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Boulder progresses on 60th/Third transmission pipeline; staff lead field tour after meeting
Summary
City staff described and began a field tour of the 60th/Third large-diameter transmission pipeline replacement, replacing failing prestressed concrete pipe with upsized steel and phasing the work to limit service disruption.
City of Boulder utilities staff on May 19 described construction progress on a large-diameter transmission-main replacement along the 60th/Third corridor and led advisory-board members to a staged field tour of the active worksite.
Chris Douglas and project staff said the transmission system — the city’s large-diameter pipes that move treated water from plants to distribution zones — is a high-priority asset because its Utility Condition Index (UCI) scores were lower than most other treated-water asset groups. The department is implementing a phased program to replace aging mains, prioritizing segments with the highest consequence of failure.
Construction project analyst Dan Kavasnick described work on the 60th/Third transmission “wrap” project. He said crews initially replaced a severely deteriorated 12‑inch section and then undertook both ends of a larger 30‑inch installation toward the center of the corridor. Kavasnick described the pipe being replaced as prestressed concrete that, when it fails, “fails catastrophically,” and said the city is replacing the older pipe with larger‑diameter steel pipe in the most critical reaches.
Staff showed a map of completed and remaining segments and explained a casing bore under the White Rock Ditch used to protect the ditch crossing. Staff said a contractor that performed the first phase agreed to hold prices for a follow‑on phase, a decision staff said saved significant cost compared with re‑bidding amid 2024 price increases.
Staff described the project limits for the current phase as ending at Boulder Creek (the team noted the full corridor could ultimately extend to the Cherryville pump station in future years), and they led the board on a short field tour to view pipe stockpiles, an excavation, and the casing bore. Staff emphasized standard construction safety measures: nightly fencing around open trenches and public-safety coordination with the Boulder Rural Fire District at the planned tour site.
Ending: Staff said additional transmission-main projects are in active design and that the board will see more detailed CIP and project-schedule materials in June.
