X Marks the Spot: How Arc Solutions used DCI locating tech to pull off a high-profile shot under the 202

Not every HDD job involves drilling 900 feet under a major Arizona freeway — but for Arc Solutions, it was just another day pushing the limits of what’s possible.

This recent HDD project in Mesa wasn’t your typical day on the drill. Tasked with installing six 2-inch conduits for Verizon beneath one of the busiest freeways in the state — Loop 202 — Arc Solutions combined deep experience, flawless communication, and DCI’s industry-leading locating technology to absolutely nail this challenging bore.

The Job: Meeting in the Middle of the Highway

Crossing a major freeway is always a high-profile project, but this shot came with some unique challenges.

Arizona DOT regulations required the bore to pass at least 20 feet below the freeway surface. But because this was an active freeway with no option for closures, Arc Solutions had to locate from an overpass 25 feet above the freeway, meaning Arc Solutions had to drill down nearly 45 feet from their measurement point.

To meet this unique challenge, Arc Solutions got creative. They deployed a double-drill technique — running two Vermeer 24x40 drills, one on each side of the freeway. With their locating team positioned above on the overpass, both drills advanced toward each other, guided with precision to meet exactly in the middle beneath the freeway.

When the drill heads were within range of each other, Arc Solutions briefly paused traffic to allow the locating team to mark the exact meeting point from above. The result? Both drills were perfectly aligned, and both hit their target depth of 24 feet beneath the freeway — well within Arizona DOT’s specifications.

Once the connection point was verified, one drill retracted its rods while the other pushed through the remaining stretch of the pilot bore. The used the hard caliche ground conditions to their advantage, knowing that it would hold the bore path open and allow the rest of the shot to progress smoothly and quickly.

This double-drill technique is one Arc Solutions has refined over several freeway crossings, having completed 4 similar freeway crossings in the past— all of which have been seamless. “It’s the communication between the locators and drillers—that’s how we’re successful,” the company reported.

The Right Team and Tools Make All the Difference

The total bore length stretched 900 feet, but Arc Solutions completed the pilot bore in just under five hours. Even more impressive? Despite working in hard, caliche-packed soil, the entire job — including reaming and clean-up — was wrapped up within 12 hours. What could have easily stretched into a multi-day project was finished in a single day, thanks to careful planning, skilled operators, and the right equipment.

Accurate locating was absolutely critical on this project, and Arc Solutions leaned on DCI technology to get it done. They used a 19-inch FT5 transmitter, purpose-built for deep bores like this one. Even at depths over 20 feet and in difficult ground conditions, the crew reported no issues with signal strength or location accuracy — a key factor in keeping both drills perfectly on track.

Another essential tool was the TeraTrak R1, which played a huge role in keeping both drills aligned throughout the crossing. Before drilling even began, the Arc Solutions team walked the entire bore path, using the TeraTrak app to mark depth requirements specified by Arizona DOT as waypoints along the route. This allowed the app to generate a rod-by-rod bore plan customized to the drills and rods they were using on this specific job.

That plan was then uploaded directly to each drill’s Aurora via the R1 Integration feature, giving both drill operators an identical set of instructions to follow — step-by-step, rod-by-rod. It eliminated the guesswork and kept everyone on the same page, even while working on opposite sides of a major freeway.

As one team member put it, they were bound to succeed: “We just have to follow the TeraTrak bore profile and be patient. That’s how we’re successful.”

Communication, Patience, and DCI Tech = HDD Success

This project is a perfect example of what’s possible when experience meets the right technology. With outstanding teamwork, clear communication between drillers and locators, and the precision of DCI locating equipment, Arc Solutions once again proved why they’re leaders in the HDD space.

A big shout out to Territory Manager Jesus Alderete for bringing such an awesome shot to our awareness!