Las Vegas Boulevard Waterline

$50 million

waterline infrastructure improvement program

10 miles

of pipeline

36-inch

diameter steel transmission waterline

Innovation

Engaged advanced technology to survey existing underground maintenance channels and form multiple waterline blueprints in the planning phase.

Strategy

Designed and oversaw the trenchless installation of steel pipeline with minimal disruption to existing utilities and local businesses.

Diplomacy

Integrated the separate interests of the Las Vegas Valley Water District, Clark County, local businesses, and other stakeholders while balancing franchise utilities and traffic flow.

As one of the most highly trafficked roadways in Southern Nevada, the Las Vegas Boulevard provides a center for business, entertainment, and travel. Due to its unique popularity and increasing growth, the area required utility upgrades and pipeline replacements.

Accordingly, the Las Vegas Valley Water District (LVVWD) decided to replace nearly 10 miles of waterlines between Sahara Avenue and Clark County road I-215, all of which ran along Las Vegas Boulevard.

Kimley-Horn was selected to provide planning, design, and construction administration services for this massive project. The location of the proposed replacement led our team into a balanced state of coordination between multiple local, state, and federal permitting agencies. Due to the rapidly changing nature and needs of the locale, Kimley-Horn also partnered with additional utility companies as they implemented configurations for area improvement.

Initially, our team provided an alignment study to recommend a location for the new pipeline that balanced multiple factors, particularly the maintenance of traffic requirements, the operation and maintenance of the waterline, and the avoidance of conflict with other existing, planned, and anticipated utilities.

Navigating Through Rough Waters with Innovative Technology

As the planning phase commenced, our team encountered a significant number of unmapped utilities including storm, sanitary, water, power, and communication. To successfully identify and avoid disrupting the pre-existing services, Kimley-Horn utilized an innovative, multi-tiered approach involving traditional records research, location confirmations, and ground-penetrating radar (GPR).

Ultimately, our team developed various alignments before selecting the final design, which included multiple trenchless installations, mingled throughout the 36-inch diameter transmission pipeline and resulted in limited alterations and minimized disruptions to existing utilities during the construction phase.

Kimley-Horn provided a full suite of design services, including the following:

Additionally, our team provided post-design services such as reviewing submittals, responding to contractor Requests for Information, preparing as-built drawings, and periodically visiting the site to observe construction progress.

With Kimley-Horn’s innovative planning strategies, visionary design techniques, and diplomatic communication approach, this brand-new waterline seamlessly reconnects the surrounding water services and will service the Las Vegas Strip and its resort areas for years to come.

Quick Facts

Client

Las Vegas Valley Water District

Location

Las Vegas, NV

Market

Kimley-Horn finetuned the design to enable site-specific improvements and meet stakeholder requirements. Careful consideration was also given to mitigate future operational concerns, both for LVVWD and the businesses and visitors who make this project location so iconic.

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