleinfelder professionals, the firm completed its geotechnical analysis in nine months (rather than the planned 14). Working directly with project stakeholders, industry experts, and academia representatives, Kleinfelder established project recommendations for bridge foundations, ground improvement, and settlement acceleration that met stringent UDOT requirements. Kleinfelder streamlined the design process by incorporating geotechnical design parameters and recommendations directly into structural engineers’ design sheets.

Project Results

Kleinfelder’s proactive response to schedule demands resulted in significant cost and time savings for the I-15 CORE reconstruction. By maintaining an integrated working partnership with project stakeholders and utilizing appropriate technical staff, Kleinfelder helped its client meet the challenging coordination and technical requirements of this design-build project.

Project Details

Location:
Utah County, Utah

Owner:
Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT)