Tunneling Industry Kicks Off New Year at 2026 George A. Fox Conference

More than 500 people kicked off the new year in the underground construction industry by attending the UCA’s George A. Fox Conference Jan. 6 at the Marriott Marquis in New York City.

The event began with a keynote presentation by Marcus J. Molinaro, Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration, who outlined the key role that transportation plays in driving the economy.

Technical presentations followed the keynote, including discussions of both new builds and rehabilitation projects, notably the Sumner Tunnel Reconstruction and Howard Street Tunnel projects. This year’s agenda featured an international flair with project presentations on Melbourne, Australia’s North East Link Tunnel and the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel between Denmark and Germany.

New project presentations covered the VTA BART Silicon Valley Phase II in California, and the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel Expansion in Virginia.

With roots dating back to 2000, the George A. Fox Conference boasts a technical program driven by industry thought leaders focused on trends and technology that impact today’s tunneling professionals. It honors the legacy of George Fox, a prominent tunneler and educator in the New York City area whose accolades include lead roles in the planning, design, and management of 70 major public works projects valued in excess of $61 billion over a 50-year-plus career.

Sanja Zlatanic of HNTB completed her two-year term as the chair of the program committee. David Dorfman of Walsh Construction will take over as chair for the 2027 and 2028 conferences.