Crucial river road’s collapse gives Moab economy jitters

Grand County and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management are scrambling to find emergency federal funds to rebuild the Mineral Bottom Road, which was washed out earlier this year. The road is an important river-running link and mountain bike route in Grand County. They applied to the Federal Highway Administration for emergency aid of $1.8 million to $2.5 million, and Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, sent the agency a letter backing the bid.

Highway officials have said the road, maintained by the county but crossing federal land, qualifies for an emergency funding program to aid federal highways. They haven’t yet approved the application, though. The BLM estimates the road supports 87 jobs and about $1.9 million in annual recreation sales. Salt Lake Tribune

Construction to begin soon on $33 million Hurricane High School

Construction starts this year on a projected $33 million high school in Hurricane. Construction of a new building and sports field, along with renovations to some existing parts of the facility, are intended to make room for 1,500 students and improve the schools vocational facilities.

Building will start this fall as crews work to build the new football field and stadium, planning to have the track ready for spring sports. It’s the first step in a project planned for four phases. Next year the plan is to construct the new building on top of where the existing football field is. Then crews would tear down part of the existing building, and eventually build a new vocational building. The Spectrum

Improvement time: Logan-Cache Airport works on multiple projects

Multiple improvement projects are under way, planned or already completed at the Logan-Cache Airport. The facility's main runway is closed to all air traffic until Friday as construction crews resurface two 1,000-foot-long safety strips at each end. The project is being funded by the Federal Aviation Administration and the state. Next on the agenda is to address a long-standing problem with one of the airport's lighting arrays. Logan Herald Journal

New student housing coming in Provo

R&O Construction has begun work on Joaquin Village, a new student housing project located at 600 E. 600 North in Provo. It will offer room for more than 900 Brigham Young University students in two buildings that have three to five levels situated over one level of underground parking. Deseret News

At $1M a day, I-15 project is rolling

The massive Interstate 15 Corridor Expansion project under way in Utah County is now spending $1 million a day and has more than 1,200 people working on it. Todd Jensen, assistant project director, gave that update Thursday to the Utah Transportation Committee, and said the overhaul is on track for scheduled completion in 2012 — and perhaps a bit sooner because of good weather and hard work.

The project will build 55 bridges, rebuild or reconfigure 10 interchanges, add two lanes in each direction along 24 miles between Lehi and Spanish Fork and extend express lanes from Orem to Spanish Fork. Jensen said Provo River Constructors — which won the $1.1 billion contract — and its subcontractors have 875 workers on the project now, supported by 250 administrative staff. Salt Lake Tribune

North Ogden divide project seeking more federal dollars

The project to fix the North Ogden divide crumbled this summer when the project's scope exceeded the funds allotted. But that issue will likely be resolved Thursday morning as the Utah State Transportation Commission is expected to approve the additional money needed to complete the project.

Utah Department of Transportation project manager Nathan Peterson said funds will come from the Joint Highway Committee. These are federal dollars that are allocated to Utah each year by Congress for use on transportation facilities in the rural and small urban areas of the state. According to the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, the total cost of the project is $643,569, and it has received $599,999 in federal aid money so far. Ogden Standard-Examiner

New training center unveiled for plumbers, pipefitters,. welders

The new Utah Career Center, located at 640 No. Billy Mitchell Road in the Salt Lake City International Center, was constructed as a joint effort of the United Association of Plumbers, Pipefitters, Welders and HVAC&R Service Technicians Local 140 and the Utah Mechanical Contractors Association. The building itself is a Gold LEED-certified facility and one of the most environmentally friendly structures in the state. The 33,000 square-foot, nearly $7-million building contains high efficiency heating and air conditioning systems, relies on natural light to brighten much of its interior and contains fly ash — a recyclable bi-product of coal — in its concrete floors.

In addition, the new career center will play in training the plumbers, pipefitters,welders and heating,air conditioning, ventilation and refrigeration services technicians of the future. “We have state-of-the-art classrooms and hands-on training labs where our apprentices will be able to learn the skills they need to eventually become journeymen in the pipe trades,” Training Director, Dan Smith said. Salt Lake Tribune

New low-income, refugee housing underway

Construction began Tuesday on new affordable housing for refugees, the homeless and low-income Utahns in East Millcreek, fulfilling a long-held community goal of providing more living space for newcomers. Nearly one-third of the 136 units at Bud Bailey Apartments will be designated for refugees. They will likely inhabit many of the larger apartments, which are often difficult to find in Salt Lake Valley.

The complex, slated to be completed by the end of 2012, will also include 10 apartments for homeless youth and 5 apartments for homeless families. The rest of the approximately 207,000 square foot, green complex, which will draw a large amount of its power from solar panels, will be available for any low-income population. Phase one of the project, 59 units and a community center, will be completed by Dec. 31, 2011. Funding for the $23 million complex will come from federal stimulus dollars, low-income tax credits and Olene Walker Housing Loan Fund money. Salt Lake Tribune