April 2010
CALIFORNIA
Alameda County - New Irvington Tunnel
Constructing a tunnel parallel to the existing Irvington Tunnel, in Alameda County, Calif., will allow the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission to decommission the Irvington Tunnel for inspection and rehabilitation to improve the water delivery reliability. Located between the Calaveras and Hayward Fault Zones, the mixed-face tunnel is made up of inter-bedded layers of sandstone and shale, with several smaller fault zones. Adding more complications, the tunnel offers 700 ft of cover and high hydrostatic head with potential water inflows up to 1,000 gpm.
An 18,200-ft long excavation is proposed with the installation of a 10-ft inside diameter concrete liner. There will also be construction of a new access road to the Irvington Portal and a new Portal within the piping manifold. Additional isolation valves and connections to the Bay Division Pipelines, originating from the Irvington Tunnel site, will also be installed. The total construction cost for the project is estimated at $154 million. Bidding was extended until April 1 with contract award scheduled for late May and construction expected to begin in July. Final completion is expected by April 2014.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
D.C. Water and Sewer Authority - CSO Tunnels
As part of a long-term plan to control combined sewer overflows, the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority is planning to construct a series of tunnels to capture excess flow and convey it to the Blue Plains wastewater treatment plant. The major tunnel projects are: the Blue Plains Tunnel (23,600 ft of 23-ft diameter tunnel), the Anacostia River Tunnel (12,500 ft of 23-ft diameter tunnel), the NE Boundary Tunnel (17,500 ft of 23-ft diameter tunnel) and the NE Boundary Branch Tunnels (11,300 ft of 15-ft diameter tunnel).
The Blue Plans Tunnel will be the first to be bid. RFQs for the design-build contract will be accepted in early 2010, with construction anticipated for 2nd quarter 2011. Based on the results of the Blue Plains Tunnels, subsequent projects may also be let as design-build packages.
All work is scheduled for completion by 2025.
FLORIDA
Miami - Government Cut Utility Tunnel
The project consists of 8,000 lf of 12-ft diameter utility tunnel underneath the Government Cut shipping channel. The channel is being dredged to accommodate larger vessels that are anticipated in conjunction with the Panama Canal expansion. The tunnel will cross 80 ft below sea level, lowering the alignment of existing utilities. The project includes a 25-ft diameter launch shaft on Fisher Island and a 24-ft diameter shaft on Miami Beach. For additional information visit: http://www.governmentcututilitytunnel.com.
INDIANA
Indianapolis - Deep Rock Tunnel Connector
A key component of the City of Indianapolis’ long-term, $1.8 billion plan to reduce raw sewage overflows, the Deep Rock Tunnel Connector comprises 6.5 miles of 18.5-ft diameter sewer tunnel that will provided extra capacity. The project was originally designed as the Belmont-Southport Interplant Connect -- a shallow, soft ground tunnel that would have allowed the city to transfer flows from between two sewersheds and two treatment plants -- but was redesigned to increase capacity with the idea the Southport treatment plant could be expanded in the future. The project is expected to cost $160 million. The project is expected to bid early 2011.
NEW JERSEY
North Bergen - Hudson River Crossing
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has committed $3 billion to the tunnel connecting Secaucus, N.J., to midtown Manhattan rail hubs. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey followed suit and New Jersey Transit is committing about $1.5 billion. The tunnel will be nearly 30,000 lf and 20-ft diameter.
Extensive geotechnical investigation has been completed and officials have begun prequalifying contractors. Officials anticipate some 25 contracts awarded for the project. The project is scheduled for completion in 2017.
The project comprises three tunnel sections to be let as design-build contracts: the Manhattan Tunnels, the Palisades Tunnel and the Hudson River Tunnel. The Manhattan Tunnels and Palisades Tunnels have been awarded.
OHIO
Cleveland - Euclid Creek Tunnel (ECT)
The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District is engaged in an ambitious program to reduce the number of Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) during wet weather events. The Euclid Creek Storage Tunnel – Contract ECT – is the first project to be constructed as part of this CSO program. The ECT project consists of the following elements:
- 18,070 lf of 24-ft (finished) diameter tunnel in Chagrin Shale supported with steel fiber reinforced segmental lining. Tunnel depth ranges from 190 ft to 220 ft below ground surface;
- A 40-ft diameter mining shaft and a 50-ft diameter TBM extraction shaft located at each end of the tunnel;
- Four baffle drop shafts with adit connections to the tunnel that will convey near-surface flows into the tunnel. These shafts range in size from 16 to 50 ft in diameter;
- In addition to these larger and deeper structures, the ECT project also consists of several shallower and smaller diameter structures designed to capture and transport near-surface flows to the larger shafts and the tunnel;
- Over 5,000 lf of consolidation sewers ranging in diameter from 36 to 90 in. to be installed by both trenchless and open-cut methods.
The project is expected to bid in August 2010 and construction cost is expected to be approximately $200 million.
Cleveland - Dugway Storage Tunnel
The project includes the installation of a 24-ft diameter storage tunnel extending approximately 16,000 ft. The tunnel will be constructed by TBM through Chagrin shale at depths averaging 200ft below surface. Design is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2012 with construction expected to begin in the third quarter of 2014. The engineer’s estimate is $128.4 million.
Cleveland - Doan Valley Storage Tunnel
This 17-ft diameter tunnel will extend 9,700 ft. Design is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2013 with construction expected to begin in the first quarter of 2015. The engineer’s estimate is $88.2 million.
Columbus - OARS Tunnel Project
The City of Columbus, Department of Public Utilities, advertised Phase 1 of the Olentangy-Scioto Intercepting Sewer Augmentation Relief Sewer (OARS) on Feb. 13, 2010, and was scheduled to open bids on April 28. Phase 1 generally consists of 23,300 ft of 20-ft internal diameter tunneled sewer. Phase 1 also includes a 52-ft internal diameter pump station shaft (Shaft 1), a 42-ft internal diameter screen shaft (Shaft 2), and a 48-ft internal diameter shaft (Shaft 6) with an internal surge chamber and hydraulic drop pipe. The depth to tunnel invert ranges from approximately 130 ft to 185 ft. Depth to bedrock varies from 30 ft to 120 ft. The tunnel will be constructed through limestone bedrock containing Karst features. Groundwater pressure at the tunnel elevation is anticipated to vary and require a pressurized face tunnel boring machine.
In addition to the tunnel and shafts, the project includes the following structures: 1) The pump station shaft (Shaft 1) will have an integral flow diversion structure; 2) the screen shaft (Shaft 2) will include the construction of a screen service building and the installation of screening equipment; and 3) a relief structure and tangential inlet will be constructed near Shaft 6.
Phase 2, which will be advertised for bids approximately 11 months after Phase 1, will include off-line Shafts 3, 4 and 5.
Connections from Shafts 3, 4 and 5 will be through an adit/dearation chamber constructed in Phase 2. Phase 2 will also include several structures adjacent to the site where Shafts 1 and 2 are constructed and will include the installation of mechanical, electrical and instrumentation/control components of the pump station.
RHODE ISLAND
Providence - Narragansett Bay CSO
Two near-surface interceptors for the Narragansett Bay Commission - the second phase of Providence’s “Little Big Dig” - will run some 30,000 lf along the Woonasquatucket and Seekonk rivers. Phase I of the Providence CSO project was commissioned in 2008 and comprises 3 miles of storage tunnel.
The Phase II facilities will include two interceptors that connect to the Phase I tunnel. Due to the dense urban environment, trenchless construction will predominate as the installation method. The Woonasquatucket CSO Interceptor will comprise: approximately 16,000 ft of 48- to 84-in. near surface sewers in soil and rock; several connection and control structures; a 220-ft deep, 31-ft diameter work shaft; and a 220-ft deep, 1,800-ft long, 8-ft diameter connecting adit in rock. The Seekonk CSO Interceptor will comprise: approximately 7,300 ft of 48- to 72-in. near surface sewers in soil; and several connection and control structures. Bidding for the interceptors is scheduled for 2010 and 2011, respectively. Construction for Phase III, a second large tunnel, is expected to begin in 2017.
TEXAS
Austin - Water Treatment Plant 4
The Austin Water Utility is moving forward with Water Treatment Plant 4, a new 300-mgd water treatment facility that draws water from Lake Travis to augment the City’s potable water system. The project includes three tunnel components, with a deep raw water intake tunnel, to convey lake water to the new plant and two other tunnels – the Jollyville and Forest Ridge Tunnels, to convey treated water from the new plant to the existing system. MWH Constructors Inc. is the Construction Manager at Risk for the construction of the Water Treatment Plant Number 4 Project including the tunnels.
Award of the tunnel work is planned to include a two-step selection process for each of the three tunnel segments. Statements of Qualifications (SOQs) will be evaluated during Step 1; the most qualified firms/teams will be invited to submit proposals for construction in Step 2. Step 1 for Bid Package S-101: Raw Water Intake System (comprised of the Lake Travis raw water intake structure, raw water intake tunnel, raw water transmission tunnel, pump wells and associated shafts) is currently under way. Proposers’ SOQs are due at the MWH Constructors Austin office on June 8, 2010.
Plans and the SOQ documents can be obtained by leaving your contact information at MWHCAustinWTP4@MWHGlobal.com or by calling (512) 343-8700, ext. 115.
The Jollyville and Forest Ridge Tunnel projects, still in design, are planned to consist of approximately 35,000 ft of 84-in. ID and 10,000 ft of 48-in. ID treated water pipeline tunnels, respectively. The Jollyville/Forest Ridge sub-contractor selection process is expected to begin the first quarter of 2011.
CANADA
ONTARIO - Toronto
Toronto - York Spadina Subway Extension Project
The Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension Project is a $2.6 billion (CAN) that would extend existing subway service 8.6 km (6.7 km of bored tunnel) from Downsview Station northwest through York University within the City of Toronto and north to the Vaughan Corporate Centre in the Regional Municipality of York. There are six stations sites currently planned.
In November 2008, Hatch Mott MacDonald was awarded the twin tunnel design contract. The Toronto Transit Commission has also awarded a contract to Lovat Inc. for four EPB TBMs. The project will be broken into two tunnel contracts via design-bid-build procurement. Preliminary work has begun on smaller advance contracts with the main construction packages scheduled to be let in 2010. Construction on stations and tunnels is expected to begin in early 2011. For information, visit www3.ttc.ca.
York - Southeast Collector Sewer
The Regional Municipality of York in the greater Toronto area is designing a 15-km (9.3-mile), 3-m (9.8-ft) diameter sanitary sewer tunnel. Hatch Mott MacDonald and AECOM have been retained for design of the project. The 100 percent design has been submitted to the owner.
Construction will not begin until approval of the environmental assessment, which was anticipated to happen in the first quarter of 2010. The tunnel will be constructed using earth pressure balance tunnel boring machines and installed with pre-cast concrete segmental lining in a one-pass system. The majority of the tunnel will be through dense Newmarket till with some softer soils expected. The Regional Municipality of York is procuring four EPB TBMs and the concrete segments to be used for the project.
The first of the TBMs, which were ordered from Lovat, is expected to be delivered in May. Construction is planned to start by mid 2010 with completion by mid 2013.The cost estimate is $500 million CAN.
| 
