Situation:
Krusinski Construction Company joined forces with MTI Construction Services to build a $3.96 million facility for the St. Charles Community Unit School District No. 303 at 901 S. Peck Road in St. Charles. The 41,314-square-foot building will serve as a transportation, maintenance and grounds headquarters for the school district.

Challenge:
Because of an unusually high land elevation, the preliminary engineering specifications called for digging a 24-foot-deep sanitary line to run about 1,500 feet along Peck Road. The costly excavation would have taken three or four weeks to shore up, delaying construction and tying up traffic during the process. In addition, an open trench of that size posed a significant safety hazard to motorists.

Solution:
With a little research, Krusinski Superintendent Shawn Barry and MTI Project Manager Ernie Spina discovered that the City of St. Charles owned an adjacent parcel of land with a much lower elevation. On the team’s recommendation, the sanitary line (which could be reduced to six feet in depth) was rerouted through this parcel.

Results:
The school district saved between $70 and $80 thousand, the project was completed on time, and the City of St. Charles had a sewer line for its otherwise unimproved land.