Salt Lake City, UT—The Utah Transit Authority (UTA)’s West Valley TRAX line is anticipated to be the nation’s second largest geofoam project, behind the I-15 project from 1997-2001. On June 18, 2008, UTA began construction on a line to a new West Valley city hub. The project is projected to cost $250 million and will span 5.1 miles. The West Valley line is anticipated to open in 2011 with 3,500 daily commuters.

TRAX will use an estimated 1,890,000 cubic feet or 597 truckloads of ACH Foam Technologies’ Geofoam. The first shipments of Geofoam arrived in February 2009. The Geofoam installation will be completed around Januray 1st, 2010.

Why Geofoam? Soil conditions beneath light rail tracks were so poor that a 10% of height settlement was expected if soil were used. The embankment in some places was up to 50 feet high, which would mean a total of 5 feet of settlement. The consolidation of the soil would take up to nearly two years. The use of Geofoam reduced settlement time and helped to keep the project on track and save installation time and money.

Geofoam has properties that fit the green model: It can be recycled, it is impervious to weather, it is produced without CFCs HFCs, HCFCs or formaldehyde - and with very little waste. Any clean post-industrial scrap or recovered product can be ground-up and turned into new EPS products or thermally processed into a resin to make other products such as garden furniture, coat hangers and crown molding.

About ACH Foam Technologies

For specifications, technical data and studies go to www.achfoam.com or call ACH Foam Technologies at 800.525.8697.For over four decades ACH Foam Technologies has been an industry leader in EPS manufacturing, providing products for construction, geotechnical, packaging, and industrial applications. With locations throughout the U.S., ACH is positioned to offer convenient, valuable, and complete solutions for its customers. ACH recycles 100% of its post-industrial EPS and is actively involved in recycling post-consumer EPS as well.