Maintaining Pedestrian & Wheelchair-Friendly Sidewalk Access

The Customer

Mears is a leading North American energy infrastructure provider specializing in the construction, maintenance, and integrity of gas distribution and pipeline systems. Operating across multiple states, the company manages large-scale urban utility programs where public safety, schedule certainty, and strict regulatory compliance are central to every project.

The Challenge

Executing sidewalk gas works in Kansas City is complicated by strict ADA enforcement, which bans steel road plates on pedestrian routes. Mears previously left excavations open with fencing and barriers, a method that was labor-intensive, disruptive to local businesses, and unpopular with residents. A tight 14-day permit window from excavation to restoration increased the risk of costly overruns. As the program expanded, Mears needed a more efficient, noninvasive solution to maintain safe, accessible sidewalk routes and improve schedule flexibility.

Traditional options such as plywood boards or ground excavation carried significant risks and costs, including:

• Increased labor and management demands
• Disrupted pedestrian access and public perception
• Greater risk of fines and overruns
• Permit deadlines