Salt Lake Temple renovation update: Tunnel drilling, installing supports and removing the plaza fountains

16 April 2021, 3:08 p.m. MDT

A secant wall of alternating steel and concrete columns forming a retaining wall has been installed on three sides of the Salt Lake Temple in April 2021. Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Recent work on the Salt Lake Temple renovation project includes progress on the tunnel and installing supports, along with work on the roof and removing the upper stones, according to an April 16 update on the Church’s Newsroom. Also, crews are removing the fountain on the Church Office Building plaza.

The Salt Lake Temple renovation project was announced in April 2019 and began at the end of December 2019. It is expected to take four years. It includes replacing the temple’s mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, seismic upgrades, along with restoring and refreshing the temple interior and grounds.

Here are some of the recent updates:

A drilling machine is used to create a tunnel under North Temple Street in April 2021. The tunnel is part of the Salt Lake Temple renovation project to connect to the Conference Center parking lot. | Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

• Tunnel: The excavation for the tunnel under North Temple Street is about 80% complete. The tunnel will connect the Conference Center parking lot to underground facilities and the temple entrance.

A drilling machine removes the soil on the upper part of the tunnel and an excavator hauls it away, along with the lower portion of the soil in the excavation area. Steel arches encased in shotcrete, a form of grout, every 4 feet line the tunnel walls.

• Supports: Three sides of the base of the temple have a secant wall to help brace and contain the existing footings. The walls are made of alternating steel and concrete columns drilled into deep holes and overlap to create a retaining wall.

The Salt Lake Temple’s copper roof sheathing has been removed and replaced with temporary roofing in April 2021. It is in preparation for additional steel trusses as part of the temple’s seismic strengthening. | Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

• Roof: The copper roof sheathing has been removed and replaced with a temporary roof in preparation for additional steel trusses that are part of the seismic project.

Workers help the tower crane operator guide a stone to placement for transportation and storage in April 2021. Stones from the top of the temple are being removed for repair and cleaning before being stored and later returned to their original spots as part of the Salt Lake Temple renovation project. | Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

• Spires: Upper stones around the top of the temple continue to be removed for cleaning and any needed repairs, before being stored and later reinstalled.

Conveyor belts are used on the Church Office Building plaza to haul away debris and other materials as the fountains, walkways and planters are removed in April 2021. | Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

• Church Office Building plaza: The two fountains are being removed along with the walkways and planter boxes. Conveyor belts have been installed to help move materials and haul away debris.

The plaza renovation, which includes a new waterproofing system, removing the circular fountain and creating green space and gardens, was announced in January and is expected to last about 18 months.