Tunnel Update – October 2017

Three times per year, TBM: Tunnel Business Magazine recaps the status of major tunneling projects underway in the United States and Canada. Below is the Tunnel Update that appeared in the October 2017 issue of the print edition.

CALIFORNIA

Los Angeles

Crenshaw/LAX
Walsh/Shea Corridor Constructors
This $1.278 billion project for the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), being built by a joint venture of Walsh and Shea, is an 8.5-mile light-rail line that will run between the Expo Line on Exposition Boulevard and the Metro Green Line. NTP was issued in September 2013 with revenue service expected by October 2019.

The project consists of twin bore tunnels, about 1-mile long each, connecting three underground stations. The tunnel is 21-ft OD (19-ft ID) and is approximately 70 ft below ground. Ground conditions are soft ground/alluvial, leading to the choice of an EPB TBM.

Construction of the concrete tunnel invert is now 100% complete. Work on the tunnel emergency walkway continues to progress well and is approximately 60% complete. Excavation and initial support of all five of the cross passages between the tunnels is complete and they are in various stages of waterproofing, concreting and outfitting.

Parties affiliated with the project – TBM Manufacturer – Herrenknecht (Germany); Consultants: HNTB; Construction Support Services: Stantec; Tunnel Engineering: Arup; Systems: L.K. Comstock; Structural Engineering: SC Solutions; Community Outreach: Los Angeles Urban League; Civil Engineering: Jenkins/Gales & Martinez; Electrical: Neal Electric; Quality Control: QEI; Survey: Psomas.

Key Project Personnel – Deputy Executive Officer, Project Director (Metro): Charles H. Beauvoir; Interim DEO, Deputy Project Director (Metro): Kimberly Ong; RE (Metro): Dana Rogers; Project Manager (WSCC): Jim Gardner; Deputy Project Manager (WSCC): Dave Preston; Construction Manager (WSCC): Carl Christensen.

Los Angeles

Regional Connector Project
Regional Connector Constructors (Skanska/Traylor JV)
The tunneling portion of the $1 billion Regional Connector project for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority involves 5,795 ft. of twin tunnels with an excavated diameter of 22 ft. The ground conditions range from alluvial soils to the siltstone of the Fernando formation with potential for perched groundwater, methane, hydrogen sulfide gas, and possible boulders. The groundwater table is generally above the tunnel alignment. EPB TBM tunneling is required using precast, concrete segments with double gaskets as the tunnel lining system. The tunnel depth ranges from 25 ft to approximately 100 ft and crosses beneath the existing Metro Red Line heavy rail tunnels with less than 7 ft of clearance.

The Regional Connector also includes approximately 2,100 ft. of cut-and-cover and retained cut guideway, and three cut-and-cover subway stations. The bored tunnels will pass through two of the cut-and-cover stations, requiring coordination between cut-and-cover and tunnel excavation. NTP was issued July 7, 2014, with an original project completion date of May 29, 2021.

The 1st & Central Station, where the tunnels start, has been excavated to full depth, and the concrete invert was completed in January 2017. The TBM was assembled, and walked from the TBM assembly pit across Alameda Street to the launch site at the west end of the station.

As of the end of July, the excavation of the first of the twin tunnels is complete, and the TBM is in the process of being disassembled and taken back to 1st and Central Station to relaunch for the second tunnel.

The 2nd & Broadway Station is currently being excavated above the already mined L-Track TBM tunnel. The Broadway Station will not be excavated in time for the TBM to walk through the station, so both tunnel drives will occur through the station, with final station excavation to follow.

Excavation of the approximately 100-ft deep 2nd & Hope Station is complete, and concrete operations are ongoing.

The downtown Los Angeles location of the Regional Connector provides challenges in the coordination of the project work with multiple third parties, several of which are not fans of the project.

The Regional Connector will be the first subway tunnel project in Los Angeles to connect to an operating rail system at both ends; the Blue Line on the south and the Gold Line on the north.

Parties affiliated with the project – Tunnel Designer for the Contractor: Hatch Mott MacDonald; Metro’s Construction Management Consultant: Arcadis; TBM Manufacturer: Herrenknecht; Preliminary design was completed by CPJV (AECOM/ PB JV), which is also performing design services during construction.

Key Project Personnel – Metro Project Executives: Gary Baker, Project Manager; Girish Roy, Deputy Project Manager; Metro Design Consultants: (AECOM/PB JV), Bill Hansmire, Tunnel Design Manager; Metro Construction Manager Consultants: (Arcadis), Patrick Jolly, Construction Manager; Ron Drake, Technical Advisor; Resident Engineer, Glen Frank. Contractor Project Executives (Regional Connector Contractors) RCC: (Skanska) Mike Aparicio, Mike Smithson; (Traylor) Christophe Bragard. RCC Tunnel Engineers are Darren von Platen, Eren Kusdogan, Nick Karlin and Bobby Schmid; Spencer Booker is Tunnel Survey Director; Tunnel Superintendent is Bert Dore; Equipment Superintendent is Bryan Hadley; Electrical Superintendent is Wayne Wolff; General Superintendent for RCC is Paul McDermott.

Los Angeles

Westside Purple Line Extension Project – Section 1
Skanska/Traylor/Shea JV
The Westside Purple Line Extension Project is a 9-mile long project that consists of three sections that are being planned to be built and opened for revenue service before the end of the next decade. Section 1 is a 3.92-mile long subway alignment with three stations that is being constructed under Wilshire Boulevard in gassy ground and tar sands with prehistoric fossil deposits utilizing the design-build delivery method.

NTP for the $1.636 million design-build contract was issued on Jan. 12, 2015. Tunneling operations are planned to begin in mid-2018. The tunneling operations will be staged through the shoring box of the Wilshire/La Brea Station excavation. The Revenue Service Date per the Full Funding Grant Agreement is Oct. 31, 2024.

The scope of work includes 17,900 ft of twin-bore tunnel: Reach 1 is 9,600 lf between Wilshire/La Brea Station and Wilshire/Western TBM retrieval shaft; Reach 2 is 4,400 lf between Wilshire/La Brea and Wilshire/Fairfax Stations; and Reach 3 is 3,300 lf between Wilshire/ Fairfax and Wilshire/La Cienega Stations. There is also 600 lf of tail track to the west of Wilshire/ La Cienega Station where the TBMs will be buried. The tunnel is 18-ft, 10-in. inside diameter with 12-in. thick precast concrete lining. Depth varies from 40 ft and 100 ft. The alignment includes three stations and the western retrieval shaft and 23 cross passages.

Tunnels are planned to be mined by two Herrenknecht EPBMs. Cross-passages are planned to be mined by the sequential excavation method using variety of localized ground support systems. Anticipated ground conditions include: Soft ground consisting of Pleistocene-age (San-Pedro) and Pliocene-age (Fernando) formations; Some alluvium deposits and artificial fill areas above the tunnel; Tar sands comprise almost 25% of tunnel alignment; Expected water table up to 90 lf above tunnel crown; Presence of methane (CH4) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gases (tunnels are deemed “gassy” by OSHA). The project is 15% complete.

Production of tunnel precast concrete Liners began in November 2016. TBM manufacturer Herrenknecht has completed manufacture of the two TBMs, and the functionality tests were successfully conducted at the Herrenknecht factory in July. Delivery to LA is scheduled in November. Jet grouting of cross-passages began in November 2016. Wilshire/ La Brea Station excavation (tunnel launch point) began in July 2016.

Tunnel Designer – PTG/CH2M (for STS JV); Construction Manager: WEST JV (Stantec/Jacobs
Engineering/AECOM); Major Subcontractors – TBM Manufacturer: Herrenknecht; Precast: Traylor precast; Support of Excavation/piles: Condon Johnson; Jet Grouting: Malcolm Drilling; Geotechnical instrumentation: Group Delta; Dewatering: Moretrench; Standpipe: Link Nielsen.

Key Project Personne – James Cohen, Executive Officer, Program Management LACMTA; Ashok Kothari, Project Director, WSP/Parsons Brinckerhoff; (Skanska) Mike Aparicio, Mike Smithson; (Traylor) John McDonald, Matt Burdick, Richard McLane; (Shea) Jim Marquart, Jim Honeycutt.

COLORADO

Denver

Denver Water Conduit Project
Michels Corporation
Michels Corporation is starting construction of five tunnels for Denver Water’s Conduit 16 project for Reynolds Construction to convey water from the Ralston Reservoir to the Moffat Water Treatment Plant. The five tunnels will total 5,494 lf of 84-in. diameter steel pipeline and all appurtenances. The tunnels include: I-70 crossing, 1,575 lf, two shafts; Highway 93, 300 lf, hand tunnel steel set, 104-in. steel casing; Main Line Railroad, 133.5 lf hand tunnel steel set, 104-in. steel casing; Spur Railroad, 50 lf, digging shield 104-in. steel casing; Highway 58, 270 lf hand tunnel steel set. A 104-in. Lovat Earth Pressure Balance tunnel boring machine (EPBTBM) is being used for the two-pass tunneling; digger shields are being used for the hand tunnels. The project will be completed in early 2019.

CONNECTICUT

Hartford

South Hartford Conveyance and Storage Tunnel (SHCST)
Kenny/Obayashi
The South Hartford Conveyance and Storage Tunnel (SHCST) is a 4-mile long deep rock tunnel constructed to convey and temporarily store wastewater from portions of Hartford and West Hartford during storm events. The tunnel will extend from the Hartford Water Pollution Control facility in the South Meadows of Hartford to Talcott Road in West Hartford.
When completed in 2023, the tunnel will minimize sewer overflows into the local waterways, the Connecticut River and Long Island Sound during major storm events. The SHCST project is the largest infrastructure component of the MDC’s $2.4 billion Clean Water Project and the largest contract ever awarded by the MDC.
As of July, Kenny/Obayashi had begun constructing the shafts. A $13 million, 21-ft diameter Herrenknecht TBM will be used to drive the tunnel. The TBM was expected to ship to the site by late September or early October.

Wethersfield

Goff Brook Overflow Closure
Bradshaw Construction Corporation
Bradshaw will soon begin construction for a 60-in. microtunneling/conventional TBM project for 30- and 48-in. FRP sanitary sewer installations. 1,850 lf of 60-in. steel casing will be installed over four drives with a Herrenknect AVN 1200 MTBM, with the longest drive totaling 850 lf. Ground conditions for microtunneling operations will vary between dense sand, silty gravel and siltstone, with groundwater anticipated. An additional 650 ft will be installed behind an Akkerman WM480 TBM in dry lean clay and silty sand with gravel. The project members include the Metropolitan District Commission (Owner), CH2M (Engineer) and Baltazar Contractors Inc. (General Contractor), with Bradshaw Construction performing as tunneling subcontractor. Construction is scheduled to begin in fall 2017. Project Information: Jordan Bradshaw – Project Manager; Jordan.bradshaw@bradshawcc.com.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Washington

Division H – Anacostia River Tunnel
Impregilo Healy Parsons JV
This is a $253.9 million project for DC Water with NTP given June 4, 2013, and final completion expected by March 13, 2018. The primary components of the project include 12,300 lf of 23-ft ID tunnel, approximately 100 ft deep, with 6 shafts. The tunnel is driven in heavy clay and sand/clay with up to 3 bar pressure using EPB TBM.

The project is 91% complete by schedule. The TBM drive completed Nov. 5, 2016. The alignment crossed under the Anacostia River, several fragile utility lines, and several freeways without damage. Excavation for surface structures has been completed. Concrete placement for near surface structures and shaft internals is in full swing at 6 shaft sites. The project included a microtunnel drive, 128-in. diameter by 330-ft long, under CSX tracks that tied into the main tunnel.

Special/unique Features of the Job Included: Design-Build project; Extensive use of slurry walls; Depressurizations of lower artesian aquifer while leaving upper aquifer undisturbed; TBM advance using conveyor belt system through multiple curves with vertical belt storage unit exterior to the shaft; Steel fiber precast segmental lining; Extensive use of geotechnical instruments for monitoring TBM excavation performance; and use of compensation grouting to cross under fragile critical utilities.

Designer: Parsons Professional Corporation; Construction Manager: Gilbane; Major Subcontractors: Moretrench, Con-Seg, Bulldog Construction, SECA, Kelly Electric, Hess Mechanical. TBM Manufacturer: Herrenknecht. Conveyor Manufacturer: H+E.

Project Manager: Shane Yanagisawa; Deputy Project Manager: Phil Colton; Construction Manager: Andrea Sessena; Quality Manager: Rick Munzer; Business Manager: Ale Meillon; Design

Manager: Jonathan Taylor; General Superintendent: Garry Horner; Equipment Manager: Chuck Tedford; Electrical Superintendent: Bruce Haught; Concrete Superintendents: Jimmy Hill, Robb Brunner, Stuart Casasola, Tom Alexander; Senior Concrete Engineer: Andy Wolterman; Construction Manager: Scott Shylanski. Information: John Kennedy, (702) 524-0438.

Washington

Oregon Avenue NW Sewer Rehabilitation Project – DC Water Contract 150130
Bradshaw Construction Corp.
Bradshaw is constructing a $16.8 million sewer project the DC Water. The project consists of approximately 4,300 ft of 24-in. sewer interceptor, including 2,600 ft to be installed by microtunneling in four drives, with the longest being 1,860 f along Oregon Avenue at depths of up to 90 ft. A 60-in. casing will be tunneled using a Herrenknecht AVN-1200 MTBM, in which the 24-in. PVC carrier pipe will be installed. Subsurface conditions will consist of Tonalite rock ranging from slightly weathered to highly decomposed.

The project also includes the installation of nine access shafts, 1,500 ft of open-cut sewer installation, three live connections to the existing sewer system and the abandonment of the existing 15-in. sewer the new 24-in. one will be replacing. All work will be installed within Oregon Avenue, bordering a congested, residential area, and Rock Creek Park, owned by the National Park Service.
To date, Bradshaw has completed five shafts, including a 33-ft long by 22-ft wide, elliptical steel rib and liner plate shaft, which is 42 ft deep and served as the project’s main mining shaft. The longest tunnel drive on the project, 1,860-ft long, has also been successfully completed, after four long months of mining. Shaft and tunnel excavation will continue through the project completion in fall 2018.

Information: Todd Brown, Project Manager; tbrown@bradshawcc.com.

GEORGIA

Atlanta

Raw Water Supply Program
Atkinson Construction
The City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management is converting an over-a-century-old quarry into a 2.4 billion-gallon raw water storage facility. The system consists of a deep hard rock tunnel, two deep pump stations, two dropshafts and multiple connecting adits and shafts. Bored with a Robbins TBM from tunnel portal at the quarry base, the tunnel is approximately 24,000 ft long, 250 to 450 ft deep, 13 ft in bore diameter, and is partially concrete lined with modified contact grouting to control water infiltration/exfiltration. The project is being delivered via a Construction Management at Risk (CMAR) mechanism.

The program design will address the objectives of achieving 100 years of asset lifecycle and flexibility in system operations. The estimated cost of design and construction for conveyance and water storage is approximately $300 million.

As of Sept. 1, the TBM was at Station 77+71, with project completion scheduled for July 2019.

Decatur

I-285 30-in. DIP Crossing
Bradshaw Construction Corporation
Bradshaw will soon begin construction on a microtunneling project, installing 245 ft of 60-in. steel casing under I-285 for a 30-in. DIP water transmission main. Georgia Department of Transportation has contracted Pittman Construction Co. and John D. Stephens Inc. to build the project, with Bradshaw being selected as a tunneling subcontractor to install the highway crossing. The tunnel will be installed behind a Herrenknecht AVN-1200 microtunnel boring machine. 32-ft and 16-ft diameter liner plate launch and recovery shafts will be installed through loose sands with the water table settling near tunnel casing crown. The tunnel itself will begin and end in these sands, but will pass through a pinnacle of gneiss in the middle of the drive. Construction is scheduled to begin in early September 2017. Project Information: Jordan Bradshaw – Project Manager; Jordan.bradshaw@bradshawcc.com.

HAWAII

Kaneohe/Kailua Sewer Tunnel Project

Kaneohe/Kailua
Southland/Mole Joint Venture
This $173 million project for the City and County of Honolulu, Department of Design and Construction, Wastewater Division, is on track for final completion in November 2017. Crews were 75 percent complete with contact grouting the pipe and building out the exit shaft as of late August.

NTP was issued on Jan. 6, 2014. The project includes 16,338 lf of 13-ft TBM tunnel (10-ft ID GFRP carrier pipe) and two slurry wall shafts – one 87-ft diameter and 95-ft deep (launch shaft at Kailua) and one 30.5-ft diameter, 54-ft deep receiving shaft (Kaneohe). Ground conditions included a variation from massive basalt to highly weathered basalt with clay in-fills, and soft estuarine deposits requiring jet grout installation for 500 lf of tunnel. Tunnel hole-through occurred on June 28, 2016. The tunnel is the first TBM tunnel to be built on the islands of Hawaii.

Lead Designer: Wilson Okamoto Corporation; Tunnel Designer: Jacobs Associates; Construction Manager: Bowers and Kubota Consulting; Major Subcontractors: Layne Christensen Company (slurry wall & jet grout); James W. Fowler (microtunnel); Brierley Associates (Design Consultant); Hobas Pipe USA (GRFP Pipe); TBM Manufacturer: Robbins Company.

Project Personnel: Tim Winn, SMJV Project Director; Don Painter, SMJV Project Manager; Bill Kominek, SMJV Quality Control Manager; Quang D. Tran, SMJV Senior Project Engineer; Mike Young, CM Director.

ILLINOIS

Chicago

McCook Reservoir Project
Kiewit
The McCook Reservoir Project is a 10 billion gallon reservoir being built out of a large rock quarry for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRDGC). The reservoir is being built in two stages to allow the first stage to be completed and fully functioning while rock is being quarried from the Stage 2 area.

Major components of the $638 million project include an overburden cutoff wall, distribution tunnels, a main tunnel, dewatering pumps, gates, valves, hydraulic structures, aquifer protection, and an aeration system. The project helps with combined sewer (sanitary and storm) overflows that cause flooding and watercourse contamination in the Chicago area and benefits Chicago and 36 suburbs, including 1.5 million structures and 5 million people.

Construction is nearing completion on the Main Tunnel and gates installation. In addition, the Final Reservoir Preparation contract, which will include the hydraulic structures in the reservoir and the aeration system, is well underway. This contract will finish Stage 1 of the reservoir ready for use at the end of 2017. Stage 2 of the reservoir will be constructed after mining of rock in the Stage 2 area is completed in 2027.

INDIANA

Fort Wayne

Three Rivers Protection and Overflow Reduction Tunnel (3RPORT)
Salini-Impregilo /Healy JV
This $188 million project for the City of Fort Wayne – City Utilities consists of 24,500 lf of tunnel, 16 ft ID, segmentally lined, excavated with slurry TBM at a depth of approximately 200 ft. Starter and tail tunnel construction are being built by drill-blast method. There are three large-diameter shafts (between 28 and 70 ft diameter) supported with slurry walls through overburden and excavated through rock with drill-blast. There are 13 small-diameter (4 to 10 ft diameter) shafts excavated with blind drill method. The alignment crosses through limestone of the Wabash Formation with anticipated high groundwater inflow in the range of 5,000 gpm to 10,000 gpm at 6.5 bar pressure.

The Contract Award was April 26, 2017. NTP was issued May 1st, 2017, with site work starting immediately thereafter. TBM mobilization is expected around May 2018. Substantial completion will be around August 2021.

Tunnel Designer: Black & Veatch; Construction Manager: CH2M.

Key Project Personnel: Owner/City of Ft Wayne: Mark Gensic, TJ Short; Tunnel Designer: Black & Veatch: Leo Gentile (Senior Project Manager), Matthew Pierce (Project Manager);

Construction Manager: CH2M: Glen Adams (Regional Construction Manager); Contractor: Salini-Impregilo/Healy JV: John Kennedy (Project Director); Manfred Lechner (Project Manager); Claudio Cimiotti (Construction Manager); Lance Waddell (Chief Engineer). Information: John Kennedy at jkennedy@sahealy.com or 702-524-0438.

Indianapolis

Deep Rock Tunnel Connector, Eagle Creek Deep Tunnel
Shea-Kiewit JV
The Deep Rock Tunnel Connector is a 42,000-ft, 20-ft, 2-in. diameter bored tunnel with an 18-ft finished concrete lining (approximately 250 ft deep). There are two bifurcations in the final alignment and three CSO connecting structures/deaeration chambers and adits. The Eagle Creek Deep Tunnel is a 9,175-ft, 20-ft, 2-in bored tunnel with an 18-ft finished concrete lining. Total contract value for both segments is approximately $220 million. The work is for Citizens Energy Group’s DigIndy project, which is a CSO reduction program including six deep rock tunnels totaling over 28 miles.

Tunnel lining consists of 12-in. thick cast-in-place concrete liner. Tunnel mining and lining are complete. Ongoing work includes construction of the adits and deaeration chambers, as well as post-lining contact grouting and concrete spot repairs. Substantial completion is anticipated in September 2017.

Key Project Personnel – Construction PM: Christian Heinz, P.E.; Assistant Project Manager/ Project Engineer: Percy Townsend; Safety Manager: Kyle Shickles; Equipment Superintendent: Keith Walter; Field Engineers: Eric Haacke, Zack Heinrich, Kendall Gadd, Chris Monahan, Max Engen.

Inspection PM: Alex Varas, P.E. (AECOM), Assistant PM: Mark Guay (AECOM).

Owner: Citizens Energy Group – Manager of Construction: Mike Miller, P.E.; Supervisor Special Projects: Tim Shutters; Construction Supervisor: John Morgan.

Indianapolis

White River Tunnel, Lower Pogues Run Tunnel
Shea-Kiewit JV
The White River Tunnel is a 30,600-ft, 20-ft, 2-in. diameter bored tunnel with an 18-ft finished concrete lining (approximately 250 ft deep). There are two bifurcations in the final alignment and seven CSO connecting structures/deaeration chambers and adits. The Lower Pogues Run Tunnel is a 10,200-ft, 20-ft, 2-in. bored tunnel with an 18-ft finished concrete lining, which bifurcates from the White River Tunnel alignment, and includes two CSO connecting structures/deaeration chambers and adits. The work is for Citizens Energy Group’s DigIndy project, which is a CSO reduction program including six deep rock tunnels totaling over 28 miles.

Mining commenced in September 2016 from a 35-ft diameter shaft that was previously constructed as the retrieval shaft for the Deep Rock Tunnel Connector alignment. As of the August, mining of the White River Tunnel alignment extended approximately 4,800 ft, at which point the TBM turned into the Lower Pogues Run Tunnel alignment, where it has mined approximately 8,000 ft. Following completion of the Lower Pogues Run Tunnel, the contractor will back the TBM down to the bifurcation, and will then continue on with the remainder of the White River Tunnel. Based on the terms of a federal consent decree, the White River and Lower Pogues Run tunnels must be operational by the end of 2021.

Key Project Personnel – Construction PM: Christian Heinz, P.E.; Assistant Project Manager/ Project Engineer: Percy Townsend; Safety Manager: Kyle Shickles; Equipment Superintendent: Keith Walter; Field Engineers: Eric Haacke, Zack Heinrich, Kendall Gadd, Chris Monahan, Max Engen.

Inspection PM: Sam Cain, P.E. (AECOM).

Owner: Citizens Energy Group – Manager of Construction: Mike Miller, P.E.; Supervisor Special Projects: Tim Shutters; Construction Supervisor: John Morgan.

MARYLAND

Columbia

US 29 Water Transmission Main – Route 108 Crossing
Bradshaw Construction Corporation
Bradshaw recently completed construction for a portion of the US 29 Water Transmission Main project, installing 760 ft of 60-in. steel casing under MD Route 108 for a 36-in. water transmission main. Bradshaw recently completed a similar 470-ft drive as part of the previous phase to this project. The project was performed for the Howard County Department of Public Works, designed by O’Brien & Gere, with W.F. Wilson & Sons serving as the general contractor. The 60-in. MTBM utilized was an AVN-1200 model developed by Herrenknecht. Tunnel depths for the single drive ranged from 6 to 30 ft below the surface, with the alignment passing through dense silty sands, partially weathered rock and cohesive clays. Bradshaw constructed a 32-ft diameter, 38-ft deep steel rib-and-board launch shaft to facilitate tunneling activities, as well as a 16-ft diameter, 20-ft deep rib-and-board shaft to recover the MTBM. The alignment passed beneath an existing 24-in. RCP sewer with very low clearance, requiring precise control of tunnel grade. The nominal 36-in. PCCP ran at an OD of 49 in. with an approximate weight of 820 lb/lf, requiring critical care in handling and installation within the casing.

Project Information: Jordan Bradshaw – Project Manager; Jordan.bradshaw@bradshawcc.com.

Hyattsville

Coakley Terrace II
Bradshaw Construction Corporation
Bradshaw recently completed construction of 830 ft of 43-in. steel casing under the Baltimore Washington Parkway for a 16-in. DIP water transmission main. The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (Owner) contracted Sagres Construction (General Contractor) to construct the project, with Bradshaw being selected as a subcontractor. The 43-in. MTBM is an AVN-800 model developed by Herrenknecht. Tunnel depths ranged from 8 to 35 ft below the surface, with the alignment passing beneath the water table through loose and dense silty sands. A 30-ft x 16-ft x 16-ft deep steel sheeted launch shaft was driven to facilitate tunneling activities, and the MTBM was recovered out of a trench box at the end of the alignment. The alignment passed under existing 48-in. storm drains and an existing 12-in. gas line with minimal clearance.

Project Information: Jordan Bradshaw – Project Manager; Jordan.bradshaw@bradshawcc.com.

MICHIGAN

Palmer

Water Intake Tunnel
Michels Corporation
Michels used microtunneling methods to install a 163-ft tunnel into a reservoir to provide a local mine with fresh water. An Akkerman SL74 Microtunnel Boring Machine (MTBM) was launched from a 40-ft deep shaft to mine the tunnel, which consisted of 1-in. thick Permalok steel pipe that measured 74 in. in diameter. Retrieval of the MTMB was done in the reservoir via wet retrieval using divers and an overhead crane from shore.

Geology included multiple boulders, running sands, gravels and cobbles. The nine-person crew worked diligently to complete the tunneling portion of the project in 21 days to allow construction of the adjoining pump house to begin upon completion of the tunnel.

MISSOURI

St. Joseph

Black Snake Creek Stormwater Separation Improvement Project – Tunnel Package
Super Excavators
This $26.9 million contract for the City of St. Joseph Department of Public Works was issued NTP on July 17, 2017 with scheduled completion set for October 2019. The work generally consists of the construction of 90-in. diameter concrete precast segment lined 6,648-ft long tunnel, 37-ft diameter baffle drop shaft, 48 ft of near surface reinforced concrete box culvert, 2-ft diameter vent shaft, 181 ft of 90-in. diameter open-cut steel pipe installation, 125 ft of 90-in. jacked steel pipe, an energy dissipation structure, site restoration, and performance of other associated works.
The project is in the very early stages. Mobilization is underway and continuing through the end of August. Tunneling is expected to commence in spring 2018. Tunneling will use the first Lovsuns-supplied EPB TBM to be used in the United States. Black & Vetch Corp. is the engineer.

Project Personnel: Mike Garbeth, PM; Gregg Rehak, Tunnel Superintendent; Jonathan Cox, Tunnel Superintendent.

St. Louis

Deer Creek Sanitary Tunnel
SAK Construction
The Deer Creek Sanitary Tunnel, part of Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District’s (MSD) Project Clear, is an $147 million job comprising 21,000 ft of 19-ft diameter tunnel. The project was awarded to SAK Construction on Aug. 10, 2017, after nearly a year in delay as the initial bid was contested.

The ground cover over the tunnel alignment will vary in depth between approximately 85 and 170 ft. In general, the tunnel alignment will pass through limestone/dolomite of the St. Louis and Salem Formations. The tunnel’s final liner will be unreinforced cast in–place (CIP) concrete at least 1-ft thick.

Project Clear is a $4.7 billion, 23-year program to reduce pollution to the Mississippi River and its tributaries.

St. Louis

Jefferson Barracks Tunnel
SAK Construction
The Jefferson Barracks Tunnel, part of Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District’s (MSD) Project Clear, is an $67 million job comprising 17,800 ft of tunnel lined with 7-ft diameter fiberglass pressure pipe. The Jefferson Barracks Tunnel will be built by TBM 150 to 230 ft deep in limestone. Additional work includes the construction of a 90-ft deep launch shaft and an 18-ft diameter recovery shaft.

Project Clear is a $4.7 billion, 23-year program to reduce pollution to the Mississippi River and its tributaries. Jacobs Engineering is the designer for the Jefferson Barracks Tunnel.

St. Louis

Maline Creek CSO Storage Facility
SAK-Goodwin JV
The Maline Creek CSO Storage Facility project, part of Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District’s (MSD) Project Clear, is an $82.8 million job comprising an underground storage facility. The facility’s major works include a 175-ft deep, 40-ft diameter shaft, a 2,700-ft long, 28-ft diameter drill-and-blast tunnel, and three intake structures.

NTP was issued in May 2016 and blasting operations began in October 2016. Blasting of the shaft was completed in March 2017, with blasting for the tunneling expected to continue through late spring 2018. Shaft drilling work for all of the intake structures was completed prior to spring 2017. Construction of the Chain of Rocks Drive intake will last through spring 2018 and the construction of the Church Drive intake structure will last through winter 2018. Construction of the pump station will continue through fall 2020.

Project Clear is a $4.7 billion, 23-year program to reduce pollution to the Mississippi River and its tributaries. Jacobs Engineering is the designer for the Maline Creek CSO Storage Facility.

NEVADA

Las Vegas

Lake Mead Low Lake Level Pumping Station (L3PS) Project
Barnard of Nevada Inc.
In May 2015, Barnard entered into a Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) contract with the Southern Nevada Water Authority for the L3PS Project. Crews have now completed 500-ft excavation and concrete lining of the Access Shaft, the 60-ft Connector Tunnel and Riser Shaft (winze shaft) and all 34-each 500-ft deep x 6-ft diameter well casings. The upcoming work includes resuming excavation of top heading of the Forebay Cavern tunnel and then transitioning to the bottom bench excavation. Concurrent with the underground construction, the Above-ground Pumping Station work has installed 680 ft of the 144-in. Discharge Aqueduct piping and will begin concrete valve vault structures shortly. The team has also received and stored the two of 32-each, 3,150-hp submersible pumps capable of pumping 30 mgd. All work is scheduled to be completed in 2020.

The underground work includes: 525-ft deep x 26-ft diameter Access Shaft; bulkhead to allow for future expansion; 80-ft deep x 26-ft diameter Riser Shaft to connect to existing Intake No. 3 connector tunnel; 33-ft wide x 36-ft high x 400-ft long horseshoe-shaped Forebay Cavern; Forebay Connector Tunnel; and 34 drilled 8-ft diameter x 500-ft deep pump well shafts with steel-lined 6-ft diameter casings. The Above-ground Pumping Station and accompanying appurtenances include: 32-each 30 mgd submersible pumps; valves and discharge header piping; surge tank, concrete valve vaults, electrical controls and starting equipment for the pumps; electrical control building; electrical feed from an onsite substation; and 5,550 lf of 144-in. discharge aqueducts for connecting the new pumping station to the existing water treatment plants.

Design Engineer: MW/Hill A Joint Venture; Construction Manager: Parsons Corp.

Key Project Personnel: SNWA: Peter Jauch, Director of Engineering; Erika Moonin, Project Manager; Parsons: Kevin Ulrey, Construction Manager; MW/HILL: Ted Davis and Steve Hunt, Lead Engineers; Barnard: Operations Manager, Dan Schall; Project Manager, Jordan Hoover; Project Superintendent, Andy Granger; Chief Engineer, Brad Bush; Construction Superintendent, Mike Gilbertson; Superintendents, Engineers, and Safety: Tracey Chambers, Tyler Askin, Marc MeieSalgado, Chad Brinkerhoff, Nick Bowerman, Alex Casilla, Jeff Porter, Klaus Herbert, Dave Meyer, Steve Alsept, Tyler Komenda, Bill Kiehl, Pryde Lahr, Jimmy McGauley, Joerg Moser, Jake Richardson, Aaron Rustan, Bob Schaffer, Terry Swindle, Peter Turlington, Dan Heroux, Devin Weekly, Leo Weiman, Mathew Jackson, and Shawn Tezak.

NEW YORK

Newburgh/Wappingers Falls

Delaware Aqueduct – Rondout West Branch Tunnel (BT-2)
Kiewit/Shea
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) continues to work on its Delaware Aqueduct bypass tunnel project to address two leaking sections from the aqueduct. The $101 million BT-1 contract comprises two shafts on either side of the river. Shaft 5B (in Newburgh), a 30-ft finished diameter, 838-ft deep structure, and Shaft 6B (in Wappingers), a 33-ft finished diameter, 673-ft deep structure, were both completed under a separate contract (BT-1) by Schiavone Construction Co.

Contract BT-2 is a $706 million contract construction a 2.5-mile long, 22-ft diameter bypass tunnel using a $30 million Robbins TBM to build a new bypass tunnel to replace the leaking portion. The entire machine — including its cutterhead, body and trailing gear — is more than 470 ft long and weighs 2.7 million lbs. Its cutterhead is 21.6 ft in diameter. The TBM was built to withstand 30 bar of pressure—believed to be the most of any TBM ever manufactured. The TBM is also equipped with dewatering equipment to pump 2,500 gallons per minute away from the tunnel as the machine drives it.

In March, TBM manufacturing was completed by Robbins at its Solon, Ohio, shop. On Sept. 8, DEP held a ceremony at the jobsite to commemorate the start of tunneling activities. Over the next four months, crews will complete the process of assembling and launching the TBM.

OHIO

Cleveland

Dugway Storage Tunnel
Salini Impregilo /Healy JV
The $153 million Dugway Storage Tunnel project for the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District consists of 14,750 lf of 24-ft ID tunnel 200 ft deep, 6 deep shafts ranging in size from 22-ft to 58-ft in diameter and 21 other near surfaces shafts and structures. There are four 9-ft diameter adit connections to the tunnel ranging in length from 60 to 800 lf and two sections of near surface sewers installed in tunnel and by open-cut.

The project was given NTP on Feb. 2, 2015, with an estimated completion date of September 2019. It is currently 54% complete. All six deep shafts have been excavated, with the structures completed in five of the six shafts. Over 3,000 ft of tunnel has been excavated and lined. Five of the near surface structures have been completed and the four adits have been excavated and lined.
Various ground support systems have been utilized. Ribs and liner plate have been used for soft ground support on most of the shaft. Secant piles were used to support the overburden for one of the deep shafts and two of the near surface excavations and ground freezing was used to control the ground while excavating the main shaft. The tunnel will be excavated through the Chagrin shale.

Tunnel designer: MWH/MM JV; TBM Manufacturer: Herrenknecht; Major Subcontractors: Triad Engineering & Contracting Co. – shaft and adit excavation and lining; Marra Service Inc. – shaft excavation; Northstar Contracting Inc. – Concrete structures.

Key Project Personnel: Contractor – Project Manager: Jim Kabat; General Superintendent: Willie Flores; Chief Engineer: Roberto Bono; Tunnel Engineer: Saeed Tabrizi; AFC Manager: Michele Gorasso; Electrical Superintendent: TJ Sota; Controls: Alex Noirie. NEORSD – Construction Program Manager: Doug Gabriel, CCM; Senior Construction Supervisor: Ryan Sullivan. Information: John Kennedy, (702) 524-0438.

Cleveland

East 140th Consolidation and Relief Sewer
Triad/C&M McNally JV
This $69.4 million project for the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District was issued NTP in September 2016 with completion scheduled for December 2019. It comprises 14,000 lf of 60- to 84-in. pipe in tunnel; eight access shafts averaging 50 ft in depth; 6,800 ft of 12- to 54-in. consolidation and relief sewers; an 84-in. diameter overflow sewer; a new regulator structure and connection to the Heights Hilltop Interceptor; three storm water detention basins; 12,000 ft of 12- to 54-in. diameter storm sewers; regulator improvements; junction chambers; and other sewer improvements. ll tunnel and shaft excavations are in the Chagrin shale formation except for Shaft 1 and 1,400 ft at lower end of project that is in clay which transitions to shale.

All shafts are excavated. Seven shafts were excavated using vertical drilling methods. The first tunnel run of 4,700 lf is excavated and pipe setting has begun. The Second tunnel excavation is underway with 1,000 ft excavated as of late July. The tunnels are being excavated by refurbished Lovat/Lovsuns TBMs.

Three detention basins are excavated and planted. Several thousand feet of storm sewer plus regulator improvements completed.
The tunnel designer is DLZ Ohio.

Project Personnel: Construction Manager: Jim Jones, NEORSD; JV Manager: Cliff Kassouf; Assistant JV Manager: John Teahen; Project Manager: Phil Kassouf; Assistant Project Managers and Engineers: Matt Bennett, Brad Kassouf, Rick Chipka III; Tunnel Superintendent: James Lowery; Equipment Manager: Rick Chipka.

Cleveland

Westerly Low Level Relief Sewer
Ward & Burke
To comply with their Consent Decree with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandate of reducing sewage overflow into Lake Erie, the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) retained NTH Consultants, Ltd. (NTH) as Prime Engineer for design of a relief sewer/storage tunnel along River Road and Elm Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio.

The Westerly Low Level Relief Sewer (WLLRS) Project includes regulator modifications, upsizing of dry weather outlet (DWO) sewers, and approximately 2,600 lf of new 72- in. diameter relief/storage sewer with relatively shallow depths of 8 to 25 ft. The project also includes new regulators connecting to the existing interceptor that ties into the pump station, pump station modification design, force main design, and local sewer stormwater offloading design. The project is also planned to increase the WLLI system resiliency during larger rain events.

The NTH completed the design of this project in 2016. The contractor (Ward & Burke) holed out on Sept. 8, 2017, The 2,650-ft long tunnel was completed using a slurry microtunnel. High-strength RCP was used as the final liner in the tunnel and was strong enough to take the expected jacking forces even on an 1,850-ft long drive. Ward & Burke is forming and pouring the permanent structures.

The 1,850-ft drive has been the longest microtunnel drive ever for NEORSD. NTH has been involved regularly throughout construction for construction support services, including submittal, RFI, change order, and pay application reviews, regular attendance at progress meetings, design change reviews, etc.

Columbus

Blacklick Creek Sanitary Interceptor Sewer
Blacklick Constructors (Michels/Jay Dee JV)
Blacklick Constructors is building the 10-ft ID Blacklick Creek Sanitary Interceptor Sewer approximately 23,000 ft in length and 40 to 140 ft deep. The segmentally lined tunnel is being excavated using a Herrenknecht EPBM. A short section of the alignment was constructed by open-cut prior to the launch of the machine. The tunnel is lined using a 4-ft long, bolted, gasketed precast concrete tunnel liner. The TBM is expecting to encounter varying glacial and alluvial materials, glacial tills, boulders, sand, fill and shale.

The project includes 12 shafts, hydraulic drop structures, a passive odor control vault and appurtenances. Construction started in May 2016 and will be completed in four years.

Lockbourne

Lockbourne Intermodal Subtrunk Project
Michels Corporation
Michels Corporation is using microtunneling to install 10,218 lf of 78-in. sanitary sewer tunnel and a combination of bore and jack and pipe-in-trench (open cut) construction to install 7,016 lf of 60-in. sanitary sewer pipe and associated manholes. 78-in. ID Hobas jacking pipe is being used for microtunneling; 60-in. ID direct-bury Hobas pipe is being used for open-cut installation on the Lockbourne Intermodal Subtrunk Project.

Michels is set to use an Akkerman SL82 microtunnel boring machine (MTBM) with an airlock attachment for hyperbaric intervention, if required. The work will be completed in nine tunnel drives with lengths between 550 to 1,880 lf.

A wide mixture of ground conditions and high groundwater exists in the tunnel and direct-bury sections. Microtunnel launch sites have very limited space to conduct tunneling operations.
Michels is also constructing eight liner plate and ring beam access shafts that range in diameter from 19 to 32 ft and one rectangular secant pile shaft that measured 40 ft by 20 ft.
The project started in May 2017 and is scheduled for completion in 2019.

Powell

Raw Water Pump Station Intake
Michels Corporation
Michels Corporation installed a raw water pump station intake for the Delco Raw Water Pump Station by microtunneling 220 lf of 74-in. Permalok casing in a single drive through competent dolomitic limestone rock. The tunnel drive initiated at the bank of the O’Shaughnessy Reservoir and completed in the reservoir bottom. Due to shallow water in the reservoir, Michels developed an alternate method for recovering the mictrotunnel boring machine. Michels’ scope of work was completed in two months, between February and April 2017.

PENNSYLVANIA

Wampum

Pennsylvania American Water Ellwood Raw Water Facilities
Bradshaw Construction Corp.
Bradshaw will soon begin construction on a project that consists of 1,531 ft of two-pass microtunneling in three tunnels. Casing size is 60 and 75.4 in. with several lines of carrier pipe installed within. Subsurface conditions are expected to range from alluvium and residual soil to partially and unweathered hard rock and mixed face. Information: Mike Wanhatalo, Project Manager; mwanhatalo@bradshawcc.com.

TENNESSEE

Chattanooga

North St. Elmo Tunnels
Bradshaw Construction Corporation
Bradshaw is currently constructing three tunnels as part of a stormwater sewer improvement project. The City of Chattanooga (Owner), has contracted Civic Engineering & IT Inc. (Engineer) and Wright Brothers Construction Company Inc. (General Contractor) to construct the project, with Wright selecting Bradshaw as tunneling subcontractor. Bradshaw originally intended on utilizing mechanized Akkerman TBMs to install the two 84-in. liner plate tunnels and one 72-in. FRP direct-jack tunnel. However, the encountered foundary sand fill material contained significantly more obstructions than anticipated, causing Bradshaw to revert to installing the tunnels by hand mining. The challenging ground conditions in the fill have included reinforced concrete, sugar sand, and loose bricks and boulders without cohesive material serving to bind and stabilize the face. Carefully controlling these conditions was critical, as an active 4-in. gas line followed the tunnel alignment with only 3 ft of clearance above the crown.

The first and second tunnels were recently completed; one (204 ft) by installing 96-in. diameter liner plates to allow for installation of the 72-in. FRP, the other (182 ft) by installing 84-in. liner plates behind a shield underneath active Norfolk Southern Railroad lines for a 66-in. FRP line. The third tunnel will also be installed with 84-in. liner plates behind a shield underneath NSR lines, totaling 130 ft in length for the installation of 60-in. FRP. Construction for the final crossing will commence later this year.

Project Information: Jordan Bradshaw – Project Manager; Jordan.bradshaw@bradshawcc.com.

VERMONT

Georgia

I-89 Culvert Improvements
Bradshaw Construction Corp.
Bradshaw recently completed two tunnels under Interstate 89. The 18-ft, 11-in. x 12-ft, 7-in. horseshoe shaped tunnels were 136 and 100 ft in length. The tunnels were installed using the sequential excavation method. The project was a design-build collaboration for Vermont Department of Transportation. Subsurface conditions consisted of marine silts, sands and clays with some organics.

Information: Mike Wanhatalo, Project Manager; mwanhatalo@bradshawcc.com.

VIRGINIA

Radford

I-81 Northbound Bridge Replacement Tunnels
Bradshaw Construction Corporation
Bradshaw is scheduled to construct four tunnels for stormwater management for a bridge replacement along I-81. The Virginia Department of Transportation (Owner), has contracted Whitman, Requardt & Associates LLP (Engineer) and Vecellio & Grogan Inc. (General Contractor) to construct the project, with Vecellio & Grogan selecting Bradshaw as tunneling subcontractor. The four tunnels will be constructed utilizing mechanized Akkerman tunnel shields with cutterwheels, two tunnels for 48-in. diameter RCP (Akkerman WM480C) and two for 42-in. diameter RCP (Akkerman WM420C). The larger diameter tunnels will be 211 and 145 ft, and the smaller diameter tunnels will be 134 and 77 ft. The tunnels will pass through medium to dense silt and soft clay.

The project is currently scheduled to begin early next year. Project Information: Jordan Bradshaw – Project Manager; Jordan.bradshaw@bradshawcc.com.

WASHINGTON

Pasco

Columbia Water Supply Project
Michels Corporation
Michels Corporation used microtunneling to install 227-lf of 46-in. diameter steel coated Parmalok pipe for a new raw water intake into the Columbia River for Apollo Inc. The tunnel was completed in one drive through sands, gravel, cobbles, boulders and rock. The Columbia Water Supply Project was completed in July and August 2017, and involved a wet retrieval of the MTBM from the Columbia River.

Seattle

Northgate Link Extension, Contract N125, TBM Tunnels (UW to Maple Leaf Portal)
JCM Northlink LLP
JCM Northlink LLP, a joint venture of Jay Dee Contractors Inc., Frank Coluccio Construction Co. and Michels Corp., is building this $440 million project for Sound Transit. NTP was issued Sept. 30, 2013, with substantial completion expected by Feb. 11, 2018.

The project consists of approximately 18, 400 lf of twin-bore tunnels with an internal diameter of 18 ft, 10 in. The tunnels are driven through glacially deposited soils using EPB tunnel boring machines and lined with a single pass, pre-cast, bolted and gasketed concrete liner. This contract also includes 23 cross passages and provides the shoring and excavation of the station boxes for two underground light rail stations and a portal structure to transition the light rail tracks from tunnels to elevated guideway.

The N125 Project is approximately 94% complete. Three of four work sites have been handed over to follow-on contracts. Work continues to complete and hand over the remaining portions of the project.

Shoring and excavation is complete at the two stations and one portal location. At the Roosevelt Station, excavation support was accomplished with slurry diaphragm walls and tie backs. At the University District Station, soldier and secant piles are the primary support in conjunction with soil nails and shotcrete in specific locations.

The northbound running tunnel began tunneling from the Maple Leaf Portal on July 9, 2014, and completed the drive to University of Washington Station on March 30, 2016. The southbound running tunnel began tunneling from MLP on Nov. 24, 2014, and completed the drive to UWS on Sept. 1, 2016.

Excavation and finish concrete is complete at all cross passages. Ground modification for excavation at 11 cross passages was by ground freezing, 11 others were dewatered, 1 required no ground modification. All of the cross passages are in the final stages of completion and are working on MEP and Architectural finishes.

Other finish works in progress include placing concrete for tunnel inverts and walkways along with MEP installation in both tunnels.

The Northgate Link Extension is a key part of the Sound Transit’s regional mass transit system approved by voters in 2008. The 4.3-mile light rail extension includes stations in the University District, Roosevelt, and Northgate neighborhoods.

Tunnel Designer: McMillen Jacobs Associates; Construction Management, NorthStar JV (CH2MHill, Jacobs Engineering); Major Subcontractors include DBM, Case Foundations, Bencor, Elcon, Sundancer, Hayward Baker, Soldata. TBM manufacturers: Hitachi Zosen, Robbins. Segment manufacturer; CSI/Hanson

Key Project Personnel – Owner: Don Davis, Executive Project Director; Rick Capka, Principal Construction Manager; Brad Cowles, Construction Manager. Contractor: Tom DiPonio, Managing Partner; Mike DiPonio, Project Executive; Gregg Olsen, Project Manager; Brian Hagan, Deputy Project Manager; Jerry Pordon, General Superintendent. Construction Management: Paul Gasson, Project Manager; Roger Mitchell, Resident Engineer; Anthony Pooley, Section Manager; Derek Dugan, Section Manager.

Seattle

SR 99 Tunnel Project
Seattle Tunnel Partners (Dragados USA/Tutor Perini JV)
Disassembly and removal of the TBM was completed on Aug. 23, 2017. Construction of the double-deck highway structure inside the tunnel continued on schedule concurrently with the TBM disassembly and removal. Work continued on construction of the tunnel operations buildings at the north and south ends of the tunnel. Key project personnel – Seattle Tunnel Partners Executive Committee: Jack Frost, Jose Luis Mendez Sanchez; Project Manager: Chris Dixon; Deputy Project Manager: Paco Gonzalez; Construction Coordinator: Bill Monahan; Tunnel Superintendent: Tom McMahon; Civil Construction Manager: Joel Burch; Assistant Civil Construction Manager: Keith Burch; Civil Superintendents: Ben Taylor, Nathan Burch; Safety Manager: Sandy Winter; Quality Manager: Wally Chen. Information: Chris Dixon, (206) 971-8215.

CANADA

ALBERTA

Edmonton

Eastgate Lake Stormwater Project
Michels Corporation
Michels Corporation placed a new outlet in Eastgate Lake 1 m below the typical water level to allow the storm water pond to be controlled without exposing the outlet structure. An Akkerman SL60 Microtunnel Boring Machine is being used to install 702 ft of 48-in. ID precast concrete jacking pipe in a single drive. An additional 750 ft of open-cut trenching is required to complete the new 48-in. addition to Sherwood Park’s storm water system. The work is being done in clay with the potential for nested cobbles. Grout will be injected through 2-in. ports located in each piece of microtunnel pipe. Bad weather and unidentified utilities delayed open-cut operations in the early days of the project, which is located in an urban setting with cover as little as 8 ft at the exit point of the tunnel and as deep as 18 ft in the open-cut section. A 27-ft circular launch shaft and 16-ft by 14-ft deep slide rail receiving shaft were included in the project.

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Victoria

McLoughlin Point WWTP Outfall
Michels Corporation
Michels Corporation will soon begin construction on a 7-ft (2.12-m) ocean outfall tunnel for the under-construction McLoughlin Point Wastewater Treatment Plant. The 430-ft (131-m) coated Permalock steel pipe will be mined through highly stratified granite beneath the harbor. Once completed, the tunnel will convey treated sewage to an outfall diffuser system installed by Harbour Resource Partners. The tunnel will be built from a single circular shaft blasted in existing granite and will daylight through a concrete plug on the ocean floor. Construction will take about four months. The project is starting in January 2018.

ONTARIO

Barrie

Hwy 400 & Tiffin Street Overpass & Barrie Collingwood Railway Overhead
Dufferin Construction/CRS Tunnelling Inc.
This $2.325 million project for the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) includes construction of two tunnel drives by TBM jack pipe methods, 60 m of 1,800 mm RCP and a 2,260-mm steel casing in silt and sand soils. The tunneling portion of this project will also include 72-m of sliplining of the existing 1,800-mm culvert and 2,100-mm culvert in the steel casing.
The project is 30% complete. The microtunneling being performed is under an active highway (Hwy 400) east of Barrie.
Other Parties Affiliated with the Project: Morrison Hershfield, Dufferin Construction, Akkerman SL74 MTBM with 5200/WM720 Jack Pipe TBM, and Lovat 101 TBM Jack Pipe Mode
Key Project Personnel: Joe Mulville (Senior Project Manager); Rav Nanadkumar (Tunneling Foreman); Walter Trisi (General Manager).

Mississauga

Airport Road Storm Sewer from International Centre to Derry Road
CRS Tunnelling Inc.
This $2.89 million project for Peel Region involves the construction of a 323-m tunnel including a curve 175 m long and 1,150 m of curvature radius, 1,574 mm diameter tunnel for the installation of 1200 mm nominal diameter concrete pipe, storm sewer by microtunnelling methods and two shafts with various ground conditions including gravel, sand, clay and silty clay.

The project is 85% complete (all tunnel and shaft works), pending to connect the tunnel pipe to the existing storm drainage network of the Peel Region. This project is in the middle of Airport Road with heavy live traffic 24 hours a day, with small clearances within a 500 mm watermain and one long curve with a very small interior diameter pipe. The tunnel line and grade must be very accurate and for this job CRS implemented the usage of the Akkerman AZ100 real-time TBM positioning/guidance system, to monitor the TBM progress at all times.

Other Parties Affiliated with the Project: The Regional Municipality of Peel, AMEC Foster Wheeler, DSI, Almon, Super Excavators, Akkerman SL60 MTBM, Greater Toronto Region Authority (GTAA).

Key Project Personnel: Luis Tracanelli – Project Manager, Nate Wiedmeyer – Superintendent, Mike Moss – Foreman, Arnel Capistrano – Health & Safety Manager, Walter Trisi – General Manager, and Valerie Lessard – Project Coordinator.

Ottawa

Ottawa Combined Sewage Storage Tunnel
Dragados-Tomlinson JV
This $153.5 million (CAD) project for the City of Ottawa comprises two tunnels 3 m in diameter, 4.4 km and 1.9 km long, which will add 43,600m3 of storage capacity. The tunnels range from 20 to 30 m deep, with six major drop shafts and five access shafts all ranging between 2 to 10m in diameter. The project is predominantly in limestone with a small portion in shale, and will be mined using a double-shield Herrenknecht TBM. Six shafts are partly completed or completed for temporary works.

The tail and starter tunnel are 50% complete for TBM launching. NTP was issued in August 2016 with completion scheduled for mid 2020.

The project is located within the urban core of the City of Ottawa, requiring access and construction restrictions due to the proximity of the Supreme Court of Canada, Confederation Park, and public lands owned and/or administered by Federal agencies. Project challenges include the subsurface conditions, stakeholder coordination, ongoing adjacent projects (including a light rail transit extension), and operational considerations.

Key Project Personnel: City of Ottawa Manager: Ziad Ghadban, City of Ottawa City Program Manager: Steven Courtland, Consultant Project Manager: Adrien Comeau (Stantec), Construction Director and Interim Contract Administrator: Gerald Bauer (Stantec), Team Leader of Diversion Sewers & Surface Works: Pascal Pitre (CH2M), Contract Administrator: Clare Humphrey (CH2M), Deputy Contract Administrator – Colin Goodwin (Stantec), Tunnel Inspection Lead – Rick Ponti (Stantec), Surface Works and Shaft Inspection Lead – Bill Darling (CH2M), Geotechnical Consultant – Erin O’Neil (Golder Associates).

Contractor Key Personnel: Project Manager: Fernando Triana (Dragados), Civil Construction Manager: Bert Hendriks (Tomlinson).