Geneva Rock Products
Name of project: Cascade Scenic Drive and Cascade Springs Road & SR-65

Project location: Wasatch County, Utah
Project start: June 2019
Project completion: October 2020
Key project team members: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Division; GRP-DSB-TSB (Geneva Rock Products, Inc. / DSB Construction Joint Venture); Central Federal Lands Highway Division, Denver, Colorado; Chris Robbins (DSB); Mike Summers (GRP); Bob Manookin (GRP); Rock Supremacy — Anchored; Wire Mesh
Tons of hot mix asphalt placed: 30,000 tons

Project overview:

The Cascade Springs Road project is nestled in the heart of the Wasatch Mountains, just off the Alpine Loop Scenic Road. The Alpine Loop is a 20-mile stretch of road winding through the forests of American Fork Canyon, Uinta National Forest, and Provo Canyon. Thousands of people drive the magnificent mountain passage every year, peaking in the fall when autumn leaves are changing colors in the forests.

Geneva Rock’s project involved the stretch of road that connects the Alpine Loop Scenic Road to Cascade Springs. Cascade Springs is a picturesque mountain area with a series of beautiful mountain springs, cascading streams, and waterfalls. The surrounding boardwalks and paved pathways create a nature trail leading to the natural pools of clear water and terraces of fish and aquatic plant life.

Geneva Rock completed earthwork, sitework, pipelines and drainage, and asphalt paving for a total of 12 miles, from the Alpine Loop turnoff to Cascade Springs area to Heber City, Utah. The work is being completed in two phases. The first phase connects Cascade Springs to Heber City, Utah, and the second phase connects Cascade Springs to the Alpine Loop turnoff.

What makes the project unique?

The quality of our work on this project is visibly apparent when driving the completed roadway. The steep and winding conditions of this roadway create a difficult project to pave. The owners and shareholders complimented our team for the final product and appearance. The designed thickness required 3 inches of asphalt, placed in two lifts, each 1.5 inches, which is not common. At completion, the road averaged a thickness of 3.02 inches. This project went above and beyond by implementing innovative construction techniques and technology. As a result, this road is incredibly smooth, and it drives extremely well through one of the most scenic and breathtaking alpine vistas in the state. The end-product is one of the highest quality projects that Geneva Rock has completed, and we are proud that we went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure an amazing product for thousands of people to enjoy Utah’s mountain scenery.