Projects

Project: Clean up on Metro Light Rail Track Dates: 9-13-2008 to 9-13-2008 Location: SSC crews worked over 12 hours consecutively to clear miles of track starting from the Central and McDowell Road intersection working south down 1st Avenue to Jefferson, then east to 26th Street and Washington. Owner: City of Phoenix Contractor: Archer Western Contractors Description: SSC used their state-of-the art System 4000 to clear debris from track to allow Metro Light Rail to safely expand testing to the majority of its new line across the Valley. Challenges: Two months after its initial introduction in downtown Phoenix, the Metro Light Rail began testing trains from Mesa through downtown to the intersection of Central and McDowel Road. Prior to testing however, miles of debris that had settled on the tracks during the three-year long construction process had to be cleared to avoid damage to the trains during the testing process. Method: If not for SSC and its unique fleet of System 4000 Vacuum Excavators, this might have been a much more difficult and time consuming process than one might think. With two Vacuum trucks in tow, SSC crews worked over 12 hours consecutively to clear 8 miles of track. Results: With only one day remaining before testing was to commence, the crews did an amazing job that could never have been accomplished in time without the aid of the System 4000.

Project: Storm Drain Locating in Mesa, AZ Dates: 3-24-2008 to 3-25-2008 Location: Higley & McKellips Owner: City of Mesa Contractor: ESI Contracting Description: ESI contracted with SSC to expose an existing storm drain that was identified using reliable as-builts and an electronic locating device, 19 ft. below the surface. Challenges: This was a challenging project for SSC as the buried storm drain was located so far from the Vacuum truck. Method: An area 15 ft. x 40 ft. wide x 15 ft. deep was excavated with a trackhoe to allow the vacuum to excavate the last 4 ft. and safely expose the storm drain. Results: Vacuum excavation utilizes 95% air at a volume of 100+ PSI and 5% water to break up soil in record time. Using the powerful air-vacuum system allowed SSC to span the distance between the system and the excavation site and expose the utility as successfully as if it had been a routine potholing project.

Project: City of Mesa Water Main Renewal Dates: March 25, 2008 to May 22, 2008 Location: Mesa Drive to Lindsay Road Owner: City of Mesa Contractor: Specialized Services Co. (SSC) Description: Vacuum pothling used to expose HP gas, water, and fiber optics in the path of the new water main for the City of Mesa. Challenges: Numerous busy intersections, lane closures and traffice disturbances along the 3 mile path of the proposed water line. Inconsistency between Blue Stake markings and As-Built records. Method: State-of-the-art Vacuum Potholing System 4000 that utilizes 95% air to quickly and safefly expose buried utilities. Results: Working predominantly at night, SSC performed over 110 potholes exposing critical conflicts such as City of Mesa HP gas and water. Our experienced and knowledgeable surveyor worked closely with the City and locating company to properly locate markings and determine locatable and non-locatable infrastructures. The project was completed on-time and within budget.

Project: QWEST Fiber Optics Installation Dates: January 10, 2008 to March 14, 2008 Location: I17 & Dixiletta Owner: QWEST Communications Contractor: Pauley Construction Description: Installed over 200' of 24" casing for fiber optics. Challenges: Cemented cobbles and hard caliche soil conditions. Method: Small Boring Unit (SBU), the most cost-effective method for caliche, cobbles and hard rock. Results: Using the SBU, SSC was able to extend the capabilities of the auger bore machine and cut through hard rock, which otherwise would have required a hand-dig. The SBU increased production ten-fold.

Project: Hovensa Oil Refinery, US Virgin Islands Dates: Oct 1, 2007 to Oct 19, 2007 Location: St. Croix, US Virgin Islands Owner: Hovensa, a joint venture between a subsidiary of Hess Corporation and a subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), operates one of the most modern refineries in the United States. With crude oil processing capacity of 700,000 barrels per day (BPD), Hovensa is one of the largest in the world. Contractor: SSC Description: The main refinery was constructed in the early 1960's, and sits atop a dredged ocean floor. Four of the original main lines, which pump crude oil from holding tanks to the main refinery, needed updating, requiring the installation of 4 new steel wall casings. Challenges: Along the 120' bore path, each of the steel casings had to pass through at least six different soil types ranging from coral to sticky clay. This initially proved challenging for SSC because of the lack of binding materials in the soil to prevent cave-ins. Method: Auger Bore 2 (48") steel casings & 2 (30") steel casings Results: With over 38 years of experience in all soil types SSC was able to overcome these challenges using time tested technology, finishing the project eight days early with line and grade intact.

Project: Western Waterworks Dates: September 4, 2007 to November 9, 2007 Location: Loop 101 & 7th Street underpass. Owner: City of Phoenix Engineering & Architectural Services Contractor: SSC Description: Dug a 42" OD hand tunnel along a 340' canal to install a 18" OD casing fore new waterline. Challenges: 2'-3' boulders in the path of the waterline. Method: Hand tunnel remoiving soil and jack and casing. Results: Job finished ahead of schedule. Accurate within line & grade.

Project: Mesa’s Sixth Street Service Center Dates: April 2007 to June 2007 Location: City of Mesa’s Sixth Street Service Center Owner: City of Mesa Contractor: City of Mesa Description: SSC has already vacuum excavated over 100 potholes in preparation for the City of Mesa’s new soil-cleaning and well monitoring systems being installed to counteract the effects of five 1990’s fuel leaks. Challenges: Beneath the Sixth Street Service Center exists a web of documented and undocumented private utilities that service the area. In order to avoid any conflict with the existing underground infrastructure, SSC utilized their state-of-the art vacuum excavating technology to expose and map all utility lines in the path of the new system and pump building. This technique eliminated the possibility of further environmental damage to the area. Method: Vacuum technology uses air to break up soil around the utility and a high-powered vacuum to remove the excavated material. According to Richmond Ellis, SSC’s Vacuum Division Supervisor, the potholing efforts were so successful, the City is considering SSC to assist with all the trenching necessary for the project, instead of open-cut trenching, “which is notoriously more dangerous,” he said Results: Once the site is rendered safe for construction, the city plans to hire Conestoga-Rovers & Associates, well known for their work at the Love Canal to complete the project. In the meantime SSC plans to begin clearing 6-ft. deep holes for the monitoring wells.

Project: Phoenix Metro Light-Rail Dates: April 2006 to Ongoing Location: Multiple locations in metropolitan Phoenix Owner: City of Phoenix Contractor: Archer Western Contractors Description: The new Phoenix Metro light-rail line, which will cover 20 miles through the cities of Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa, is expected to begin carrying passengers on December 26, 2008. The light-rail is designed to carry 3,000-5,000 passengers per hour and will ultimately have the capacity to transport the same number of people as a six-lane freeway, up to 15,000 people per hour. To safely and cost effectively accomplish this task, Archer Western Contractors, who was awarded a $95 million contract to build a 4.3-mile section of the light-rail in downtown Phoenix, called upon Specialized Services, a sub-contractor well-known for their accomplishments in Vacuum Technology. Challenges: Clearing a 30-foot path for the light-rail through crowded city corridors is no easy feat. Every buried power line, communications cable, gas line, water main, and sewer pipe must be located and moved. This requires careful planning and execution to avoid damage to existing lines, the results of which could potentially be catastrophic in terms of dollars and public health and inconvenience. Method: Utilizing the System 4000, a vacuum excavator that uses a combination of air, water, and suction, SSC has thus far been able to quickly and safely expose buried utilities along five light-rail line sections, allowing contractors to speed up their work and avoid delays. Results: In recent years, utility regulations prohibit any mechanical exploration within a few feet of a known pipeline or cable, which made vacuum or hand digging the only option on this project. Vacuum excavating allowed Archer Wester to avoid many of these concerns with the least amount of surface disruption to city streets-a big plus in terms of cost and time.

Project: Santan Siphon Dates: April 2005 to June 2005 Location: Loop 202 & Interstate 10 Owner: Arizona Department of Transportation Phoenix, AZ Contractor: Haydon Building Corp. Phoenix, AZ (602) 296-1496 Description: SSC installed 500’ of 60” casing to carry a 30” RGRCP sleeve for SRP irrigation. Challenges: This was a very long bore in hard soil conditions under a busy freeway, with only 4’ of cover between the freeway and the casing. Method: BMTA Results: SSC’s crews used a BMTA machine to cut through hard soils and allow the installation of 500’ of 60” steel casing. The BMTA operation is a complex one with many critical pieces, all of which worked smoothly together and delivered the desired result – a gravity fed siphon for irrigation water on line and grade. This all took place under the busy Loop 202 freeway and connected the irrigation basins on each side of the freeway where it meets the I-10.

Project: Pecos Road & Val Vista Drive Dates: October 1, 2004 to October 5, 2004 Location: Pecos Road & Val Vista Drive, Gilbert, AZ Owner: Southwest Gas Corporation Phoenix, AZ Contractor: Arizona Pipeline Company Phoenix, AZ (602) 269-8401 Description: SSC installed steel casing under the street for new gas lines. Challenges: Difficult soil conditions Method: Directional Drilling Results: SSC used it’s directional drilling machines to install two 12” steel casings under the street to carry new gas service. One line was 210’ long and the other 116’ long. We were able to install the lines without disrupting traffic and avoiding other utilities located in the street.

Project: ASU New Science Building Dates: November 15, 2004 to November 19, 2004 Location: ASU New Science Building, Orange St & McCallister Ave, Tempe, AZ Owner: Arizona Board of Regents/Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ Contractor: University Mechanical & Engineering Contractors, Inc. Tempe, AZ (480) 921-0903 Description: SSC provided consulting services to UMEC to design this 64’ tunnel to connect the new building to the chilled water and steam lines on the ASU campus, which is the heating and cooling source for the university’s buildings. Challenges: SSC had a 6 day time frame to complete this project so it was run as a 24 hour a day job. We also had to work above ground on a platform. Method: Hand tunneling Results: SSC’s crews worked 24 hours a day and were able to install 64’ of 48” casing in 4 days. A platform/scaffolding system was designed to elevate the tunneling operation 5 feet off the basement floor of the building to the correct height to tie into the chilled water and steam lines that were existing in the street. Our crews used hand tunneling to create the path for the 48” casing to then be pushed in by the jack and bore machine which was also elevated on the platform. Our tunneling operation prevented the very busy streets of the university from being open cut to tie these lines in. There were many utility conflicts that existed that would have made the open cutting even more difficult. Our innovation allowed for this tie-in to take place without any interruption to the surrounding area.

Project: ASU Creative Writing House Dates: August 6, 2004 to November 22, 2004 Location: Center for Creative Writing, 350 E. University, Tempe, AZ Owner: Arizona Board of Regents/Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ Contractor: Adaptive CM, LLC Phoenix, AZ (602) 923-1000 Description: SSC used it’s vacuum excavation trucks as an innovative solution to clearing the crawl space of this historic house. Challenges: Working in a limited space and preserving the structural integrity of the foundation Method: Vacuum Excavation Results: SSC’s vacuum excavation crew used it’s high powered vacuum trucks to suck the accumulated debris from the crawl space of this historic house on the ASU campus. Approximately 111 yards of debris was removed, creating a 27” crawl space that could then allow for the reinforcement of the aging foundation.

Project: Del Webb Anthem Offsite Water Dates: October 1, 2004 to December 28, 2004 Location: Under I-17 at Daisy Mountain Road Owner: Anthem Arizona LLC Del Webb Coventry Homes Anthem, AZ Contractor: Pulice Construction Phoenix, AZ (602) 944-2241 Description: SSC provided consulting services to Pulice Construction at the design phase of this CM at risk project to integrate horizontal boring into the project to install a 36” waterline under I-17. Challenges: Installing 307’ of 60” steel casing under a busy freeway through hard soil conditions. Method: Auger Boring Results: SSC used a 60/66 Barbco Horizontal Boring Machine to drill a 307’ long hole underneath of the freeway and install 60” casing. Once the casing was in place, we installed casing spacers on the 36” water line and pushed it into place inside the casing. This waterline will serve to connect the water supply of the east and west side of the Anthem community. The entire project was completed with no disruption of traffic on this heavily traveled freeway.