In 2019, West Yost provided predesign, design, and construction services for a new wet weather lift station and force main and for rehabilitating the Riverfront Interceptor for the City of Albany, Oregon. The Riverfront Interceptor is the primary pipeline that conveys wastewater from the City to the Water Reclamation Facility. It ranges from 30 to 54 inches, is a deep pipeline, and is very close to both the Willamette River and to an active railroad line. The forcemain and lift station are used to bypass the interceptor during peak wet weather flows. This bypass and rehabilitation resolved problems with sanitary sewer overflows into the Willamette River and was less costly than replacing the interceptor.
The lift station and force main trench were very close to the railroad, on which a train ran daily, and approximately 30 feet below ground. The centerline of the 1.5-mile-long force main came within seven feet of the tracks in places. The lift station excavation was near a private parking lot, city property, and the river. The site required significant and deep shoring. West Yost designed a cured-in-place pipe to rehabilitate the interceptor to alleviate structural defects and to prevent infiltration and inflow from leaking joints, root intrusion, and other conditions.
The project design and construction needed to accommodate challenging physical constraints. Residents were concerned about retaining the natural view of the river and the improvements were designed to reduce visual obstructions. The lift station easement was only 32 feet by 40 feet and between the Dave Clark pedestrian trail along the Willamette River and the railroad. The concrete diversion structure was built on top of the interceptor sewer and below grade. The electrical controls building had to be above ground and was oriented to reduce obstructions of the river and was designed to match the historical architecture of the neighborhood.