The City of Rifle, MSG Ready Mix, and Martinez Western Contractors are now the proud recipients of two awards from two different organizations. The honors stem from the City of Rifle Railroad Avenue and Third Street Improvement Project, which was completed last year. Martinez Western Construction did the concrete work for the job.
The first award the project received is the American Concrete Institute’s 2022 Excellence in Concrete Award for Repair/Restoration in the Rocky Mountain Region. This award recognizes excellence in architectural and structural design as well as the unique, innovative and sustainable uses of concrete.
The second award is the American Concrete Pavement Association 2022 Award for Excellence in Concrete Pavement Colorado/Wyoming Region. These awards are designed to honor quality concrete pavements constructed in the US and Canada each year and recognize contractors, engineers and project owners who completed outstanding projects.
The goal of the Railroad Avenue and Third Street Improvement Project was an update of City infrastructure and a revitalization of the historic downtown business district. Many of the buildings date back to the early 1900s and many of the utility lines were from the same era. A half-inch water supply line was no longer adequate to support current demands. The decision was made to not only replace the aging lines, but to rebuild the streets and sidewalks with concrete which would provide a durable surface and a pleasing aesthetic. The area was redesigned with elevated outdoor seating for restaurants, decorative planters, and better parking. The result is a cleaner, more functional and updated downtown which still maintains its historic charm.
According to Rifle City Manager Tommy Klein, the City is very pleased with the final results.
“The new design is exceptional. The outdoor seating will attract people to come to the downtown area and encourage them to support our local businesses.”
Paul Martinez of Martinez Western Contractors mirrors Klein’s sentiments.
“This project was very challenging. There were a lot of dynamics between the updates to infrastructure and keeping the businesses open during construction. We are honored to receive the awards, but it’s not us alone. It’s all of the stakeholders who were involved. We are just thankful to the City of Rifle for allowing us to be part of this revitalization.”
The City would like to thank the downtown businesses for their patience during construction and extends its gratitude to everyone involved.