đź› Restoring Access and Hope: Emergency Bridge Project in Asheville, NC
Posted July 2025 | Community Impact | Hurricane Helene Relief
In the wake of Hurricane Helene’s devastation across the Carolinas, United Infrastructure Group (UIG) had boots on the ground quickly. While supporting storm recovery efforts in the Asheville area as part of the I-26 Buncombe project with Fluor, our team received a unique opportunity to serve on a more personal level.
In January 2025, Pastor Robert Joly of Kingstree Presbyterian Church, leading a disaster response mission under the Presbyterian Church in America’s Mission to North America, contacted UIG CEO Jim Triplett. Pastor Joly was assisting homeowners in Western North Carolina and had learned of a local resident whose private bridge had been washed away during the storm in September 2024. The bridge was the only means of vehicular access to the man’s home—and for over four months, he had been cut off.
On Saturday, January 18, five UIG employees—Edward Castillo, Edward Castillo Jr., Stanley Clark, Bo Harris, and Manny Privette—volunteered their time and skills to restore access. They developed a plan using salvaged materials from the stream bank to construct a temporary bridge. The original girders were lifted and stabilized, fill was placed beneath the washed-out section, and timber decking was installed. Approximately 50 volunteer man-hours were contributed to complete the project.
Special thanks to Carolina CAT for providing an excavator on short notice, allowing the team to complete the work efficiently.
This project exemplified what UIG stands for: faith, service, and real-world impact. The resident was finally able to drive home again—for the first time in four months.
🌉 Bridging the Gap for Youth: Camp Canaan Bridge Replacement in Rock Hill, SC
Posted July 2025 | Community Impact | Hurricane Helene Recovery
In April 2025, United Infrastructure Group took on a project close to home—replacing the main access bridge to Camp Canaan, a nonprofit Christian youth camp located on a 100-acre island in the Catawba River in Rock Hill, SC. Camp Canaan serves over 2,500 children and families annually through summer camps, church retreats, school programs, and leadership training.
When Hurricane Helene swept through the region in 2024, the camp’s only vehicle-accessible bridge was destroyed, leaving staff, emergency services, and campers without access. With the camp’s summer programming at risk, and commercial bridge replacement costs estimated in the hundreds of thousands, Camp Canaan faced the possibility of canceling its upcoming season—and worse, long-term financial strain that could threaten its mission.
United Infrastructure Group stepped in and committed to rebuilding the bridge at no cost to the organization. Crews from our Rock Hill and Columbia offices coordinated permitting, design adjustments, and full construction—all on an accelerated timeline.
More than 300 hours were donated by UIG employees, restoring critical access to the island just in time for the summer camp season. Thanks to this collaborative effort, Camp Canaan resumed operations safely, continuing to provide life-changing experiences for youth across the region.
This project not only reconnected a physical bridge—it reinforced our belief in building up the communities we serve.
