Utah Projects
8 stories · incl. contractor check
Eagle Mountain · Water / Wastewater · Oct. 26, 2026
$120M Utah Wastewater Expansion Targets Rapid Growth, Capacity Crunch
Eagle Mountain broke ground Oct. 23 on a major expansion of its wastewater treatment plant. The existing plant is rated for 2.4 MGD hydraulically, but concentrated sewage from new homes with low-flow fixtures and tight pipes pushed it to its treatment loading limit at about 1.5 MGD.
The project upgrades the existing oxidation ditch to about 2 MGD and adds a new 6-MGD membrane bioreactor train, plus a headworks building, biological nutrient removal basins, a membrane building and solids handling. The city's 2025 master plan estimated the 6-MGD expansion at about $120 million in 2025 dollars. MGC Contractors is CM/GC and AE2S Engineering is the designer. The work is split into six GMP packages, with the new capacity targeted for 2029 and overall construction expected to take three to four years.
Source: Engineering News-Record (ENR) · enr.com/articles/64084 · See also: City of Eagle Mountain groundbreaking release (Oct. 23)
Tower crane at a jobsite in Portland, Oregon. Photo: PortlandAppraisalBlog / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
Groundbreaking: Fri., Oct. 23, 2026
Est. cost: ~$120M (2025 dollars, master plan)
New capacity: +6 MGD MBR, about 8 MGD total
CM/GC: MGC Contractors · Engineer: AE2S
Target: 6 MGD online in 2029
Salt Lake City · Aviation · Oct. 24, 2026
Salt Lake City International Airport Celebrates End of Construction
City, airport and community leaders marked the end of the 12-year, $5.1 billion airport rebuild. The final piece of Concourse B adds 132,000 square feet, seven gates (mostly for United) and new local concessions. Leaders said the work was funded by federal grants and user fees, not local tax dollars.
Salt Lake City · Highways · Oct. 26, 2026
I-215 West Rebuild Hits 60% as Bridge Deck Demolition Continues
UDOT says the I-215 West project is about 60% complete. Crews are replacing deteriorated bridge decks, applying a new sealer and rubblizing old concrete pavement before an asphalt overlay. Federal Highway Administrator Sean McMaster toured the job; 14 bridges are done. At completion in summer 2027, 18 decks will be replaced and 12 more bridges repaired. The project has $190 million in federal funding.
Lehi · Highways · W.W. Clyde / Ralph L. Wadsworth · Oct. 29, 2026
New I-15 Traffic Pattern at 2100 North Through May 2027
Starting Oct. 29, overnight closures shift southbound I-15 at 2100 North (Exit 282) into a new configuration that stays in place through May 2027, giving crews room to relocate utilities, build a soil wall and start interchange foundations. The 2100 North project, built by W.W. Clyde (Clyde Companies) with Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction, adds a 2.8-mile freeway link between I-15 and Mountain View Corridor, due late 2028.
Sources: UDOT · connect.udot.utah.gov · RLW on LinkedIn (Oct. 7)
Logan · Education · Jacobsen Construction · Updated Oct. 20, 2026
Jacobsen Awarded USU Animal Science Renovation and Addition
Jacobsen Construction has been awarded Utah State University's Animal Science renovation and new addition on Old Main Hill, including a 24,000-sq-ft addition, demolition and site work. The project is valued at about $4.8 million, with construction scheduled to start Nov. 12, 2026.
Source: ConstructConnect project listing · constructconnect.com
Herriman · Public Safety · KIER Construction · October 2026
KIER Completes Herriman Fire Station #103
KIER Construction lists the 11,440-sq-ft Herriman Fire Station #103 for Unified Fire Authority as completed in October 2026. It's KIER's seventh fire station, with living quarters, a decon room, a two-level training area and an apparatus bay. AJC Architects designed it.
Source: KIER Construction · kier.org
Ogden · Healthcare · October 2026
McKay-Dee Hospital Breaks Ground on 80,000-SF Clinic Building
Intermountain Health McKay-Dee Hospital broke ground on an 80,000-sq-ft specialty and primary care building on its North Campus. It will consolidate sleep medicine, diabetes, endocrinology, pediatrics and other clinics, with opening planned for spring 2028. (The release did not name a contractor.)
Source: Intermountain Health · news.intermountainhealth.org
Salt Lake City · Awards · Big-D Construction · Oct. 13, 2026
Big-D Takes Four ENR Mountain States Best Projects Honors
Big-D Construction won Best Project awards for Seraph Apartments (Renovation/Restoration) and Cook Family Park (Landscape/Urban Development), plus Awards of Merit for the Trans-Jordan Waste Transfer Station and Lagoon's Carousel Candy Shop & Peacock Parlour.
Source: Big-D Construction on LinkedIn
Equipment & OEM
6 stories
Caterpillar 797 mining haul truck. Photo: Wilson Hui / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
Caterpillar · Earnings · Oct. 29, 2026
Caterpillar Q3 Sales Up 17% to $20.7 Billion on Record Backlog
Caterpillar reported third-quarter sales and revenues of $20.7 billion, up 17% from $17.6 billion a year earlier, mainly on $2.2 billion of higher sales volume and $663 million of favorable price realization. Profit per share was $7.13 ($7.20 adjusted), and the operating margin rose to 20.4%. CEO Joe Creed cited strong order rates and a record backlog.
Source: Caterpillar Inc. · caterpillar.com press release
Komatsu · Earnings · Oct. 29, 2026
Komatsu Posts Record First-Half Sales, Raises Full-Year Outlook
Komatsu's April–September consolidated net sales rose 14.1% to ¥2,158.6 billion. Operating income rose 3.5% to ¥286.6 billion, though the operating margin slipped 1.3 points to 13.3%. Net income rose 9.2% to ¥191.9 billion. The company revised its FY2026 sales and profit projections upward, citing stronger-than-expected equipment demand in many regions and a weaker yen.
Source: Komatsu Ltd. · komatsu.jp newsroom
Komatsu · Excavators · Oct. 23, 2026
Komatsu Launches Tiltrotator-Ready PC200i-12 in the 20-Ton Class
Komatsu's PC200i-12 is its first software-defined excavator, and this version is built to accept Rototilt, Steelwrist and Engcon tiltrotators. It integrates with Komatsu's 3D machine control and adds two operator aids: an attachment-posture hold and a multi-axis bucket assist that automates tilt and rotation during scooping and dumping.
Source: Komatsu Ltd. · komatsu.jp newsroom
Komatsu Europe · Dozers · Oct. 29, 2026
All-New D175AX-10 Dozer Brings More Power for Earthmoving and Quarries
Komatsu Europe introduced the 45.5-tonne D175AX-10, with a 337 kW (452 hp) engine and a 10.6 m³ Semi-U blade. Komatsu claims up to 27% more net power, 18% more drawbar pull, up to 25% more production and up to 15% better fuel efficiency than the D155AX-8. Blade Auto Pitch, automatic ripper functions and Smart Construction connectivity are included.
Source: Komatsu Europe · komatsu.eu news
Cummins · Engines · Oct. 28, 2026
Cummins Unveils Clean-Sheet S29 Mining Engine
Cummins launched the 29-liter V-12 S29 in Chongqing, China. It targets 90–120-ton haul trucks and 150–220-ton excavators with up to 1,300 hp at 2,100 rpm and a best-point BSFC target of 180 g/kWh. The engine runs on diesel, HVO and B50 biodiesel, and is designed to run at 3,000 m without derate. Global availability (China Stage III/Tier 2-equivalent) is planned for late 2027.
Source: Cummins Inc. · cummins.com news release
Autonomy · Funding · Oct. 26, 2026
Bedrock Robotics Raises $600M to Scale Self-Driving Excavators
Autonomous-construction startup Bedrock Robotics closed a $600 million Series C at a $4.1 billion post-money valuation. CapitalG and Emergence Capital co-led the round, bringing total funding to nearly $1 billion. The money will expand autonomous heavy equipment across U.S. commercial jobsites.
Source: TechCrunch · techcrunch.com
Jobs & Training
2 items
Construction worker in a hard hat. Photo: Jorge Royan / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Utah · Workforce · 2026 survey
AGC Survey: 86% of Utah Contractors Have Openings
AGC's 2026 Workforce Survey results for Utah found 86% of firms have open craft and salaried positions; 47% report difficulty filling craft roles, and 42% say it's harder than a year ago. · agc.org (PDF)
Deadline: The Operating Engineers regional apprenticeship program lists a Friday, Nov. 6, 2026 application deadline. Utah applicants should confirm details with the Local 3 Utah training office in Sandy. · oe3.org/utah-training
Mining & Resources
4 stories · International Mining
Entrance to the Hazel-Atlas Mine, California. Photo: Pi.1415926535 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Electrification · Oct. 28, 2026
BHP and Rio Tinto Complete Megawatt-Scale Charge on Cat 793 XE
At BHP's Jimblebar mine in the Pilbara, the two miners safely completed the first megawatt-scale static charge of a Cat 793 XE Early Learner battery-electric haul truck using MCS connectors. Their joint trial has run for more than seven months, and dynamic charging is planned for the next phase.
Source: International Mining · im-mining.com
Events · Oct. 29, 2026
MINEXCHANGE 2027 SME Conference Heads to Denver
SME's MINEXCHANGE 2027 Annual Conference & Expo runs Feb. 28 – Mar. 3, 2027 at the Colorado Convention Center. It offers 100+ technical sessions, a large expo floor, short courses, field trips and the co-located Western Mining Summit. It's a short trip for Utah contractors and suppliers.
Source: International Mining · im-mining.com
Lithium · Oct. 29, 2026
Rio Tinto Opens $1.4 Billion Lithium Projects in Argentina
Rio Tinto celebrated the opening of its Fénix 1B expansion and Sal de Vida operation in Catamarca. Both started production in Q2 2026, ahead of schedule, and together add about 25,000 t/y of lithium carbonate equivalent capacity (10,000 t from Fénix 1B and 15,000 t from Sal de Vida).
Source: International Mining · im-mining.com
Fleet Management · Oct. 28, 2026
Merdeka Posts Fleet Productivity Gains With Hexagon
At the Tujuh Bukit gold mine in Indonesia, Hexagon's OP Pro fleet management system and Smart Centre consulting lifted truck productivity 11% and excavator productivity 17% within six months. Over the same period, load-and-haul costs fell 14%. OP Pro has since gone live at Merdeka's Pani operations under a five-year agreement.
Source: International Mining · im-mining.com
Industry & Regulation
7 stories
MSHA · Enforcement · Oct. 27, 2026
No U.S. Mine Met Pattern-of-Violations Criteria in FY2026
MSHA's annual screening found that none of the nation's roughly 12,000 mining operations met the criteria for a Pattern of Violations notice for the Oct. 1, 2025 – Sept. 30, 2026 period. It is the third straight year with no POV notices.
Source: U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration · msha.gov
MSHA · Grants · Oct. 26, 2026
$250,000 in Brookwood-Sago Grants Awarded for Mine Safety Training
The Labor Department awarded Brookwood-Sago grants to Saelua Medical Corp. of American Samoa ($170,000) and the University of Arizona ($80,000). The funds will develop mine safety and health education and emergency-response training, with an emphasis on smaller mines.
Source: U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration · msha.gov
OSHA · Trenching · Oct. 23, 2026
OSHA Proposes $380,664 Against Illinois Utility Contractor Over Unprotected Trench
OSHA cited Always Underground LLC of Frankfort, Ill., after finding workers in an unprotected trench more than 8 feet deep. The citations include three repeat violations (no cave-in protection, no safe egress, and spoils and equipment within two feet of the edge) plus a serious violation for missing hard hats.
Source: Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) · ohsonline.com
The invoice may be authentic. The project may be legitimate. The payment may be expected. But the destination account may still be fraudulent.
Bonita Best, cybersecurity adviser, to ENR
ABC · Cybersecurity · Oct. 27, 2026
ABC Launches Free CMMC Cybersecurity Roadmap for Federal Contractors
Associated Builders and Contractors released a free CMMC roadmap for DoD contractors and subcontractors that handle federal contract information or CUI. It has two tracks: "Getting Started" for firms new to the requirements and "Finish the Job" for firms validating readiness before assessment. Checklists, videos and webinars are included.
Source: Associated Builders and Contractors · abc.org
Payment Fraud · Oct. 29, 2026
Fraudster Spent Months Posing as Contractor Before Diverting $14.7M Payment
An impostor posing as B.L. Harbert International spent months building trust with Mobile, Ala., employees before a routine $14.7 million Regions Arena payment went to a fraudulent account on Oct. 2. A genuine invoice shared with the impostor helped get the vendor's banking details changed. The city used arena contingency to pay the contractor and is tightening its verification of banking changes.
Source: Engineering News-Record (ENR) · enr.com/articles/64095
Federal Reserve · Rates · Oct. 28, 2026
Fed Holds Rates, Flags Elevated Inflation
The FOMC held the federal funds target at 3.75%–4.00%, saying inflation remains elevated. Two members dissented in favor of a hike. For contractors, that means borrowing and project-finance costs are unlikely to ease soon, while energy and materials pressures persist.
Source: Federal Reserve Board · federalreserve.gov FOMC statement
Energy Infrastructure · Oct. 27, 2026
Energy Demand Is Surging. Why Is Delivering the Infrastructure a Struggle?
Jacobs' "Energy Readiness Equation" survey of 600 energy leaders found that only 20% of U.S. respondents consistently deliver major projects on time and on budget. Eighty percent named permitting a top barrier, ahead of regulatory uncertainty (63%) and grid readiness (51%). Capital is generally available; investment-ready projects are not.
Source: Engineering News-Record (ENR) · enr.com/articles/64085
Construction safety inspectors with hard hats and clipboard. Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Europe District / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.
Sources & Credits
Engineering News-Record (ENR): Eagle Mountain wastewater; $14.7M payment fraud; Jacobs energy survey
City of Eagle Mountain: groundbreaking release
Caterpillar Inc.: Q3 2026 results
Komatsu Ltd.: first-half results; PC200i-12
Komatsu Europe: D175AX-10
Cummins Inc.: S29 mining engine
TechCrunch: Bedrock Robotics Series C
International Mining: Cat 793 XE charge; MINEXCHANGE 2027; Rio Tinto lithium; Hexagon at Merdeka
MSHA / U.S. Dept. of Labor: pattern of violations; Brookwood-Sago grants
Occupational Health & Safety: OSHA trenching citation
Associated Builders and Contractors: CMMC roadmap
Federal Reserve Board: FOMC statement
Operating Engineers Local 3: Utah training info
Photography: Freely licensed images via Wikimedia Commons; photographer and license credited under each photo.
Utah Construction and Mining News · Weekly edition dated Thursday, October 29, 2026 · Coverage window Oct. 22–29, 2026 (America/Denver)
Summaries are original; follow links for full stories. Sponsor slots are placeholders.The audio edition (Casey & Morgan Weekly Wrap, ~6½ min) is available as a companion MP3 — see the HTML digital edition.