Relocating utilities ahead of major transportation project

 Local officials have been pushing for some time for a design and construction upgrade to the nearly 50-year-old Interstate 57/74 interchange, the scene of numerous accidents and truck rollovers in recent years. Now this project is a reality. Before construction can start on the new interchange, utilities must be relocated. 

The Urbana & Champaign Sanitary District owns and operates sanitary sewers in public right-of-way and in private easements near the interchange. The Illinois Department of Transportation, or IDOT, asked the Sanitary District to relocate and line these sanitary sewers.

The Sanitary District asked Fehr Graham to help relocate the sanitary sewers. Fehr Graham has worked closely with both agencies on creative solutions for relocating sanitary sewers in three different projects. For each design, Fehr Graham considered manhole location to provide safe and easy access. This was a large concern in the newest project as many manholes lie within the footprint of the I 57/74 interchange. Fehr Graham also worked with the Sanitary District's maintenance team at to ensure the distances between manhole covers could be maintained by jetting, which is an environmentally friendly way to clean using high-pressurized water.

The Sanitary District also is considering options to service the areas south of US 150 to provide more connections west of Champaign. Fehr Graham is overseeing a study for feasibility of service by gravity sewer.