Scope of Work
Wayne Brothers completed the Kannapolis Infrastructure Utility Project in June 2019 as part of the City of Kannapolis Downtown Revitalization. The project involved replacing and upgrading existing city street utilities, including complete replacement of storm drain, sanitary sewer, and select water lines. In total, the project installed approximately 20,000 feet (almost four miles) of new pipe throughout the downtown area.
Unique Challenges
This project presented complex challenges from start to finish. The initial hurdle was developing an accurate design using decades-old as-built drawings and extensive potholing to verify utility elevations — a process that took the engineering team over a year. Wayne Brothers then created a detailed 3D model overlaying existing and new utilities, which allowed conflicts to be detected and resolved before construction began, saving significant time and cost.
Field execution came with its own challenges: crews worked in narrow city streets surrounded by active utilities both overhead and underground. Maintaining traffic flow and access for downtown businesses required constant coordination with the city for staged road closures. Keeping the existing systems operational while installing new lines often meant carefully supporting old pipes and performing night work to minimize service disruptions. The deep excavations — averaging 15 to 20 feet — required extensive trench boxes and shoring for safety on nearly all of the work. Unknown or deteriorated pipes frequently surfaced, requiring quick problem-solving with the city and engineers to keep the project moving forward.
