SEMA Construction Upgrades I-25/U.S. 50B Interchange
By Irwin Rapoport CEG CORRESPONDENT
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is investing $114 million to upgrade the Interstate 25 and U.S. Highway 50B interchange in Pueblo to improve safety and traffic on roads built in the 1950s.
SEMA Construction began working in December 2024 and will have crews on-site until summer 2027.
The project is financed by Colorado Bridge and Tunnel Enterprise, among other sources.
The work zone covers I-25 from mile point 99.7 to 101.4 and U.S. 50B from mile point 315.9 to 316.6.
Crews are building five new bridge structures, retaining noise walls, embankments, drainage and erosion control along the impacted roadway, as well as reconstructing the
roadway, ramps and other safety improvements.
The new interchange will address deteriorating roadways and bridges and non-standard road characteristics on I-25. The bridge structure over I-25 does not meet current standards. And it will improve local and regional mobility within and through the city of Pueblo, meeting existing and future travel demands.
“The new I-25/U.S. 50B interchange is a priority for CDOT because the current interchange poses safety concerns with many trucks on the interstate hitting the low clearance bridge or getting stuck on the interchange itself,” said Shane Ferguson, CDOT Region 2 transportation director. “The new diverging diamond interchange [DDI] will help improve traffic flow on this important freight corridor and increase safety and mobility for all road users.”
When completed, the new interchange will be just north
This photo of the 2024 groundbreaking shows the construction site.
A concrete pillar is lowered onto steelreinforced framing.
UAPA Hosts Successful Utah Asphalt Conference 2025
The Utah Asphalt Conference (UAC) 2025, hosted by the Utah Asphalt Pavement Association (UAPA), marked a successful event under new leadership.
Held on Feb. 19-20 at the Mountain America Expo Center in Sandy, Utah, the conference saw increased attendance, strong sponsorship support and positive feedback from participants.
Rick Johnson, UAPA’s new executive director, who assumed the role in June 2024, expressed his enthusiasm for the event’s achievements.
“Sponsorships and attendance were up this year, and the feedback from people has been overwhelmingly positive,” he said.
The conference featured more than 28 educational seminars and a comprehensive trade show. The conference offered 35 classes, where 800 attendees earned Continuing Education (CE) credits for their professional development.
Attendance surpassed previous years, with more than 1,100 registered participants and an additional 300 local high school students engaging in the event — a testament to the industry’s outreach efforts and focus on workforce development, according to Johnson.
The conference began with breakfast and a keynote address from Carlos Braceras, executive director of the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), who provided insights into the future of Utah’s transportation infrastructure.
The trade show floor featured exhibitors showcasing essential services such as asphalt maintenance, paving, repair, seal coating, crack sealing and striping and marking — highlighting the industry’s ongoing commitment to quality and innovation.
A standout moment of the event was a successful raffle supporting UAPA’s scholarship fund, which awarded four $1,500 scholarships to local students pursuing degrees in horizontal construction.
With its programming, enhanced attendance and impactful networking opportunities, UAC 2025 reaffirmed its role as a cornerstone event for advancing Utah’s asphalt and construction industries. CEG
(All photographs in this article are Copyright 2025 Construction Equipment Guide. All Rights Reserved.)
Attendees gathered for breakfast and the keynote address at the Utah Asphalt Conference 2025.
(L-R): Tyler Mason, Emily Jefferies, Scooter Barney, Kirsten Campbell, Cody Rhoades, Trevor Shuman and Aaron Venz of Wheeler Machinery showcase a variety of equipment solutions.
(L-R): Sy Harrison, Paul Jeo, Wyatt Davis and Christel Fuentes of Sync Aggregate were ready to discuss your project.
Ken Follett of Asphalt Zipper offered a cost-effective and productive way to repair roads.
(L-R): Mitch Blake, Brody Porter, Mike Grant and Noah Braithwaite of Century Equipment discuss how Rubblemaster Crushers are a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution.
Mark Hansen (L) and Jake Hansen of Goodfellow were on hand to showcase their knowledge and experience in the world of aggregate and crushing.
The entrance to the event showcased this year’s sponsors.
Mayo Clinic Announces $1.9B Expansion of Phoenix Campus
While the Mayo Clinic's $5 billion Unbound developments in downtown Rochester, Minn., is the famed medical center’s larger program, it’s also spending $1.9 billion to expand its Phoenix, Ariz., campus, according to postbulletin.com.
Mayo Clinic will expand its campus in Phoenix and add 1.2 million sq. ft. of space by significantly expanding an existing building and constructing a new one.
The Phoenix expansion, which was announced on March 3, 2025, is part of Mayo Clinic’s “Bold. Forward. Unbound.” infrastructure projects. Aside from the Rochester and Phoenix projects, an ongoing expansion is continuing at the Jacksonville, Fla., campus, according to post-bulletin.com. The Mayo Clinic Health System also recently completed projects in Mankato, Minn., and LaCrosse, Wis.
“Another prominent feature in the new design will be the development of care neighborhoods that cluster complementary clinical services for a more intuitive and connected patient experience,” according to the news release.
“Through this work, we are physically and digitally transforming health care and blurring the lines between inpatient and outpatient care to support category-of-one health care for our patients, a category-ofone workplace for our staff and to serve as a blueprint for the world,” Gianrico Farrugia, Mayo Clinic’s president and CEO, said in a news release.
An initial design and construction team of McCarthy, Gensler and Arup Group was formed, with more collaborators named in the coming months, according to the release. “Bold. Forward. Unbound. in Arizona” will include a new procedural building as well as expansion of the existing Mayo Clinic Specialty Building. That expansion will add new technology, 11 operating rooms and 48 hospital beds across two units, as well as a “four-floor vertical and horizontal expansion.” A two-story indoor promenade will connect the two buildings.
The Arizona expansion is expected to be completed in 2031, a year after the five Unbound buildings in downtown Rochester are set for completion, according to postbulletin.com.
“‘Bold. Forward. Un-bound. in Arizona’ will increase clinical space on the Phoenix campus by nearly 60 percent, allowing us to care for more patients than ever before,” said Richard Gray, CEO of Mayo Clinic in Arizona. “We look forward to setting new standards for patient care and medical innovation.
“The dramatic growth in our metropolitan area, state and region has led to an escalating need for care of patients with complex medical conditions that is difficult to accommodate with our current technology and infrastructure. We continue to believe that Arizona is a great place to advance new cures, new collaborations and Mayo’s distinctive model of care.”
(All renderings courtesy of Mayo Clinic.)
A rendering of the expanded Phoenix, Ariz., campus of the Mayo Clinic.
A close-up rendering of the entrance of the Mayo Clinic’s Phoenix, Ariz., campus.
Crews Build Five New Bridges as Part of Pueblo Project
of the existing location and operate as a DDI to increase safety and mobility for drivers. Approximately 30,000 vehicles use the interchange daily.
The lifespan of the bridges will be 80 years.
In 2000, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and CDOT initiated a study of I-25 through Pueblo.
“The study process analyzed transportation conditions and identified transportation needs in the 7-mi. corridor from just south of Pueblo Boulevard to just south of the U.S. 50/CO 47 Interchange,” Ferguson said.
“This is the second project to be built as part of that study.”
The project was designed by AtkinsRealis. Construction activity is occurring adjacent to the roadway to minimize the impacts on I-25 and U.S. 50 traffic during the first year of construction.
SEMA Construction efforts thus far have focused on structures, earthwork and drainage, with crews using Cat excavators (317s, 352s and 328s), drill rigs; a Cat D6 dozer; Cat 950 and 960 loaders, a Cat 140M motor grader, and Cat 745 articulated trucks.
“[The challenges include] construction coordination with railroads, work near Fountain Creek, dewatering and complex
phasing,” said Kyler DeMinck, SEMA’s business manager/project sponsor. “It is a tight work zone in some areas, but most construction is offline. The I-25 phase will be tight within the confines of working adjacent to and above I-25.
CDOT R2 Resident Engineer Scott Dalton also addressed the challenges SEMA faces.
“CDOT provided conceptual phasing plans, but it is up to the contractor to develop their own phasing and determine means and methods,” he said.
Five bridges are being constructed, with work occurring on the Fountain Creek bridge and ramp and the railway bridge.
“Proper planning and communication between teams [is essential],” DeMinck said. “[We are] using precast girders and MSE walls.”
There are 12 retaining walls totaling approximately 4,376 linear ft. and one noise wall totaling 2,045 linear ft. being built.
“Precast concrete panels are being used to construct the walls,” said CDOT R2 Resident Engineer Scott Dalton. Heights vary depending on the location. There are approximately 69,609 sq. ft. of precast panel
facing. Weight varies depending on the wall location and type of wall.”
The panels are lifted into place by cranes and telelifts.
Drilling is required for the sound wall construction.
“It is supported by 36-in. drilled shafts, filled with concrete,” Dalton said. “There are 39 shafts totaling approximately 2,796 linear feet in depth.”
For the embankment and drainage and erosion control along the roadway, measures being installed include silt fences and erosion logs.
“The project has a significant amount of
embankment between the new bridges, with approximately 600 cubic yards,” Dalton said.
For this work, crews use Cat equipment, including dozers, excavators, motor graders and loaders.
On U.S. 50B, there are 0.7 mi. of reconstruction totaling approximately 2.8 lane mi., and on I-25 there are approximately 1.6 mi. of reconstruction, totaling approximately 6.4 lane mi., not counting ramp lanes or collector road miles.
“The new roadway will be constructed with concrete pavement ranging from 8 to 10.5 inches in depth depending on location,” Dalton said. “There will be some asphalt at tie-in locations.”
There are two ramps northbound (I-25 off to U.S. 50B/29th Street, U.S .50B on to I-25), and two ramps southbound (29th Street/U.S. 50B on to I-25, I-25 off to U.S. 50B).
Peak days have numerous SEMA and subcontractor personnel on-site.
SEMA said it cares for its equipment with routine maintenance from on-site mechanics. It buys and rents equipment from local and regional dealerships. CEG
(All photos courtesy of Colorado Department of Transportation.)
NM House Committee Passes $1.5B Road Funding Legislation
A bipartisan bill authorizing $1.5 billion in transportation bonds cleared its first legislative hurdle on Feb. 20, 2025, winning unanimous approval from the House Transportation, Public Works & Capital Improvements Committee to help address New Mexico’s $5.6 billion road funding shortfall.
The House Appropriations and Finance Committee will next consider House Bill 145, sponsored by Reps. Dayan Hochman-Vigil, Patricia A. Lundstrom, Art De La Cruz, Cathrynn N. Brown and Nathan P. Small. The legislation would empower the State Transportation Commission to issue bonds for highway projects, backed by federal funds and state transportation taxes.
“This bipartisan legislation represents a smart, fiscally responsible approach to funding our state’s critical transportation infrastructure needs,” said Rebecca Roose, infrastructure advisor for Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. “I want to thank Reps. Hochman-Vigil, De La Cruz, Lundstrom, Brown and Small for their leadership.”
In January, a TRIP report revealed that 57 percent of state and local roads are in poor or mediocre condition, costing New Mexico drivers $3.6 billion annually.
“We can’t afford to fall further behind in tackling the list of road projects needed statewide,” said NMDOT Cabinet Secretary Ricky Serna. “This bonding creates sustainable and adequate funding for roads in New Mexico.”
Under HB 145, total outstanding bonds cannot exceed $1.12 billion. Eligible projects would be identified through the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program.
The department of transportation relies on two main funding sources: federal government allocations and the State Road Fund, which draws revenue from fuel taxes, vehicle registration and truck weight fees.
The bond authorization aims to address several mounting challenges associated with increased construction costs and projected decreases in road fund revenues.
A Cat 960F wheel loader heads to the work zone.
