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We provided third-party construction observation for a major waterline replacement on Aspen's main state highway corridor, providing the City of Aspen with trusted, independent oversight of a high-stakes public infrastructure project.
Challenges & highlights
Main Street in Aspen is State Highway 82 — the primary arterial through the city. Installing a large-diameter waterline in CDOT right-of-way required coordinating a temporary highway closure and establishing traffic diversions to allow the work to proceed safely. That level of disruption to the city’s main corridor demanded careful planning and close coordination between the contractor, the city, and the state.
RFE’s role was to maintain a continuous presence during active construction, document contractor performance, and ensure all work conformed to Aspen’s water system specifications. The city’s decision to use a separate observer reflected its commitment to quality assurance on a piece of infrastructure that serves critical public facilities, including the nearby city offices then under development.
Richard Goulding’s history with the City of Aspen, including time spent working directly within the city’s engineering department, meant RFE understood Aspen’s standards, knew the right people to communicate with, and could be trusted to call out non-conforming work without hesitation.
The results
The Main Street waterline was installed to specification. The project required discipline in the field and the credibility to hold a contractor accountable on a high-visibility public works project, both of which RFE delivered.
The relationship reinforced by this engagement led directly to additional work with the City of Aspen, including RFE’s role on the new City Offices project.
Elevation: 7,908
Location: Aspen, CO
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