Ames Construction mobilized to build a drainage channel and conduit for the Globeville Landing Outfall (GLO) project, the first of an interlocking series of projects designed for 100-year flood protection throughout large areas of Denver. The new drainage channel moves water to its ultimate destination—the South Platte River—and is designed as a natural-filtration channel to help clean stormwater. Ames crews constructed the upstream portion of the drainage infrastructure that included the largest precast culvert system installed in Denver, which will help to alleviate historic flooding problems.
Home to Globeville Landing Park and the Denver Coliseum, the site required monitoring by the EPA and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment because it sits on a buried landfill. Crews encountered far more contaminated debris than expected. To dispose of the excavated soil properly, the contaminated debris was wrapped in trucks to seal it off and hauled to a properly permitted landfill located outside of the city. Groundwater inflow recharge rates were also far higher than expected, with treatment and discharge limits restricted. Dewatering quickly became a priority on the site. Ames used deep well points and underdrains to lower the groundwater table for individual structures and isolated areas. To maintain dry working conditions, work was re-sequenced and mitigation measures were implemented to divert groundwater away from the work zones.
In addition to drainage work, a boulevard was reconstructed in a narrow corridor that required traffic to be maintained. Multiple box culverts were installed with deep excavation that required a shoring system. Ames designed a sheet pile shoring system with adjustable bracing that allowed for quick installation and removal, which was instrumental in providing safe trench shoring while maintaining the tight construction schedule.
Work in the coliseum parking area was completed and repaved before the start of the 2018 National Western Stock Show, which was a major milestone for key stakeholders and the project owner—the City and County of Denver. Later phases of the project involved enhancements and finishes within Globeville Landing Park, including hardscape plazas, picnic shelters, green space, and playground amenities.
