SAK, W.A. Rasic Tunneling in LA

By TBM News May 17, 2016

SAK Construction and W.A. Rasic Construction Co. Inc. are currently working on the $91.5 million River Supply Conduit Improvement Upper Reach (RSCIUR) Units 5 and 6 project in North Hollywood, California. The project for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) began in spring 2015 and is scheduled for completion is in early 2018.

The assignment requires the contractors to apply open-trench and tunneling strategies to install 15,768 lf of 78-in. diameter welded steel pipe and appurtenances. The open trench approach is to be applied to 5,411 lf; tunneling to 10,357 lf.

Originally built in the 1940s using concrete pipe, the 30,000-lf RSC is a major conduit for the transmission of water from LADWP’s North Hollywood Pump Station to the Headworks Spreading Ground in central Los Angeles. After more than 70 years of service, the concrete pipe is showing wear.

The new infrastructure will boost capacity and help the district meet updated state standards for water pressure, enhance system reliability, minimize air entrainment to improve water flow and widen operational flexibility within the distribution system. It will also help LADWP meet new, tougher federal and state water quality regulations by setting the stage for the city’s conversion to chloramines to disinfect drinking water.

“After a hiatus of several years, the SAK tunnel management team is thrilled to return to the West Coast to take on this technically challenging tunnel project,” said Brent Duncan, senior project manager at SAK Construction. “Excavating five separate tunnels in the middle of busy North Hollywood streets has required the project management team to solve problems with creative, unconventional methods to ensure successful completion. Our highly experienced SAK team is well suited to tackle the demands presented by this project. We look forward to a successful completion in 2017.”

Based in O’Fallon, Missouri, and with regional offices in Maryland, California and Tennessee, SAK has active projects across the U.S. The company solves the challenge of maintaining and restoring aging water and sanitary infrastructure for the municipal, energy and industrial markets. With industry-leading experience and a commitment to service excellence, SAK is a trusted partner helping customers worldwide renew, protect and expand their pipeline infrastructure.