Grant Road Widening and UPRR Underpass Improvements
City of Tucson | Job Order Contract / Design-Build | Forbes Boulevard to Fairview Avenue
KE&G widened a heavily traveled Tucson corridor from four lanes to six, rebuilt the drainage structures beneath it, and reopened the road to traffic four days ahead of schedule, all without a single change order.
Project Overview
The Grant Road Underpass at UPRR project widened West Grant Road from four lanes to a six-lane divided section between Forbes Boulevard and Fairview Avenue, within the City of Tucson, ADOT, and Union Pacific Railroad rights-of-way. KE&G served as general contractor and self-performed 80 percent of the work under a Job Order Contract, delivered through a design-build method.
The scope included roadway widening, installation of more than 1,000 feet of 32-inch concrete traffic barrier in place of the removed median, capacity upgrades to the B3 and B4 transverse drainage structures, upgraded street lighting, sidewalk expansion, a retaining wall for pedestrian access, and xeriscape improvements to the right-of-way.
Construction started May 4, 2026. The original contract completion date was September 30, 2026. KE&G reached substantial completion August 1, 2026, roughly two months ahead of that date, and reopened Grant Road to traffic four days ahead of the City's anticipated August 5 opening.
The Challenge
KE&G was given a 75-day closure window on Grant Road, from the I-10 westbound frontage road to Flowing Wells, to complete the widening and drainage work. Emergency vehicle access and a pedestrian path had to remain open for the entire 75 days, a requirement added late in the design process that reshaped how the work could be sequenced.
That constraint fell hardest on the B3 and B4 drainage structure reconstruction, which had to be built in sections around the protected emergency-access path rather than as a single continuous pour. Combined with late design changes that shifted material lead times, the project required KE&G to rework its schedule and sequencing on the fly while still meeting a fixed reopening date.
The project also required coordinating work across three separate jurisdictions at once. City of Tucson, ADOT, and Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way all overlapped within the same 75-day window.
The Execution
KE&G crews put in approximately 30,000 man-hours over 12 weeks, averaging more than 400 man-hours per day, to hold the compressed schedule while maintaining emergency and pedestrian access throughout. Self-performing 80 percent of the scope meant KE&G controlled the sequencing of the widening, barrier installation, and drainage work directly, without waiting on subcontractor mobilization to adjust the plan when design changes came in late.
Ten subcontractors and seven material suppliers supported the self-performed scope, including Penhall, Ninyo & Moore, Next Generation Electrical, and Ammex Rebar on the trade side, and CalPortland, Ferguson, and Tyler Reinforcing on materials. The project also met its Small Business Enterprise participation goal, hitting the 3.5 percent target at 3.5 percent actual.
Scope of Work
- Widened Grant Road from four lanes to a six-lane divided section.
- Installed more than 1,000 LF of 32-inch concrete traffic barrier.
- Reconstructed the B3 and B4 transverse drainage structures in phased sections around a protected emergency-access path.
- Upgraded street lighting throughout the corridor.
- Expanded sidewalks and constructed a retaining wall for pedestrian access.
- Completed xeriscape improvements to right-of-way areas.
- Maintained continuous emergency vehicle and pedestrian access throughout the 75-day closure.
- Coordinated construction across overlapping City of Tucson, ADOT, and UPRR right-of-way.
- Delivered the project at the original contract amount with zero change orders.
Our Approach
Rebuilding a major arterial while keeping it open to emergency and pedestrian traffic required careful sequencing. KE&G phased reconstruction of the B3 and B4 drainage structures in sections around the protected access path rather than as a single continuous pour, adjusting the plan as late design changes shifted material lead times. Self-performing 80% of the scope gave KE&G direct control over sequencing, production, and quality across the widening, barrier installation, and drainage work. Crews logged approximately 30,000 man-hours over 12 weeks, averaging more than 400 man-hours per day, to hold the compressed schedule. Throughout construction, KE&G coordinated with the City of Tucson, ADOT, and Union Pacific Railroad to keep work moving across three overlapping jurisdictions while meeting the fixed closure window. The completed improvements reopened Grant Road to traffic four days ahead of the City's anticipated opening date, at the original contract amount and with no change orders.
Built on Ownership As a 100% employee-owned company, every project we deliver reflects the commitment of the people who own the outcome. Our employee owners take pride in building lasting infrastructure, solving challenges collaboratively, and delivering work that strengthens the communities we serve. That ownership mindset drives accountability, quality, and long-term relationships on every project.
