Construction Updates

Construction Updates

July 25, 2025

Progress continued along the north side of HWY 86 where the contractor set four manholes and completed other pipe connections between 212th Street and HWY 71. Televised inspections began to verify pipe installations. After the inspections, crews will begin to backfill the manholes which will continue into next week.

The directional drilling crew returned to the north side of HWY 86 and installed 300 feet of forcemain. They will move to the south side of HWY 86 between the lift station at Garlock Slough and 212th Street. Work next week for both crews will focus on installing these segments.

July 18, 2025

Welcome, RAGBRAI participants! Riders in the annual bike tour will be traveling along a section of Highway 86 on Monday, July 21. Construction activities that day will begin after the majority of cyclists are expected to have passed through the area.

The contractor has completed directional drilling 1,000 feet of forcemain under Highway 71, extending to the east side of P Avenue. Work at this location will continue next week, focusing on finalizing pipe connections and installing the manhole east of the intersection.

Progress also continued along Highway 86 near 212th Street, where crews have been setting manholes north of the highway. Next week’s work will include completing pipe connections at the manholes and preparing for televised inspection of the pipe before backfilling. With the Highway 71 carrier pipe now in place, the directional drilling crew will return to the north side of Highway 86.

July 11, 2025

With the steel casing in place under Highway 71 at 28^th Street, the contractor set up and began directional drilling 1000 feet of forcemain under the highway to the east side of P Avenue. The crew installing casings moved to the Highway 86 crossing near 212^th Street.  Work on the casing is anticipated to be complete this week. 

Next week,  work will continue on the Garlock forcemain including boring of the pipe along Highway 86 and setting maintenance manholes.

As a reminder, the section of the Great Lakes Spine Trail adjacent to 140^th Street is closed, and a detour has been provided around the work.

June 27, 2025

The contractor began excavation at the intersection of Highway 71 and 28^th Street to prepare for the installation of steel casing under the highway. Weather conditions have slowed progress, so the contractor plans to work on Saturday, June 28th to advance the construction of the casing pipe. The work at this intersection is expected to continue through next week. As a reminder, the sidewalk along the corner of Highway 71 and 28^th Street will be closed during construction. For your safety and the safety of the construction crews, please use caution at the intersection and comply with any sidewalk closures.

You will start to see work along Highway 86 near 212^th Street as the contractor prepares for installation of a casing under the highway. The contractor will also continue directional drilling on the forcemain near 8^th Street next week, working north towards the Orleans Lift Station at 140^th Street.

June 27, 2025

The contractor began excavation at the intersection of Highway 71 and 28^th Street to prepare for the installation of steel casing under the highway. Weather conditions have slowed progress, so the contractor plans to work on Saturday, June 28th to advance the construction of the casing pipe. The work at this intersection is expected to continue through next week. As a reminder, the sidewalk along the corner of Highway 71 and 28^th Street will be closed during construction. For your safety and the safety of the construction crews, please use caution at the intersection and comply with any sidewalk closures.

You will start to see work along Highway 86 near 212^th Street as the contractor prepares for installation of a casing under the highway. The contractor will also continue directional drilling on the forcemain near 8^th Street next week, working north towards the Orleans Lift Station at 140^th Street.

As a reminder, the section of the Great Lakes Spine Trail adjacent to 140^th Street is closed, and a detour has been provided around the work.

June 23, 2025

The contractor will continue directional drilling the Orleans forcemain this week that runs along the Great Lakes Spine Tail. Work was completed between 12^th and 10^th Street and they will continue to work north towards the Orleans Lift Station at 140^th Street in the coming weeks. As a reminder, the section of the Great Lakes Spine Trail adjacent to 140^th Street is closed, and a detour has been provided around the work.

The contractor began excavation along Highway 71 to prepare for the installation of steel casing under the highway. The sidewalk along the corner of Highway 71 and 28^th Street will be closed during construction. For your safety, please be aware of construction equipment around the intersection and comply with any sidewalk closures. The work at this intersection is expected to continue through this week. The contractor will continue excavating pits for casing pipe along Highway 86 next week.

June 13, 2025

The contractor began directional drilling the Orleans forcemain this week that runs along the Great Lakes Spine Tail. Work was completed between 12^th and 10^th Street and they will continue to work north towards the Orleans Lift Station at 140^th Street in the coming weeks. The section of the Great Lakes Spine Trail adjacent to 140^th Street is closed, and a detour has been provided around the work. Utility verification has been completed for the Green Acres portion of the work and pipe fusing is expected to begin in the next week or two. Once the fusing is complete, the contractor will directionally drill in the pipe.

June 3, 2025

Due to site conditions along Highway 86, the contractor will be shifting work to the Orleans lift station forcemain this week.

Spot tree removals and trimming are underway and expected to be finished next week. You may also see the contractor potholing along the Orleans and Green Acres pipe alignments to verify the location of existing utilities ahead of the work. The contractor will begin directional drilling the pipe on Wednesday June 4th, weather permitting, between 12^th Street and 10^th Street, with work continuing in the coming weeks.

May 20, 2025

The rainy weather has slowed work progress this week. The contractor has continued to focus efforts on pipe installation on the north side of Highway 86 to the west of Jeppeson Road. Once the pipe is installed, they will move to the south side of Highway 86 between the Garlock Lift Station and 212^th Street loop. There may be a short disruption to traffic on roads within the project area as fused pipe sections are pulled into place.

Pipe fusing has resumed at the Orleans lift station. A section of the Great Lakes Spine Trail adjacent to 140^th Street is closed, and a detour has been provided around the work throughout the coming weeks (see the trail detour map below). Tree trimming and spot removals adjacent to the trail are expected to start later this week. Installation of the pipe is anticipated to start after the pipe installation is complete at the Garlock Slough site.

May 6, 2025

Existing utilities have been located, which will allow the contractor to continue directional drilling the pipe along Highway 86. This week’s work will occur generally on the north side of the highway between Highway 71 and to the west side of Three Cross Road. There may be a short disruption to traffic on roads within the project area as fused pipe sections are pulled into place.

Pipe fusing will also begin at the Orleans Lift Station this week. A section of the Great Lakes Spine Trail adjacent to 140^th Street will be closed, and a detour route will be provided. This trail will continue to be closed as work continues at the Orleans Lift Station in the coming weeks.

April 14, 2025

The contractor was able to continue installation of the pipe along Highway 86 using directional drilling, which minimizes ground disturbance. Work will continue this week between Jeppeson Road and HWY 71 and then move to the east side of HWY 71. There may be a short disruption to traffic on roads within the project area as fused pipe sections are pulled into place. In the coming weeks, installation of pipe is anticipated for the section between Lower Gar Lake and the Wastewater Treatment Plant.

April 4, 2025

The contractor was able to begin installation of the pipe along Highway 86 using directional drilling, which minimizes ground disturbance. Drilling will continue next week. They will continue potholing to verify the location of other utilities in the construction area as well as continue installation of erosion control. There may be a short disruption to traffic on Jeppeson Road as fused pipe sections are pulled into place. The contractor will also begin fusing pipe sections between Lower Gar Lake and the wastewater treatment plant. Installation of this pipe is anticipated in the coming weeks.

March 25, 2025

The winter weather on Wednesday slowed progression of the work late last week. The contractor was able to begin potholing to verify the location of other utilities in the construction area and continue installation of erosion control. This week the contractor will begin installation of the pipe along Highway 86 using directional drilling which minimizes ground disturbance. There will be a short disruption to traffic on Jeppeson Road on Wednesday morning as fused pipe sections are pulled into place.

March 13, 2025

The winter weather last week slowed progression of the work this week.  Fusing of pipe did continue and will continue into next week.  The contractor will begin potholing next week to verify the location of other utilities in the construction area.  Once the utility locations are confirmed, they will begin installation of the pipe along Highway 86 using directional drilling which minimizes ground disturbance.   The contractor will be placing erosion control practices along the project as well.

March 3, 2025

With the improving weather, the contractor will mobilize and begin potholing (digging small holes to assess utility conditions) on the Garlock Slough Forcemain the week of March 3^rd.  Drilling on the Garlock Slough forcemain is expected to begin the week of March 10^th. The contractor plans to drill pipe sections on both sides of Highway 86. Pipe fusing will continue on the south side of Highway 86.

Forcemain construction staging along Highway 86 in March 2025.

December 17, 2024

The contractor will begin preliminary work on the Garlock Slough Forcemain this week. Material and equipment deliveries are scheduled for Tuesday, December 17. The rest of the week, the contractor plans to assemble the pipe sections into long runs to be used in the trenchless drilling operations. Drilling will begin after the holidays, weather permitting.