Nicholson and SolData Working on Largest Tunneling Projects in North America

Nicholson Construction was recently awarded the geotechnical contract for San Francisco’s new Central Subway Project, with long-time joint venture partner Condon-Johnson. The new light-rail system will extend the current Muni’s T Third Line by 1.7 miles, improving public transportation in San Francisco and providing direct connections to major retail, sporting and cultural venues.

Nicholson’s portion of the contract includes diaphragm wall installation for the subway launch box, jet grouting and treatment at two of the stations, compensation grouting and secant pile wall installation.

The Central Subway Project is one of the 10 largest ongoing tunneling projects in North America. Nicholson and its sister company, SolData Inc., are involved in six of those 10 projects.

Both companies are working on two of the largest tunneling projects in Seattle. Nicholson is performing temporary shoring and installing a permanent, reinforced concrete diaphragm wall for the 3.15-mile University Link light rail extension, which will connect Downtown Seattle to the University of Washington. SolData Inc. was recently awarded a multi-year contract for instrumentation on the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project, which includes the replacement of Downtown Seattle’s existing viaduct with a bored tunnel. SolData Inc. will install more than 40 CYCLOPS (automated monitoring stations) to monitor the 3D movement of buildings, structures, ground surface and rail lines during construction. All monitoring data will be managed with the company’s proprietary Geoscope package. When completed, the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement project will be the largest urban tunneling project ever constructed.

In New York, Nicholson has been performing a variety of geotechnical services on the Second Avenue Subway Project. The project includes the construction of a two-track subway line along Second Avenue from 125th Street to the Financial District in Lower Manhattan, designed to reduce overcrowding and delays on the existing Lexington Avenue line. Nicholson’s work at the site includes the installation of diaphragm walls and micropiles, jet grouting, water cutoff and temporary support of excavation.

In 2011, Nicholson was awarded the grouting contract for the new Port of Miami Tunnel Project. The grout work will fill in voids in the existing rock layer ahead of the tunnel boring machine. The twin-bored tunnel will provide a direct connection from the Port to Watson Island and will help to eliminate congestion on the busy roadway.
“These new projects add to the growing list of logistically and technically challenging geotechnical projects carried out by Nicholson nationwide in the tunneling sector,” said Andrew Walker, President, Nicholson Construction.

SolData Inc. has installed extensive monitoring instrumentation on the Schulich Excecutive Center building in Toronto. The $275 million structure is located in proximity to the new Spadina Subway extension, which is one of the largest tunneling projects in the city.

“We’ve spent a significant amount of time researching and developing the most state-of-the-art instrumentation and monitoring,” said SolData Northern America General Manager, Boris Caro Vargas.