Construction Begins for Port of Miami Tunnel

P reparation work has begun on the Port of Miami Tunnel, the $1 billion project for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). When completed in 2014, the tunnel under Biscayne Bay will provide a direct link between the port and Interstates 395 and 95.

The project is being built as part of a public-private partnership between FDOT and MAT Concessionaire LLC – the private-sector consortium chosen to build the tunnel. The consortium consists of Bouygues Travaux Publics S.A. with engineering support from Jacobs Civil Inc.

Construction has begun on Watson Island, which is where the TBM will be launched next year. The project consists of twin tunnels, 42 ft in diameter and roughly 4,000 ft long, connecting Watson Island to the Port of Miami on Dodge Island. The completed tunnel is expected to relieve traffic congestion and improve the operation of the port.

The $45 million TBM for the project is being built by Herrenknecht in Germany and is expected to be delivered in summer 2011.