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Utilities

Communities are dependent upon the infrastructure that supports them, and utilities play an important role in keeping communities functioning safely and efficiently. Utility infrastructure must be updated as it ages, or expanded as it becomes undersized or unable to support the needs of the population it serves. Also, when a new development or building is being planned, utilities must be part of the planning process.

Whether integrating utilities into a new build site or completing site work for a utility-scale solar development or water treatment plant, our expertise in utility installation makes us the perfect partner.

Count on Castle Contracting for underground utility installation and repairs. Find Castle utility contractors near you.

The Proven Utility Contractor for Any Project

Castle has the skills and resources to tackle an array of utility infrastructure projects. We have deep experience in site and utility installation, emergency utility repairs and upgrades and utility lines construction, including:

The installation of utilities can result in traffic congestion and impact everyday life. As a full-service underground utility construction company, we reduce the project’s impact on traffic and commerce with thorough planning, efficiency and maintaining open lines of communication. This helps to streamline the process and mitigate surface interruptions. We bring an experienced craft workforce and industry-leading equipment to every project we work on. Whether it’s horizontal directional drilling (HDD), underground utility mapping or another one of our reliable services, we have the tools to get the job done.

Let’s get started. For utility construction services, contact Castle Contracting today.

Cortex Innovation Community

Phase I Open Space, Streetscapes and Utility Improvements — St. Louis, MO

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Situation and Challenges:

The original design, based on historical documents, placed a large sewer line through an intersection filled with complex utilities. After reviewing documents, we determined that the design approach was not constructible and could cause damage to the existing utilities. The density of utilities installed over decades made the design and work in this area extremely complex. Utilizing underground utility mapping, we developed an alternative route in areas less dense with utilities. We brought this idea to the design team and worked with them to create a more constructible sewer line solution. 

Results:

The challenge was to navigate through the existing utilities vertically and maintain the necessary flow line for the sewer, but there were not existing manholes in the area to help with routing and turning the pipe direction as needed. The team utilized radius and elliptical concrete storm pipe to maintain the flow volume needed for the sewer line, while working around existing utilities. We worked in tight excavations to install the pipe, where large machinery could not access. This increased the manual component for the project and required detailed planning to execute, but prevented costly issues inherent in the other plan. 

Monsanto Company

Creve Coeur Campus Fire and Water Main Replacement — St. Louis, MO

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Situation and Challenges:

On this active corporate campus with constant pedestrian and vehicular traffic, Castle was hired to replace existing 1960s fire and water main lines, which included 3,000 feet of 8-inch fire main PIVs and hydrants and 6-inch domestic water main. The team coordinated shutdowns with multiple laboratory buildings on campus that needed to remain operational at all times. The schedule was aggressive and had to be coordinated around campus operations without exception. 

Results:

Campus and pedestrian safety was of the utmost importance, so a full-scale protection plan was developed that included barriers, flagging and temporary sidewalks to protect campus occupants. The team was in constant communication with Monsanto so they could relay project information through their internal newsletters. Look-ahead schedules were used to determine shutdowns, which were set in stone once scheduled due to the critical nature of Monsanto’s R&D operations.  

BJC Healthcare

Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Separated Sewers — St. Louis, MO

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Situation and Challenges:

The scope of this project included installation of 1,500 linear feet of separated storm sewer beneath a congested medical center intersection and along the corridor of a high-traffic business district. This project included the installation of 42-inch pipe via design-assist. We knew that installing the sewer could be a complex undertaking due to the density of the healthcare campus and urban area. Therefore, we utilized subsurface utility mapping to create a utility map so that we could design around conflicts and create a constructible design. One of the logistical challenges was working around the facility’s daycare center. Crews worked 20 feet from the entrance at one point so there was a lot of pedestrian traffic in addition to vehicular traffic in the area.

Results:

After mapping, Castle performed a 200-foot horizontal bore to get into the intersection. By performing the planning up front and being involved with the design team, Castle could determine the conflicts before discovering them in the field, which mitigated potentially major impacts to schedule, cost and operations of nearby businesses. Through early involvement, Castle was able to maintain a short, tight schedule so that the main thoroughfare was not shut down for any longer than necessary. 

Castle also implemented a site-specific safety plan and scheduled the work to minimize impact on the daycare center, where hospital employees brought their children. The team coordinated road closures and the work schedule with the City of St. Louis Street Department and BJC to make sure everyone was on the same page. As a result, crews encountered minimal conflicts in an extremely congested medical center intersection. Castle prevented unplanned shutdowns and utility hits in a highly congested area that affects major utility feeds for the hospital campus and support buildings while keeping the entire area safe.

Maryville University

New Residence Hall, Simon Hall Expansion & Health Professions Building — St. Louis, MO

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Situation and Challenges:

Castle has consistently worked on the Maryville Campus since 2013, providing the majority of new storm, sanitary and water utilities. While providing budget support for their projects and teams, Castle adhered to an aggressive schedule based on student activity and the university’s academic calendar. This posed safety challenges and necessitated an intense focus on campus vehicular and pedestrian traffic flow. 

Results:

The team installed utilities to support construction of the residential Saints Hall, the Simon Athletic Center expansion and Walker Hall (Health Professional Building) along with intersection improvements. With careful planning and a schedule created around the university's academic calendar, the Castle Contracting team was able to complete the project with minimal interruptions on campus. 

Missouri American Water Company

2018 Water Main Break Repair — St. Louis, MO

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Situation and Challenges:

Castle was contacted by the Missouri American Water Company on New Year’s Day to help manage an inordinately high volume of water main breaks in the St. Louis area due to persistent frigid temperatures.

Results:

The team mobilized that day with two crews and then continued to coordinate and schedule seven four-man crews to tackle the main breaks for approximately two weeks. The team completed 67 projects (four to five per day) and self-performed all repair work, which included calling in utility locators, breaking out the street, finding and fixing the leak, backfilling the excavation and coordinating traffic and safety in the area.

San Diego Unified School District

Central Elementary School – San Diego, CA

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SITUATION AND CHALLENGES: 

Central Elementary School was built in 1938 as one building. It amassed multiple expansions of permanent and portable classrooms situated on 4.5 acres and currently serves almost 850 students. A robust task force identified the necessity to replace inadequate school buildings with permanent, cost-effective construction.  

The Central Elementary School project features a rebuild of the elementary school on the Wilson Middle School campus, where both schools will jointly use fields, collaborative buildings and parking. The new Central Elementary will consist of multiple buildings with roughly 43 classrooms, administration offices, health center and community clinic, daycare facility, food service and multi-purpose rooms. 

Results: 

Castle developed a plan to deliver the tight site consisting of eight buildings, all constructed simultaneously. Castle installed 9,000 linear feet of underground utilities, two large precast underground storm water detention structures, two 20-foot-deep storm drain lift stations, and performed structural excavation and backfill for all building footings in addition to a multi-phase street work package. 

Scripps Health

Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego 6th Avenue Parking Structure – San Diego, CA

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SITUATION AND CHALLENGES: 

The project features a $1.5 million site utility package for a new hospital parking structure, featuring nine levels of parking with a total of 1,282 stalls. The largest part of the package is re-rerouting a 36-inch storm drain from the footprint of the new parking structure. In addition, ground elevation has been raised by 30 feet through development over the years since the original infrastructure was built and soil quality is poor. 

Results: 

Castle solved multiple challenges in the field for the team. The existing sewer drain line was installed in the ‘60s and the as-builts of the area were not accurate. The team encountered multiple unknown utilities while working through the installation, coordinating work around abandoned and active utilities that were not identified during design. In addition, the team coordinated a very deep install for the storm drain at 42 feet below the surface. Castle worked with the shoring company to develop an engineered approach to accommodate large cleanout construction activities for the 36-inch re-reroute as well as multiple other cleanouts ranging from 12 to 42 feet in depth. Activities required a large, 160,000 lb. excavator to maneuver shields and reach the desired depth throughout the project. Due to the low-quality soil, the team was forced to stack multiple shields in shorter spans. While this impacted productivity, it allowed the team to safely execute the installation while preventing cave-ins.  

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