What's New

Project News

2018:

Clear Creek Trail Huron to Mariposa, Adams County

Drexel Barrell Transportation Engineers designed the reconstruction of Clear Creek Trail from Huron to Mariposa (1,350 feet) for the Adams County Parks and Open Space Department. The new trail is designed to be resilient to erosion, improves safety, and protects water rights of the adjacent irrigation ditch.

Aurora Fires Station 15

Working closely with the City of Aurora and architect HBAA, Drexel Barrell surveyors and civil engineers prepared boundary and topographic surveys and full civil construction plans for Fire Station 15 at 1880 S. Flatrock Trail, the City's newest fire station.

Golden Lane Bridge Replacement on Fountain Creek, Colorado Springs

Under contract to El Paso County and with Federal funding and CDOT oversight, our Colorado Springs office designed the new Golden Lane Bridge at Fountain Creek to replace an aging and obsolete structure providing the sole means of access to a nearby residential commmunity.

2017:

Drexel Barrell was a proud participant in the 2009 dedication and June 15, 2017 rededication of the 40th Baseline Monumentation, located along Baseline Road near Broadway. The Monumentation commemorates the 1859 survey to establish the 40th parallel of latitude from Kansas to "the top of the Rocky Mountains", a prime reference in US Government land surveys of the Western US.

Baseline Survey Monumentation, Boulder

Survey Principal William K. Wright, PLS was a key member of the organizing and planning team and represented Drexel Barrell at both events.

Apres Ski Way / Village Dr. Multi-Modal Improvements, Steamboat Springs. Drexel Barrell previously designed the roundabout at Apres Ski / Mt. Werner Circle seen in the distance.

Apres Ski Way / Village Drive Intersection, Steamboat Springs

Burgess Creek Box Culvert at Apres Ski Way, Steamboat Springs

Contractors recently constructed a Drexel Barrell-designed 100-year capacity box culvert on Burgess Creek at Apres Ski Way in Steamboat Springs. The 12' x 4' box carries 600-cfs (substantially more than the culverts it replaces) while achieving a zero rise in water surface, and is part of the Apres Ski Way / Village Drive Intersection Improvements project. A second companion culvert that Drexel Barrell is designing will carry Burgess Creek beneath Village Drive.

Boulder County / FEMA CDBG-DR Private Bridge Replacement on Longmont Dam Rd. / N. St. Vrain Creek, Lyons

Boulder County / FEMA CDBG-DR Private Bridge Replacement on Left Hand Creek, Jamestown

Drexel Barrell is providing bridge replacement engineering for homeowners who lost access to their homes during the 2013 Great Flood as part of the Boulder County / FEMA CDBG-Disaster Relief Program.

Services include engineering assessments and evaluations, surveying and mapping, hydrology, hydraulics, structural engineering (by sub-consultants), construction management, and inspection. We have evaluated 6 replacements and designed 4 bridges on Lefthand and St. Vrain Creeks (with two currently under construction).

Drexel Barrell is a key member of the Logan Simpson Design team preparing the new City of Colorado Springs Comprehensive Plan. Our role includes evaluation and assistance forecasting the Water, Wastewater, Stormwater, Energy, Telecommunications, and Natural Resources elements.

Construction continues at Downtown Westminster (the City's 105-acre redevelopment at 92nd at Harlan), with completion scheduled for 2017. Drexel Barrell provided design of site infrastructure, including utilities, streets, signal modifications, lighting, construction management, inspection, testing and staking.

Highline Lake State Park Redevelopment Plan, Loma

Drexel Barrell teamed with Design Concepts to provide Colorado Parks and Wildlife with a plan to modernize and enhance this popular bicycling, boating, fishing, and swimming destination in Mesa County. This was Drexel Barrell's second project at Highline. We previously designed new maintenance facilities and made long-term recommendations for utility improvements.

2016:

Seven Falls ALTA Survey (1,400-acres), Colorado Springs

Surveyors from our Colorado Springs office completed an ALTA boundary survey of the scenic, historic and very rugged Seven Falls property (1,400-acres) as part of the sale to the Broadmoor Hotel.

Las Vegas Street-US 24 Flyover Interchange, Colorado Springs

Drexel Barrell teamed with FHU to plan and design the replacement of the accident-prone Las Vegas / Royer Street at-grade railroad crossing for the City of Colorado Springs. The relocated interchange will dramatically improve safety by routing Las Vegas Street under US 24 and across the mainline UPRR and BNSF Tracks at this safer location.

UCHealth Grandview Hospital, Colorado Springs

Drexel Barrell provided surveying and civil engineering, and FirstChoice / UCHealth recently completed construction of their newest hospital, Grandview in Colorado Springs.

800 28th Street Student Apartments, Boulder

Contractors recently finished construction of U Club on 28th Apartments at 800 28th Street, and students moved in to start Fall classes. The project is located directly east of the CU Boulder campus, and is one of several in Boulder developed by American Campus Communities .

Clear Lake Dam Reconstruction Surveying, Georgetown

For two years, Drexel Barrell has provided construction surveying to ASI Constructors for the reconstruction of Clear Lake Dam and Reservoir. The Xcel Energy-operated hydro-electric project is on Guanella Pass Road at an elevation of nearly 10,000 feet, high above Georgetown (photo courtesy ASI).

Apres Ski Way / Village Dr. Intersection Improvements, Steamboat Springs

Construction is underway on the Apres Ski Way / Village Drive intersection in Steamboat Springs. Drexel Barrell designed the intersection realignment, pedestrian improvements, underground utilities, and a new 100-year capacity box culvert on Burgess Creek. Completion is scheduled for October.

Colorado Springs Airport Runway and Taxiway Replacements

Drexel Barrell surveyors from our Colorado Springs Office recently completed our third project providing survey control and precise staking for runway and taxiway replacements at the Colorado Springs Airport (with IHC).

Green Pipe Bridge Replacement, Routt County

Routt County completed replacement of the Green Pipe Bridge, located on CR 67 over the E. Williams Fork of the Yampa River near Pagoda. Drexel Barrell led the design team (incl. structural) that designed the replacement. The project received federal funds, administered by CDOT Region 3.

Drexel Barrell conducts final walk through for Walden Ponds Flood Damage Repairs, Boulder County Parks and Open Space. The 2013 flood damage is shown in the top-left photo. We provided all surveying, dam repair design, and construction observation services.

City of Montrose opens newly widened Woodgate Road Improvements designed by Drexel Barrell (from Ogden to Oxbow), Montrose. City of Montrose' new Recreation Center under construction, top left (photo courtesy City of Montrose).

Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8 Sports Fields, Fountain

Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8 opened their new multi-sport fields on Jimmy Camp Creek Road recently. Drexel Barrell provided all surveying and civil engineering to the District, and Art Klein Construction built the facilities and provided these photos.

Drexel Barrell provided surveying and site civil engineering for the original conversion and the 2015-2016 expansion of the old Robinson Dairy Plant into the thriving Dairy Center for the Arts.

Drexel Barrell provided surveying, civil, and traffic engineering for Leprino Foods original Greeley Plant construction in 2010. In 2016, Leprino expanded their on-site wastewater operations to accommodate increasing production. Once again, Leprino and their plant engineers Symbiont called upon our staff to provide all surveys, civil engineering, and approvals through the City of Greeley and the State of Colorado.

Rueter-Hess Reservoir High Precision Surveys, Parker

The Parker Water and Sanitation District calls on the expert surveyors of Drexel Barrell to carefully monitor the embankment and outlet works at Rueter-Hess Reservoir for settlement. As part of a multi-year effort, our surveyors conduct first-order level surveys. This includes measurements 1/4 mile inside the outlet works, no place for the claustrophobic!

9Seventy 28th Street Student Apartments, Boulder

Drexel Barrell provided all surveying, civil engineering, and entitlement processing for 9Seventy 28th Street Student Apartments, adjacent to the CU-Boulder Campus.

Drexel Barrell teamed with Boulder-based Charlier Associates to prepare the 2016 Brighton Transportation Master Plan.

2015

2015 was a very busy and productive year for Drexel Barrell.

Our Surveyors completed right-of-way mapping of 9 miles of WCR 49 for Weld County, surveyed historic Seven Falls near Colorado Springs (1,300-ac.), staked new taxiways and approaches at the Colorado Springs Airport, staked the new RTD Pena Light Rail Station (on the Denver to DIA route), staked the Visual and Performing Arts Center and new residence hall at UCCS, provided surveying for Clear Lake Dam near Georgetown, and staked infrastructure for the City of Westminster's Downtown Development project.

S. Platte River Trail and Bridges, 108th to 120th, Adams County Parks and Recreation / UD&FCD

Adams County Parks and Recreation and the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District commissioned Drexel Barrell to design over 10,000 feet of 10-foot trail and two new pedestrian bridges (S. Platte River and the Bull Seep Canal). The new trail extends between 108th and 120th Avenues, and represents the last segment between Chatfield Reservoir and Thornton.

Our Transportation Engineers completed the last segment of the South Platte River Trail from 108th to 120th Avenues for Adams County and the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District, completed roadway and bridge designs for El Paso County at Golden Lane / Spring Creek and Fontaine Blvd Multi-Modal Improvements, Routt County at Butler Creek, Moon Hill, and Trout Creek, designed Woodgate Road widening improvements for the City of Montrose, completed engineering of the Apres Ski Way / Village Drive Intersection, and designed York Street improvements for Adams County.

Apres Ski Way / Village Drive Intersection Improvements, Steamboat Springs

The City of Steamboat Springs retained the transportation and traffic engineers of Drexel Barrell to redesign and improve the intersection of Apres Ski Way / Village Drive in the heart of Ski Town USA. Our services included designing a new box culvert for Burgess Creek.

Drexel Barrell's Water Resources Group focused on many flood recovery projects, including embankment repairs at Walden Ponds Park and 7 private bridge replacements under Boulder County's CDBG-DR program, design of segments of the Boulder Creek and LOBO Trails, the Bear Canyon Creek LOMR, multiple flood recovery and trail projects for the City of Boulder, a LOMR for the Little Thompson River in Milliken, improvements to Ken Mitchell Ponds, and design of a section of the Platte River Interceptor Sewer for the City of Brighton.

Our Civil Engineers designed the infrastructure for the City of Westminster Downtown Development, redesigned the parking for the Colorado State Capitol, designed new water system improvements at Camp George West, a new hospital in Colorado Springs, a rehabilitation center in Louisville, hospital improvements in Holyoke, two new retirements communities in El Paso County, a new residential development in Severance (Dalton's Run), and many other projects across the State of Colorado.

The City of Westminster retained Drexel Barrell to provide the design of site infrastructure (water, sewer, storm, streets, lighting, parking, staking, constructon phase services) for this 105-acre redevelopment of the Westminster Mall site.

Washington St. Improvements, 52nd to 58th, Adams County

Adams County Transportation completed the construction of widening, pedestrian, and safety improvements to Washington St. from 52nd to 58th Avenues, designed by Drexel Barrell.

800 28th Street Student Housing, Boulder.

800 28th Street is our fourth project for American Campus Communities. Drexel Barrell provided all surveys, platting, civil design, and approval processing for the transformation of the previous Holiday Inn site to student housing.

Spring Gulch Underpass at SH 119, Longmont

Spring Gulch Underpass, concept and completed project.

Drexel Barrell designed the Spring Gulch / SH 119 Underpass and over 3 miles of trail for the City of Longmont.

Staff News

2018:

Ed Roberts joins our Boulder Office to manage multi-disciplined projects including roadways, utilities, and drainage. Ed brings 45 years of comprehensive civil engineering and project management experience, including ownership of his own firm and designing hundreds of projects in Colorado, California, and Missouri.

Drexel Barrell announces key promotions:

Drexel Barrell is proud to announce the promotion of two key employees to Principal.

Tim D. McConnell, P.E., Manager of our Colorado Springs office has been an integral member of our company since 2010. He has demonstrated leadership and proven ability to manage our growing Colorado Springs office for both public and private sector clients. Recent projects include Golden Lane Bridge Replacement for El Paso County, 1.5 miles of trunk sewer replacement for Trinidad, and numerous residential projects across El Paso County.

Mathew E. Selders, PLS has been employed at Drexel Barrell since 2000. Matt supervises field and office survey operations in Boulder, including scheduling assignments, supervising surveys and plats, and preparing proposals. Representative projects include: 29th Street, WW Reynolds property surveys, and the Peloton in Boulder, Clear Lake Dam, Downtown Westminster, and the Snowmass Golf Course.

Michael D. Middleton, P.E., Principal reaches career milestone

Though not nearly as impressive as the tenure record set by his partner Bill Wright, Mike reached his 25 year anniversary with Drexel Barrell in 2018.

A graduate of North Carolina State University with a BS in Civil Engineering and the University of Colorado with a Masters in Business Administration, Mike was City Engineer of Broomfield, Operations Engineer for Boulder County Transportation Department (then Public Works), and founded and operated Columbine Engineering Management Group, Inc. for 10 years before joining Drexel.

2017:

William K. Wright, PLS, Principal reaches career milestone

A native of Utah who grew up in Pennsylvania, Bill earned a degree in Surveying from Paul Smith's College (NY). After graduating and working for two years in PA, he moved west to Boulder. Hired by founder Frank Drexel in June 1977, Bill has been continously employed by our firm for 40 years! (the longest tenure in our company's history).

Bill started in the original Drexel Barrell offices at 1425 Pearl Street, and his first assignment was manually drafting an Improvement Location Certificate under Frank Drexel's seal. Working his way up through the ranks, Bill took on ever-increasing responsibility and duties as he gained experience and honed his survey skills.

In 1985, he demonstrated the knowledge, experience, and proficiency required to become licensed as a Colorado Professional Land Surveyor. In 1994, Bill became a stockholder and in 1999 a Principal of Drexel Barrell.

Much like a detective, surveying requires a methodical and analytical approach, painstaking research and investigation, and meticulous attention to detail. Bill proudly carries on in the tradition of the company founder, Frank Drexel, PLS.

2016:

Drexel Barrell announces new Associates:

In January, Drexel Barrell proudly announced the promotion to Associate of two members of our firm. The new Associates are: Cameron W. Knapp, P.E., LEED AP, Manager of our Greeley Office and, Patrick C. O'Hearn, PLS, Senior Surveyor in our Colorado Springs office.

Cameron Knapp joined Drexel Barrell in 2008 and spent six years in our Greeley and Boulder offices before re-opening our Greeley office last fall. He served eight years with the US Army Reserves before joining our firm. Cameron knows the staff and is thoroughly familiar with City of Greeley and Weld County requirements and approval procedures.

Pat O'Hearn has been employed at Drexel Barrell since 2007 and has been the surveyor for our Grand Junction, Steamboat Springs and Colorado Springs Offices. He brings over 40 years of Colorado land surveying experience and wisdom to his current position as Associate and Survey Manager of our Colorado Springs office.

Tim D. McConnell, P.E. promoted to Senior Associate

Tim McConnell, the Manager of our Colorado Springs Office has been promoted to the position of Senior Associate in recognition of his achievements in managing operations in El Paso County and southern Colorado. Tim joined Drexel, Barrell & Co. in 2010 after 17 years of providing civil engineering in Colorado Springs (including operating his own civil engineering and surveying firm).

Tim and his staff serve public and private sector clients designing infrastructure throughout the Pikes Peak Region.