City of Modesto’s River Trunk Realignment – River Trunk Pump Station Project Reaches Major Milestone

Innovative planning and execution helped Shimmick complete a critical phase of work ahead of seasonal construction restrictions.

Shimmick recently reached a significant milestone on the City of Modesto’s River Trunk Realignment – River Trunk Pump Station Project, completing a major portion of pipeline installation and roadway restoration along Tuolumne Boulevard ahead of seasonal right-of-way restrictions.

The project is part of a broader effort to improve critical wastewater infrastructure serving the Modesto community. This phase of work included installation of large-diameter force main pipelines, deep excavations, concrete encasement operations, and final roadway restoration within a heavily traveled transportation corridor.

One of the project’s greatest challenges involved traffic management. The traffic control plan provided during procurement ultimately did not allow for the continuous roadway closure needed to efficiently perform the work. Rather than accept significant schedule impacts, the project team collaborated with the City of Modesto and Caltrans to develop an alternative traffic control plan that maintained critical access to Highway 99 while enabling 24-hour closure operations within the work zone.

The revised plan proved instrumental to the project’s success. By allowing crews to work continuously rather than repeatedly reopening and reestablishing traffic control, the team accelerated construction activities and completed the work ahead of a key project constraint. Under project requirements, construction activities within the public right-of-way are prohibited from July 1 through October 15 each year. The revised approach enabled the team to clear the corridor 5 days before the restriction period began.

The completed work demonstrates the scale and complexity of the project. Crews installed 30-inch and 42-inch HDPE force main pipe, utilized specialized high-clearance shoring systems to support deep excavations, performed in-ditch fusion of long pipe sections, and constructed concrete encasements to protect critical infrastructure. Some excavations extended more than 30 feet below grade, requiring extensive planning, coordination, and innovative construction methods.

The project team also overcame unforeseen utility conflicts, including unidentified underground infrastructure discovered during construction. Through careful sequencing and collaboration, crews maintained progress while safely navigating challenging field conditions.

With this phase complete, the team is advancing toward upcoming project milestones, including major jack-and-bore operations and continued pipeline installation associated with the new pump station system.

The achievement reflects the dedication of the entire project team and reinforces Shimmick’s commitment to delivering innovative infrastructure solutions that keep critical community services operating reliably for years to come.