SEMA Construction’s $562M Upgrade of I-25 On Track
Rebar installed on the bridge over Ellston Street awaits concrete pouring.
By Irwin Rapoport
CORRESPONDENT
In late October 2023, SEMA Construction started work on the Colorado Department of Transportation’s (CDOT) $562 million Interstate 25 Acceleration/Deceleration Lanes from Fillmore Street to Garden of the Gods Road project in Colorado Springs to improve traffic flow and safety on the busy highway.
The El Paso County project adds acceleration and deceleration lanes and replaces an aging bridge on I-25 over Ellston Street. The anticipated completion date is late August 2026.
“The growth of the community and business expansion has necessitated the initiation of the improvement project,” according to the project web page. A technical analysis for the project was conducted in mid-2021, and final design work occurred from late 2021 through summer 2023.
Continuous acceleration and deceleration lanes will be
A Cat 335F L hydraulic excavator is a key part of the equipment needed for the Interstate 25 project to add acceleration and deceleration lanes.
added to both the northbound and southbound directions of I-25, spanning from Garden of the Gods Road to Fillmore Street.
The goal of the auxiliary lanes is to even out traffic flow and assist drivers in merging into and exiting traffic efficiently. To further enhance road safety, the roadway is being resurfaced and adjustments are being implemented to address drainage concerns.
The bridge on I-25 over Ellston Street will be reconstructed and widened, along with bridge deck repairs on the Garden of the Gods overpass structure.
Upgrades to the intelligent transportation system (ITS) infrastructure — fiber optics and ramp meter station — “will help with the flow of traffic to monitor, trigger and time vehicle release with automatic vehicle and queue detection to mitigate any traffic backups by adjusting meter timing,”
according to the web page.
“Auxiliary lanes help balance traffic and facilitate smoother traffic flow as drivers merge and exit,” said Shane Ferguson, regional transportation director of CDOT’s Region 2 Southeast Colorado District. “Resurfacing the roadway will create a smoother driving surface for motorists. To help with drainage issues on the roadway, curve crossslope corrections will be made.”
The average daily traffic count is 150,000, including local commuters, regional travelers and interstate commerce.
“The Pikes Peak Region’s growth has had a significant impact on congestion, crashes and delays,” said Amber Shipley, a CDOT communications manager. “Crash history in this area includes sideswipes, fixed objects and wildlife.”
see I-25 page 7
CDOT Updates Eisenhower Tunnel Leaks Investigation
Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) officials contemplating closing the westbound bore of the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel because of ice formations have identified the problem’s source, eliminating closure possibilities, according to summitdaily.com.
CDOT Region 1 tunnel program manager Paul Fox told the outlet that some of the new leaks and ice mounds visible while driving through the tunnel’s westbound portion resulted from a project aimed at pushing water away from the tunnel liner.
That forced water over the tunnel’s arc and into an exhaust plenum — an area with dedicated space for air circulation, summitdaily.com reported.
When that happened, CDOT crews noticed icicles on the ceiling and ice mounds in areas they hadn’t seen in the past.
“Now we have water on the left-hand wall, which in my time [with CDOT] we’ve never had up there before,” Fox said.
Crews are working to channel water out of the exhaust area.
Fox said CDOT officials aren’t worried about the new ice formations.
“It’s just a change. We’re humans — we don’t like change, so when we notice something, we do talk about it,” he said.
Fox said the tunnel walls motorists see are largely cosmetic and that much of the water circulation happens through piping inside the tunnel.
“The water [people] see is from the ground, and it’s seeping through our tunnel liner,” he said. “That’s always going
to happen anytime you build on a mountain — you just can’t get rid of the groundwater.”
CDOT officials try to avoid Interstate 70 closures because the state’s economy, summitdaily.com reported.
The Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel is one of the most well-traveled portions of I70 in the western part of Colorado. CDOT officials say nearly 35,000 motorists pass through it daily during ski season.
Not only does CDOT perform a structural integrity vetting of the tunnel each year, but the U.S. Department of Transportation does its own vetting every other year, Fox told summitdaily.com.
The tunnel is egg-shaped, with arches at both the top and bottom and a structure comparable to a bridge going through it. During inspections, he said, teams search for movement in the tunnel, which is largely evidenced by cracks.
The tunnel is atop the Continental Divide, which Fox said is known for constantly shifting. Those shifts are minor, amounting to quarter-inch increments over many years, so people shouldn’t worry about structural integrity.
CDOT officials said the tunnels are prioritized in the agency’s 10-year plan adopted in May 2020. An estimated $53 million has been invested in tunnel repairs since, according to summitdaily.com.
CDOT began a $71-million repair project in June 2023 to repair and rehabilitate the tunnels, which is slated to wrap up by fall. And an additional $100 is earmarked for future tunnel projects.
Haydon Building Starts On $275M Shopping Center in Arizona
Vestar broke ground on Verrado Marketplace, the West Valley’s $275 million shopping center on Nov. 20, 2024, in Buckeye, Ariz.
Haydon Building Corp. of Phoenix is the general contractor for the property, with Nelsen Partners and Optimus Civil Design Group providing architectural and engineering services.
Located at the northeast corner of the Interstate 10 Freeway and Verrado Way in Buckeye, the 500,000 sq.-ft. Verrado Marketplace will stand at the entrance to DMB Associates’ 8,800-acre Verrado masterplanned community.
During the groundbreaking ceremony, Vestar unveiled an expansive roster of more than 15 new retailers that will join anchor tenants Target, Harkins Theaters’ newest ‘Backlot’ concept, Safeway, Ross, Marshalls and HomeGoods. There will be more than 50 tenants upon completion.
“The groundbreaking of Verrado Marketplace marks a historic moment for Buckeye, and we are excited to begin construction on this unique development,” Vestar President and CEO David Larcher said. “This shopping center will offer a dynamic mix of premium retail, dining and entertainment, along with large gathering spaces that will
Officials turn their ceremonial shovels at the groundbreaking.
serve as a community hub for both the Verrado community and entire West Valley.”
Heather Marin, director of operations at Haydon, told constructionowners.com that the company will use technology such as Building Information Modeling (BIM) for design coordination, while drones will be used for aerial site photography.
“Being involved early in the project has allowed us to partner with the client and have a clear understanding of what materials will be long lead so that we could place material
A rendering of Verrado Marketplace.
orders early while working through the balance of the design,” Marin said.
With a total investment of $275 million, Verrado Marketplace is projected to generate more than $50 million in total tax revenue for the city of Buckeye and contribute an estimated $1.8 billion in economic output over the next 10 years. The development is also expected to bring more than 1,500 permanent jobs to the West Valley.
Verrado Marketplace will benefit from Vestar’s GreenStar sustainability program,
incorporating eco-friendly features and energy-efficient practices throughout development. Sustainable elements will include solar power, LED lighting, EV charging stations and the use of energy-efficient building materials — all designed to minimize the environmental impact and ensure the center’s longterm sustainability.
Verrado Marketplace is owned and developed by Vestar in partnership with DMB Associates.
(All photos courtesy of Vestar.)
Coloroado Department of Transportation photo
The Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnel.
NMDOT Opens Bridge Over Railroad Tracks in Jarales
The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) opened a new bridge on New Mexico 109 in the community of Jarales, giving drivers a means of crossing over BNSF railroad tracks passing through town.
“Some of the trains would stop in this intersection, which would clog the intersection, wouldn’t allow traffic to flow, so they would stop there for hours at a time just to refuel the trains, and when there were emergency situations on the other side, EMTs couldn’t reach them,” NMDOT Project Manager Neto Rey Terraraz told krqe.com at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Nov. 14, 2024.
The $33.16 million project included constructing a new bridge over the railroad tracks, rebuilding approximately
0.701 mi. of roadway on NM 109, installing new roadway striping and signage and improving drainage and erosion control in the surrounding area. The 15-month improvement began on July 5, 2023.
Wilson & Co. Engineers and Architects was the designer. FNF Construction was the contractor. Subcontractors included Guzman Construction, Valley Fence and Bogan Brothers.
“Our design team did an excellent job getting this project ready for construction and we had a good construction team working
Construction Starts On County Hospital Approved 20 Years Ago
Work is under way on a $50 million hospital in Los Lunas, N.M., more than 20 years in the making, according to KRQE.com.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the Valencia County Hospital occurred on Nov. 20, 2024, and the target completion date is in the spring of 2026. The hospital will be run by a partnership between Lovelace Health Systems and Community Hospital. It will be located on the northeast corner of New Mexico 6 and Sandsage Street west of Interstate 25.
The hospital will have an emergency department and two operating rooms along with 11 in-patient rooms for overnight stays. Patients will have access to MRIs, X-rays and a pharmacy, something patients today have to go to Albuquerque for.
In April, the Valencia County Commission approved a design-build contract with Albuquerque-based construction company Bradbury Stamm and its design partner FBT Architects, also of Albuquerque, according to the News-Bulletin.
Art Tatum, FBT’s president and director of design, said that “their conceptual plans are for a single-story building, of about
40,000 sq. ft., which will include an emergency department, pharmacy, imaging suite and a 15-patient inpatient wing,” the NewsBulletin reported.
FBT’s proposal calls for a design that allows for a future expansion of 18,750 sq. ft. and a medical office building addition of 24,500 sq. ft. The site also will feature a helipad with adjacency to the critical care services in the facility, separate staff parking, emergency department parking, patient and visitor parking and a loading dock.
“The population here has increased tremendously, Valencia County Commission Chairman Gerard Saiz said. “Health care in New Mexico and all over the country right now is challenging so us to be able to have this facility here going to be able to address the needs of our community is just wonderful.”
The hospital is a long time in the making, as county voters approved an eight-year mill level in November 2006 that was collected between 2007 and 2014. The $28 million collected will be used to operate and maintain the hospital, the News-Bulletin reported. The state legislature is paying for the construction.
clogged by refueling trains.
together to complete this project,” Cabinet Secretary Ricky Serna said. “We had a successful partnership with BNSF railroad, the funding they provided and their understanding of the importance of this project to the area really helped in the successful completion.
“The bridge will improve connectivity, invest in the future of Jarales and Belen and provide a safe, modern transportation route that promotes economic development,” he said. (All photos courtesy of the New Mexico Department of Transportation.)
Participants cut the ribbon on the new bridge in Jarales.
The new bridge on New Mexico 109 allows drivers to cross over BNSF railroad tracks that were often
I-25 Project Adds Auxiliary Lanes, Replaces Aging Bridge
For the reconstruction of the Ellston Street bridge, concrete beams were installed. Once in place, the rebar was added to prepare for the concrete pours.
During the bridge’s initial construction phase, crews had a large workspace, which allowed them to bring equipment in and out and store construction materials with ease.
Preparing the site involved large-scale earthwork and excavation operations for the new lanes and the bridge construction.
“The bridge will meet today’s standards of durability and structural integrity with a lifespan of 70-75 years,” CDOT Region 2 North Program Resident Engineer Yun Su Han said.
The road work has crews operating in the Fillmore Street area next to I-25, with slopes where they are driving piles and excavating sites for new lanes.
Temporary lanes and platforms were created so that heavy equipment could operate safely. The equipment onsite includes a large Volvo excavator, a motor grader, a large pile driver, a bulldozer, a telehandler and other support vehicles.
Pile driving also occurred at Ellston Street, adjacent to an overpass.
Mechanically stabilized earth walls approximately 20 ft. tall were installed along the northbound side of I-25 next to the new lane. Large excavators, including a Cat model, aided in the site prep.
Prefabricated concrete panels are being attached to the previously driven piles that were driven. Dozers helped to prepare the
sites for the installation of the panels.
Grove wheeled cranes help to lift the panels. Equipment operators had plenty of space to maneuver on the ground where new lanes were set to be paved, so the space also was used to store panels delivered to the site.
The hot mix asphalt resurfacing has an approximately 15- to 25-year lifespan with regular maintenance. This roadway is susceptible to snow/freeze/thaw effects and significant traffic/speed, which can decrease the lifespan.
The work impacts traffic, with permanent and temporary lane closures planned mostly during nighttime hours with low traffic.
“Colorado Springs has an avid bicycling community that uses the Sinton Trail which runs under I-25 at Ellston Street,” Shipley said. “Limited access during peak construction times and closures with a significant detour route during major construction of the bridge has been a challenge. Our project communications team has a liaison working directly with the bicycling community.”
This is a near 24/7 project, with daytime work hours from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Sunday and overnight work shifts from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., Monday through Friday.
Typical days have a fair amount of SEMA Construction and subcontractor personnel on-site.
Based in Centennial, Colo., SEMA Construction buys and rents equipment from local and regional dealerships.
(All photos courtesy of the Colorado Department of Transportation.)
Panel installation is nearly complete on one section of the Interstate 25 project.
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