Just outside Florence, South Carolina, next to a busy Interstate 95 interchange, a six-person team from MHS (Monty Hicks Son) Directional LLC based out of New Zion, South Carolina, was wrapping up another challenging large-diameter water installation project. Like so many other times in the past 15 years, the City of Florence called upon the father and son team to make a critical crossing under the interstate. "Anytime you're working under an interstate, there is added pressure," explained MHS owner Monty Hicks. "However, on this particular crossing, we contended with soft soil conditions and groundwater. It's a lot for a crew to think through, but in the end, we pushed a 24-in. diameter steel casing 400 ft under 1-95 in just over one-and-a-half days." The auger boring project under 1-95 is the City of Florence's new business development initiative to bring more jobs to the area. The casing under the interstate carries a 12-in. water line to connect city water to the new Buc-EE's convenience store and gas station being built. City of Florence project supervisor Doug Poston oversaw the project and said Monty Hicks and his son, Bryan, are among the best at performing trenchless water and sewer installations in the area. "We've worked with them for a long time, and they've always gotten the job done right and on time. They specialize in this type of work, which can make a huge difference on jobs like this one," Poston explained.
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