As part of the LFUCG Division of Water Quality (DWQ) Consent Decree, Palmer Engineering and its sub-consultants were selected to design UK Trunk Sewers C, D, and E, outlined in the Remedial Measures Plan. This critical project is located in a dense urban area of Lexington, running through portions of the University of Kentucky campus and several major city streets.

Project Overview

The sewer alignment begins at Chair Avenue and extends to High Street, with the majority of construction occurring in the right-of-way along Chair Avenue, Oliver Lewis Way, Bolivar Street, S. Upper Street, Avenue of Champions, Rose Street, and Euclid Avenue. A section will also pass through a sanitary easement on the UK campus near Winslow Street.

Design Challenges

Because of its location in one of the busiest parts of Lexington, the project was considered one of the most challenging line-work efforts in the Remedial Measures Plan. The design team evaluated multiple construction options to balance traffic impacts, costs, and constructability, including:

• Traditional dig-and-replace gravity sewer

• Micro-tunneling approaches

• New pump station and force main

Palmer provided cost estimates and traffic impact analyses for each alternative. Ultimately, DWQ selected the dig-and-replace method as the most effective solution.