Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure Repair topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Contractor and engineers outline two‑phase plan to repair Wasatch retaining wall; trustees ask for written estimates
Summary
Contractors and the district’s engineers reported a two‑phase plan for the repaired Wasatch retaining wall on Oct. 14: quickly reconstruct the deconstructed failed section with drainage, then perform borings and permeability testing to determine if further measures are required.
Provo — Hogan Construction and the district’s contracted engineers told the Provo School Board on Oct. 14 that a coordinated two‑phase repair and investigation plan for the failed Wasatch retaining wall is the current path forward.
Chris Hogan, CEO of Hogan Construction and construction manager for the project, said three engineering firms — IGES, AGEC and Langan — met recently to share data and discuss failure modes. Hogan said his team and IGES’ calculations indicate that reconstructing the deconstructed portion of the wall with an underdrain (blanket drain) and a vertical back drain will stabilize the currently affected area and can be completed quickly — possibly within three weeks depending on weather. He said that borings, installation of piezometers and additional soil permeability tests should follow to determine whether drainage or additional mitigation is required farther along the wall.
Hogan and board members discussed less invasive alternatives for areas beyond the deconstructed portion, including drilled vertical “chimney” drains with horizontal bores and piping to tie into the existing drain. Hogan said those options could limit disturbance to school circulation and buried utilities and allow phased, lower‑impact work that the school could continue to use while monitoring proceeds.
Trustees pressed for written engineering analysis, formal letters and cost estimates. Hogan said IGES and Langan have responded to recent questions and that AGEC was preparing a more formal analysis; he committed to deliver written reports and preliminary cost figures before the next board meeting. Trustees also requested a clear schedule for when engineers will reach consensus and when a board action item and cost figures would be available for the business meeting.
No formal vote was taken during the study session. Hogan emphasized that Hogan Construction remains the construction manager on the project and that the company intends to move forward to finish the exposed section while additional testing proceeds.
