Billions of dollars in play as communities tackle aging water infrastructure

by Mary Scott Nabers, CEO of Strategic Partnerships, Inc.

Billions are flowing into water infrastructure as communities modernize systems and advance large utility projects nationwide.

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UDOT maps plan for $760M Heber Valley bypass

UDOT selected a preferred route for the Heber Valley bypass, advancing a $760 million project to divert U.S. 40 traffic from downtown Heber City.

The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) announced its route preference for the Heber Valley bypass earlier this month. The project, meant to ease traffic congestion in downtown Heber City, has been in some form of deliberation for over 20 years.

According to officials, the project is designed to keep traffic from U.S. 40 off Main Street in downtown Heber City. Current projections shared by UDOT show traffic times more than doubling by 2050 if no action is taken.

According to the environmental impact statement released by UDOT, the department prefers Alternative B for the bypass, rather than the proposed Alternative A. Alternative B would route a new highway west of the city, starting where Potter Lane meets U.S. 40.

From there, the road would cut through the North Fields before reconnecting with U.S. 40 and U.S. 189 south of downtown. Alternative A would have kept travelers on the existing U.S. 40 corridor through this stretch.

The project is now estimated to cost $760.5 million, about $49 million more than Alternative A. That figure marks a significant jump from UDOT's March 2025 estimate of $584 million for Alternative B.

Under the preferred plan, drivers would access the new corridor at Potter Lane, State Route 113 and south of the U.S. 40/U.S. 189 junction near Charleston. UDOT plans to build the route as a free-flow facility with ramps and overpasses rather than traffic signals.

The agency says the bypass will remain a limited-access highway, meaning no additional interchanges or on-ramps beyond what appears in the current plan. Officials have pointed to this restriction as a way to discourage sprawl in the North Fields, an area of wetlands and farmland that has drawn conservation concerns throughout the planning process.

The project also calls for frontage roads along north U.S. 40 and a 12-foot paved trail for cyclists and pedestrians running along the east side of the corridor.

The route selection comes with tradeoffs. Alternative B would affect roughly 54 acres of wetlands compared to about 23 acres under Alternative A. However, it would displace fewer property owners, requiring 6 residential and 2 business relocations versus 12 residential and 15 business relocations for the on-highway option.

UDOT has committed to wetland mitigation at a minimum 2-to-1 ratio and says it will prioritize establishing mitigation sites within the North Fields, which could limit future development in the area.

UDOT opened a 60-day public comment period that runs through March 9. After reviewing public input, UDOT expects to release its final environmental impact statement and record of decision by summer 2026.

DOE commits $155M to support industrial technology innovation projects 

DOE will award $155 million to advance cross-sector energy technologies, supporting innovation in manufacturing and processes.

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South Dakota approves $200M bond to expand hospital network in Rapid City

Monument Health will use $200 million in tax-exempt bond financing to expand and modernize hospitals and clinics.

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Hempfield school district unveils early bidding for $220M high school renovation

Hempfield Area School District is reopening bids for a $220M high school renovation featuring phased construction, new learning spaces and major facility upgrades.

The Nashville International Airport (BNA) is taking the next step in its transformative vision to expand the facility after unveiling plans to build a second terminal as part of the $3 billion New Horizon project.

The design phase for Terminal 2 – officially known as Beyond New Horizon – began in 2024. While the project has received official approval, the construction date has not yet been publicly released. Officials anticipate the project being completed by 2038.

While details for the new structure are still in development, BNA has found a 3099-acre plot of land that will be the ideal location for the facility. Terminal 2 will be situated south of Runway 13/31, adjacent to Terminal 1.  

The airport plans to develop the facility across four phases, culminating in a total of five new, modern concourses and additional parking garages. At full buildout, the terminal will double the number of gates from 70 to 140. BNA will continue to hone the terminal’s concept to ensure the airport can accommodate rapidly growing demand from millions of passengers. Once completed, the terminal will:

• Optimize the passenger journey. 
• Efficiently manage vehicular and aircraft operations. 
• Implement cost-effective solutions to uphold the airport’s world-class standards. 
• Integrate sustainable practices. 

The terminal will be a continuation of work already underway in the first portion of the New Horizon project. The first two phases for the project have been divided between developing and expanding the airport’s airside and landside areas.

New Horizon I – pertaining to all airside development – has several initiatives that are either in planning or are already underway. Among these, the program will expand and improve baggage handling systems, expand ramp space for parking and deicing, expand concourse D with new gates and concessions and build Concourse A.

The other half of the project for landside development – New Horizon II – will prioritize efforts of ground-level operations. These will include expanding employee parking and valet storage, building a larger rental car complex, adding additional parking areas and improving terminal roadways.

Sustainable building practices are among the core focuses for all development throughout the New Horizon projects. The airport will install electrochromic glass across all structures, a material that uses an electric charge to change opacity. A geothermal lake plate cooling system is the preferred selection for keeping all terminals cool year-round. In addition, BNA will recycle all fill materials for future projects and is utilizing technologies to advance sustainable mobility, parking and transportation options.

New York directs $288M to water infrastructure upgrades

New York will distribute $288 million to upgrade water and sewer systems, replace lead service lines and limit rate impacts.

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Oklahoma advances $33M rural expansion of PACE program

Oklahoma will use $33 million in federal funding to expand its PACE program into rural areas, supporting new facilities, mobile care services and provider incentives.

Oklahoma is moving forward with a $33 million federally funded expansion of its Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), launching a multi-year procurement effort that will finance new rural service hubs, facility renovations, mobile infrastructure and provider incentives under a blended Medicare-Medicaid payment model.

Administered by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority and backed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Rural Health Transformation Program, the initiative calls for the establishment of up to six new PACE centers in rural and tribal areas that currently lack access to the program.  

The funding package directs approximately $11 million toward facility renovation and retrofitting, $2.7 million for mobile outreach and transportation capacity, and more than $3 million to help participating providers meet federal compliance requirements, with additional site-level incentive payments tied to program launch and performance.

PACE is funded through a blended payment model that combines Medicare and Medicaid dollars into a fixed monthly payment per participant. That structure allows care teams to focus on prevention and coordination rather than billing for individual services.

PACE serves adults age 55 and older who need a high level of care but could continue living in their homes with coordinated support. Services include primary care, prescriptions, therapy, transportation and social services, all delivered through a single provider team. Care may be provided in a participant’s home, at a PACE center or through contracted providers.

State officials anticipate expanding PACE into rural areas is particularly important as Oklahoma’s population ages and access to health care remains limited in many counties. Rural residents often face long travel times to medical appointments and higher rates of hospitalization for preventable conditions.

PACE operates in multiple states nationwide, but availability has historically been concentrated in urban areas. Oklahoma’s officials see their program as unique, as their federal-state funded model targets underserved rural communities.  

The rural PACE expansion is part of Oklahoma’s broader Rural Health Transformation effort, which received more than $220 million in federal funding to the state in its first year to support new care models, workforce development and infrastructure improvements in rural health systems.

Lake County School Board approves $51M school reconstruction project

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