Litchfield Square Groundbreaking

An official groundbreaking ceremony for our Litchfield Square Infrastructure Improvements CMAR project took place on September 15, 2021. Emcee Matthew Williams (City Manager, City of Litchfield Park) introduced speakers Dan Spitza (Vice President, Achen-Gardner Construction), Woody Scoutten (City Engineer, City of Litchfield Park), and Thomas Schoaf (Mayor, City of Litchfield Park). In attendance were members of the City Council, past Mayors and City Council members, local residents and stakeholders, and members of the project team including EPS Group (Design Engineer), MakPro Services (Public Outreach and Communication), and Achen-Gardner. Speakers highlighted the importance of this project in transforming the City’s downtown area while blending with local architecture and educating about the City’s history. Visit the project page for more project information and photos.

2021 APWA Award Winners

Two of Achen-Gardner’s projects have won awards from the Arizona Chapter American Public Works Association (APWA). Congratulations to the project teams!

Our Twin Peaks-Blue Bonnet Road Gravity Sewer Design-Build project for Pima County Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department (RWRD) was selected as the Project of the Year in the Environment, $5M But Less Than $25M category. This project included the installation of more than 25,000 LF of gravity sewer line. Visit the project page for more project information and photos.

 Our Valencia Road Manhole Rehabilitation  project for Pima County RWRD was selected as the Project of the Year in the Disaster or Emergency Construction/Repair, Less than $5M category. This project included the urgent installation of 19 Predl manholes and was the County’s first use of the Predl manhole system. Visit the project page for more project information and photos.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

From our family to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. See below for a message from our employee-owners.

2020 Year in Review

Thank you to all of our employee-owners, clients, colleagues, friends, and family for your kindness and collaboration during these unprecedented times. Here are some positive highlights from this year.

Salt River Siphon Wins Build Arizona Award

This project included the dewatering, assessment, and repair of the Salt River Siphon, one of the largest segmented steel pipelines in Arizona.

Planes, Trains, and Excavators

We completed the installation of more than 6.5 miles of PVC gravity sewer main and 74 manholes adjacent to Luke Air Force Base and the Loop 303.

Achen-Gardner Wins Safety Award

We are proud to have won the Ben Patton Luster Construction Safety Excellence Award from the Arizona Transportation Builders Association.

Self-Performed Steel Slipline Rehabilitation

We completed the self-performed slipline rehabilitation of approximately one mile of 60” PCCP transmission main using a 56” steel liner.

National and State APWA Award Winners

Two of Achen-Gardner’s projects have won awards from the American Public Works Association (APWA).

AZ Water Award Winners

Two of Achen-Gardner Construction’s projects won awards from the AZ Water Association.

Pima County's First Predl Manholes

We completed the installation of Pima County RWRD’s first ever use of the Predl PVC hybrid manhole system.

Conference Presentations Going Virtual

Achen-Gardner Construction employee-owners will be participating in several virtual presentations about our projects:

• THE LARGEST SEGMENTED STEEL PIPELINE IN ARIZONA GETS AN UPGRADE
  Speakers: Tamara Miller, Central Arizona Project / Aric Smith, Achen-Gardner Construction
  This presentation will be available on-demand through the AZ Water Conference website and live on Tuesday, August 4 as part of the AZ APWA Free Virtual Summer Series. Click here to view the project page.

• A TRENCHLESS REHABILITATION MILESTONE - FUSIBLE PVC SLIPLINING IN PEORIA
  Speakers: Chris Sterne, City of Peoria / Brian Froelich, Achen-Gardner Construction / Rick Fradenburg, Dibble Engineering
  This presentation will be available on-demand through the AZ Water Conference website and live on Tuesday, August 4th as part of the AZ APWA Free Virtual Summer Series. Click here to view the project page.

• LESSONS LEARNED FROM PIMA COUNTY RWRD’S FIRST PROGRESSIVE DESIGN BUILD
  Speakers: David Badger, Pima County RWRD / Geoff Tucker, Achen-Gardner Construction / Stefanie Thrush, EEC
  This presentation will be available on-demand through the AZ Water Conference website and live on Thursday, August 20th as part of the AZ APWA Free Virtual Summer Series. Click here to view the project page.

Visit the AZ Water Conference website and the AZ APWA Free Virtual Summer Series website for more information.

National and State APWA Award Winners

Two of Achen-Gardner’s projects have won awards from the American Public Works Association (APWA). Congratulations to the project teams!

Our Salt River Siphon Repair Design-Build project for Central Arizona Project (CAP) has been awarded the 2020 Public Works Project of the Year award in the category of Environment, $5M But Less Than $25M from APWA (National) and the Arizona Chapter APWA. This project included the most detailed assessment and coating repairs ever performed on a CAP steel siphon. Visit the project page for more project information and photos.

Our Beardsley WRF Solids Pipeline Rehabilitation project for the City of Peoria has been awarded the 2020 Public Works Project of the Year award in the category of Environment, Less Than $5M from the Arizona Chapter APWA. This project involved the installation of the longest section of sliplined fusible PVC pipe ever completed in Arizona. Visit the project page for more project information and photos.

AZ Water Award Winners

Two of Achen-Gardner Construction’s projects have been selected for awards from the AZ Water Association. Congratulations to the project teams!

Our Salt River Siphon Repair Design-Build project for Central Arizona Project has been selected as the AZ Water Association’s Water System Project of the Year for 2020. This project included the most detailed assessment and coating repairs ever performed on a CAP steel siphon. Visit the project page for more project information and photos.

Our Beardsley WRF Solids Pipeline Rehabilitation project for the City of Peoria has been selected as the AZ Water Association’s 2020 Wastewater System Project of the Year. This project involved the installation of the longest section of sliplined fusible PVC pipe ever completed in Arizona. Visit the project page for more project information and photos.

Achen-Gardner Wins Safety Award

We are proud to have won the Ben Patton Luster Construction Safety Excellence Award from the Arizona Transportation Builders Association (ATB). This award recognizes a companywide commitment to safety and creative solutions to safety challenges. Cesar Martinez (Safety Manager) and Geoff Tucker (Area Manager) accepted the award at the ATB Installation and Awards Dinner on February 1st.

One of our most unique safety challenges in 2019 was our Salt River Siphon Repair Design-Build project for Central Arizona Project. This work was featured in our award submittal and we are proud of our safety achievements on this and all of our projects.

Salt River Siphon Repair Project Wins Build Arizona Award

Photo Courtesy of the Arizona Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America.

Achen-Gardner Construction is honored to have won a Build Arizona Award from the Arizona Chapter Associated General Contractors of America for our Salt River Siphon Repair Design-Build project for Central Arizona Project (CAP). Members of the project team accepted the award at the Annual Dinner and Build Arizona Awards Banquet on Friday, January 24th.

This project included the dewatering, assessment, and repair of the Salt River Siphon, one of the largest segmented steel pipelines in Arizona. The siphon spans 8,900 LF underneath the Salt River near Granite Reef Dam and is constructed of 21-foot diameter steel pipe that is buried more than 50 feet below the river bottom. Work during this project was conducted 24/7 and provided the most detailed assessment and coating repairs ever performed on a CAP steel siphon. Click here for more project details and photos.

2019 Year in Review

Thank you to all of our employee-owners, clients, colleagues, friends, and family for making our 30th anniversary year spectacular. Here are some of the many highlights from this year.

City of Phoenix Val Vista Transmission Main Rehab CMAR Project Wins AZ AGC Build Arizona Award

This award was in the Reconstruction Over $10 Million Municipal/Utilities Construction category.

AZ AGC Safety Professional of the Year, Cesar Martinez

Cesar has been directly responsible for numerous valuable innovations that have helped him to create a culture of safety awareness and support from all levels at Achen-Gardner.

Achen-Gardner Construction Merger

We are excited to have merged with Emery Sapp & Sons and become part of a 100% employee-owned ESOP.

Pima County Bar Screen Project Wins Southern AZ APWA Award

This award was in the Structures, Less Than $5M category.

Celebrating 30 Years

Achen-Gardner Construction celebrated our 30th Anniversary in February 2019.

We Are the Champions

Team Achen-Gardner won first place in the 2019 Engineers Without Borders Softball Tournament. The tournament raised more than $5,300 for Engineers Without Borders.

New Intersection in Chandler

Our Price Road Reclaimed Water Line and Wells Fargo North Driveway Improvements DBB project included roadway, sidewalk, and landscape modifications.

One Week, Two Conferences

We attended two great conferences in April: the AZ Water Association 92nd Annual Conference and Exhibition and the ACEC Arizona 68th Annual Conference on Roads and Streets.

City of Peoria Fusible PVC Sliplining

We completed the sliplining of the longest section of Fusible PVC installed in Arizona.

Downtown Chandler Canal Restoration Wins AZ APWA Project of the Year Award

This award was in the category of Historical Restoration/Preservation, Less Than $5M.

Primus Line Demonstration at AZ APWA Statewide Conference

We conducted a demonstration of pressure pipeline rehabilitation using Primus Line and discussed our Primus Line Installation project for the City of Peoria.

AZAGC Racers

Achen-Gardner Construction was a Gold Sponsor and sent an all-women team to the Arizona Chapter Associated General Contractors of America event at Octane Raceway.

Downtown Chandler Canal Promenade Wins ACEC Arizona Award

The Commonwealth Canal Promenade has won the Grand Award and the Best Small Project Under $2.5M Award from ACEC Arizona.

Sky Kids Soar

We were proud to sponsor and support the Sky Kids Fly Day Events for the eighth year in a row, allowing more than 200 special kids to experience the wonder of flight.

Ak-Chin Pipeline Repair

Achen-Gardner crews exposed and repaired segments of 78” prestressed concrete cylinder pipe as part of our Link Pipeline Repair and Mitigation Design-Build project for the Ak-Chin Indian Community.

Touch a Truck

Achen-Gardner Construction sponsored the Touch a Truck event in Glendale in October. Employees passed out goodies and showed off some of our equipment: a 305 excavator and combo roller.

CAP Salt River Siphon Repair

We completed a four-phase Design-Build project for the Central Arizona Project to dewater, assess, and repair the 8,900-foot-long, 21-foot-diameter Salt River Siphon.