ARDOT will be constructing interchange improvements that require an extension of their right-of-way.
Underneath is an existing 48-inch water line from the Lee Creek Water Treatment Plant, which requires the installation of a new encasement pipe.
The typical installation sequence of a utility line within an encasement pipe is first to install the encasement pipe by open cut or boring and then install the utility line inside it.
Project 21-10-C1 is constructing this in the reverse sequence, with the 48-inch water line already existing and needing to be encased. This task requires joining an existing encasement pipe (installed in the 90s) to a new encasement pipe, supporting the weight of a 48-inch active water line in an open trench (which is nearly 1,000 lbs for each foot of pipe), and the installation of a "split" encasement.
The need to split the encasement pipe and then weld it back together around the 48-inch water line makes this quite a unique project.
For more information on this and other projects, visit FortSmithAR.gov/WaterUtilitiesProjects.
