DenverInfill Blog

While there is no big Union Station construction news this week, there are a few noteworthy items that you might finding interesting.

The crane came to life, lowering a rebar “basket” into one of the utility holes (see the photo below).  It was interesting to watch how nicely it fit into the concrete box.  Since I took the photo, similar baskets have been placed into the other two utility boxes in the foreground.

In Update #20, I mentioned that an insulated pipe would be installed over 20th Street to supply water to the temporary Amtrak passenger platform at 21st and Wewatta streets.  Here’s a shot of that pipe (it is parallel to the top of the fence).  In the background, the westbound California Zephyr takes on fuel and passengers as it sits behind Union Station at about 9:00 this morning.

On Tuesday night, 9News reported on some unique flowers that are now decorating the project fence along 16th Street.  Here is the 9News report.  Below is my photo. Thank you to the Ladies Fancywork Society for adding some original artwork to the neighborhood.

Throughout the day, everyday, I admire the hard work by the Kiewit construction crew, especially on hot days like we have had this week. Here is a worker getting some morning refreshment at an oasis in the middle of the project.  I doubt it is hot coffee, and given on-the-job-risks, it’s probably not a cold beer either.

I’ve posted another 14 photos this week to our Denver Union Station page at JobSiteVistor.com .

The dewatering system is such a significant element of the Union Station project that it seems to deserve more explanation.  So, as promised, here is a little more thorough report on the new process.

As a reminder, ground water is being pumped from 10 wells that were dug several months ago around the perimeter of what has become the bus box hole. Here is an overview of the process.  (Refer to the photo below.)

1. Water is pumped through the three, blue and white, cylindrical containers (in the foreground of the photo) where the iron is oxidized.
2. The water is then pumped to the six, large, blue and yellow, box-car-like containers to the left.  The iron settles to the bottom.
3. Next, the water goes through 32 bag filters (16 are visible on a wooden platform behind the three blue and white containers).  The bags in these filters must be changed every three hours throughout the day and night.
4. From the bag filters, water is then pumped to the original, four, round green filters that are next to the dirt pile.
5. Finally, clean water to pumped to the South Platte River.

Two more of the large, blue and yellow tanks arrived Thursday afternoon.  Since they have not yet been integrated into the system, it appears that they are being held in reserve for additional capacity or to replace a failed unit.