New Civil Engineer‘s seventh Tunnelling Award winners were held Dec. 8 at the Grosvenor Hotel in London, with an estimated attendance of 450 industry professionals. Key guests included representatives from London Underground, Crossrail, High Speed 2 and Thames Tideway.

North American projects honored included the Norris Cut Utility Relocation Project (Design Innovation); the Eisenhower Johnson Memorial Tunnels Fixed Fire Suppression System Safety Initiative); Canal Street Tunnel Emergency Repair Project (Specialist Tunnelling Project); and Second Avenue Subway (Tunneling Project over $500 million).  Additionally, Mott MacDonald’s Shawna Von Stockhausen was highly commended in the Young Tunneller of the Year category.

The complete list of winners are:

Community Engagement Award

Winner: Dragados, DSJV C305 Crossrail Eastern Running Tunnels

Highly commended: City of Copenhagen and Ramboll, North Habour Link

Design Innovation of the Year

Winner: Nicholson Construction, Bessac and Arup, Norris Cut Utility Relocation Project

Global Tunnelling Team of the Year

Winner: FAST Consortium, Riyadh Metro (Yellow, Green, Purple Lines)

Highly commended: Dragados, DSJV C305 Crossrail Eastern Running Tunnels

Ground Investigation and Monitoring Award

Winner: United Utilities/Murphy/Fugro, Haweswater Aqueduct – Rapid scanning condition assessment system

Judges Supreme Award

Winner: Dragados

Product / Equipment Innovation of the Year

Winner: Alstom TSO Costain Joint Venture, Automated Tunnel Drilling Solution

Highly commended: BFK, Farringdon Station – The Transformable Bogie and Shutter System

Safety Initiative of the Year

Winner: Barnard Construction, Eisenhower Johnson Memorial Tunnels Fixed Fire Suppression System

Specialist Tunnelling Project of the Year

Winner: Tony Gee and Partners, Taylor Woodrow and BAM Nuttall JV, District and Circle Line Underpass, Victoria Station Upgrade (VSU), London

Highly commended: Mott MacDonald, Canal Street Tunnel Emergency Repair Project

Technical Innovation of the Year

Winner: Inbye Engineering, Strength Monitoring Using Thermal Imaging (SMUTI) at Bond Street Station Upgrade

Technology Innovation of the Year

Winner: Inbye Engineering, Strength Monitoring Using Thermal Imaging (SMUTI) at Bond Street Station Upgrade

Tunnelling Project of the Year (up to $50m)

Winner: J Murphy & Sons, Farnworth Tunnel

Tunnelling Project of the Year ($50m-$500m)

Winner: Hochtief Murphy Joint Venture, Crossrail C310 Thames Tunnel

Highly commended: Vinci Construction Grands Projets, MTR Shatin to Central Link Contract 1103. Hin Keng to Diamond Hill Tunnels (SCL1103)

Tunnelling Project of the Year (over $500m)

Winner: AECOM Asia and China State Construction, Central – Wan Chai Bypass and Island Eastern Corridor Link – Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter Section (HY/2009/15)

Highly commended: AECOM, New York City’s Second Avenue Subway Project

UK Tunnelling Team of the Year

Winner: Costain Skanska Joint Venture, The Bakerloo Line Link – Paddington

Young Tunneller of the Year

Winner: Senthilnath Govindaraju Thangavelu, Geoconsult

Highly commended: Shawna Von Stockhausen, Mott MacDonald

RELATED: Tunnel Achievement Award — Lake Mead Intake No. 3

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Traditionally, when constructing a bored tunnel, the concrete tunnel segments used are fitted with rubber gaskets onsite. These are often secured in place using adhesive, to ensure a tight seal and cushioned fit between each segment. When in situ, both the seal and segment are placed under significant pressure, so it is imperative that they are able to perform to the highest standards in order to guarantee safety and performance.

Trelleborg explains how, by using a gasket which is pre-cast into the tunnel segment during manufacture, installers can save time and money, as well as ensure a consistently accurate installation and a retained symmetry. However, it is important to take into account the design of the profile, as it can have a significant impact on the effectiveness and sealing quality of the gasket. Specifically, in the corners where the volume of rubber is generally the highest, it’s vital that the profile design is properly thought out and fully tested, to prevent risk of cracking of the concrete or a leakage path at the corner position of the seal.

Risks Associated with Non-cast Gaskets

For many tunneling projects across the globe, tunnel segments are fitted with rubber gaskets onsite and secured using adhesive. But, it is not uncommon for those who use this method to suffer time-consuming and cost-intensive repair work, which in extreme cases can exert negative effects on the outcome of a project.

This is because displacements can occur between segments if they are not placed in the exactly predetermined position during the on-site installation of the gasket.  Displacements act either as an allowance for building tolerances or to help steerage, line and level during the construction of the tunnel.

The purpose of the gasket is to seal to the required pressure at the maximum expected gap and displacement. However, as the size of the gap and/or displacement increases, the ability of a gasket to withstand water pressure decreases. Furthermore, the load transference areas diminish, which also leads to an increase in the stresses within the segment.

The Importance of Rubber Quality

The majority of gaskets for tunnel lining segments are made from extruded Ethylene Propylene Diene Rubber (EPDM) rubber. However, much depends not only on the quality of manufacture, but importantly the quality of the rubber.

Elastomeric tunnel segment gaskets, which are located in precast grooves encircling the mating faces of each segment, provide a secure rubber-to-rubber waterproof seal as soon as the segments are bolted together.

Therefore it is vital that the low compression set and stress relaxation values of the elastomeric compound used in their manufacture enable elastomeric tunnel segment gaskets to recover under reduced applied load. This maintains a functional and watertight seal between segments despite ground movement and harsh wet and dry conditions. With that in mind, it is vital that tunnel segment gaskets are precision engineered to meet the precise requirements of individual projects. 

Advance Tunnel Design with New Cast-in-profile

For bored tunnels, using a gasket that is pre-cast into the tunnel segment during manufacture removes the need for adhesive on installation and can enable installers to save significant time and money.

This is because a cast-in gasket forges a superior bond connection with the segment to improve installation accuracy and eliminate the need for extra equipment. It is also more environmentally friendly and an altogether cleaner and safer process, as they eliminate solvent fumes and the presence of flammable materials. In fact, cleaning of the groove and correction of groove imperfections can be eliminated, optimizing and shortening the production process.

RELATED: Trends in Tunnel Linings

Cast-in gaskets also provide a faster, cleaner and more accurate alternative for the manufacture of tunnel segments, integrating the gasket as part of the segment production process. Additionally, they prevent air entrapment within the solution while also helping to retain shape, symmetry and integrity when transported.

The profile is designed to fit into the groove within the mold and is incorporated into the production process. Once it is fitted, the mold is filled with concrete and the cast then becomes an integrated part of the final product. The size of the groove therefore has a major effect on the choice of gasket and its subsequent performance. This approach to tunnel segment gasket design also ensures increased water-tight performance, due to complex integration of the gasket into the concrete segment.

The Importance of Correct Corner Configuration

One common concern across the industry when it comes to the performance of cast-in gaskets is the role of gasket corners – where the gasket material has to be mitred and vulcanized at the joint corner. This is because the vulcanizing material filling the holes in the gasket section can cause it to harden at the mitred corners.

Associated with some “rucking” of the gasket during segment installation, this can form a high point of the harder material, making the rubber incompressible. In turn, this makes the segments susceptible to cracking during installation, maximizing the potential for leakages.

Therefore, it is important that the gasket is designed so that it can be compressed but still provide effective sealing properties. For instance, too high a volume of rubber cannot be compressed and as a result the segment can be damaged, with broken corners or inserts that are pulled out. Another challenge is that the profile is not compressed effectively, resulting in holes forming between the seal and the concrete.

One solution is to enhance flexibility by ensuring a symmetrical design with an anchor at the corner position rather than straight sections, reducing the amount of rubber at corners. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) in the design process will help establish the maximum stress on the corners. The seals should then be tested for compression stiffness and water-tightness to ensure they perform as required when in situ.

Ensuring the Right Solution

It’s clear that using a gasket that is pre-cast into the tunnel segment during manufacture provides installers with many benefits, chiefly a consistently accurate installation with increased water-tight performance. However, it is vital that considerable thought is given to the design of the profile to ensure an efficient, watertight seal over the projected service life of the tunnel.

Therefore, finding a manufacturer with a proven track record for durability and reliability is crucial. Manufacturers need to be able to cater to the size and depth of the tunnel, as well as meet stringent pressure and testing requirements in order to eliminate costly remedial work to seal leaks after construction.

A manufacturer with in-house rubber compound technology can produce a tailored solution to meet project requirements and eliminate the chance of failure in situ. Additionally, it is important to turn to a supplier with the ability to perform extensive compression stiffness and water-tightness testing prior to installation.

Due to the complexity and monetary value of many of today’s segmentally lined tunnel projects, the demand for engineering know-how behind their construction continues to increase. This also extends to elastomeric tunnel segment gaskets, as their performance has the ability to hinder or ensure the smooth running of a given project. Working with a global supplier with the right solutions, expertise and local support, means that installers can rest assured they are using high-performance tunnel segment gaskets make projects run smoother.

RELATED: Trelleborg Acquires U.S. Seal Distributor

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With the arched shelter now complete over the disused Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, many of the Manitowoc cranes employed on the project have been dismantled. Five of the eight Potain tower cranes have left the job, as have both Manitowoc 2250 crawler cranes. The cranes provided the majority of the heavy lifting work for the largest land-based moving structure ever built.

Thibaut Le Besnerais, global product director for tower cranes at Manitowoc, said: “This really was a challenging job, and Manitowoc was one of only a few companies capable of providing equipment up to the task. Our involvement in this work dates back to 2005, when a special application Potain MD 3200 was used to build the first concrete containment shelter for the project. Our expertise and customer care was also crucial as every task had to be meticulously planned within a highly detailed and organized working plan. We are extremely proud to be involved in this project and to play our part in such a feat of true engineering excellence.”

RELATED: Manitowoc Cranes Hires Pennypacker as New CEO

The Potain cranes used on the project included four MR 605 B models, three MD 485 B units and one MD 345 B unit. The cranes were all supplied by Novarka, a consortium formed by French construction companies Bouygues TP and Vinci Grand Projects, which handled the project. Manitowoc’s local Ukrainian distributor Hoisting Machines Ltd., provided technical support on site.

Potain cranes are employed around the world on large-scale industrial and infrastructure projects, and have featured on some of the world’s largest dam, bridge, power station and skyscraper developments of modern times.

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The inaugural meeting of the UITP (International Association of Public Transport) International Rail Forum for North America brought together domestic and global transport executives and highlighted three main themes affecting rail in the region. The Forum took place from Dec. 8-9 at the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority and assembled top executives from rail-operating public transit agencies such as New York, Portland, Los Angeles, Washington, San Francisco, Toronto and Montréal with executives from London, Paris, Barcelona, Tokyo, Frankfurt, Brussels and Hong Kong.

The Forum looked at a range of hot topics and highlighted three main themes that are affecting the rail industry in North America and globally: keeping rail systems in a state of good repair, innovation,  and the renaissance of light rail.

RELATED: Tunneling Completed on Northgate Link

“Renewing track, upgrading signaling, and re-building tunnels and bridges may not be the most politically appealing work, but if nothing is done, performance and safety will suffer, leading to customer complaints, pressure from politicians and even network shutdowns. This work is essential and can ultimately affect a city’s vitality and competitiveness,” said UITP Regional Manager for North America, Andrew Bata. “Continuous modernization is an essential need to meet the needs and demands of the public,” added Claude Andlauer from RATP in Paris.

Closely linked to modernization is innovation, which can be slow in many transit agencies because there is often a general management reticence to push innovations. “Recent improvements in service quality, integrated door-to-door services and smart information are all enhancing customer experience. Safety is often taken for granted in transit, but recent events demonstrate that the industry needs to constantly work and to innovate to keep-up with high safety standards,” said UITP Secretary General, Alain Flausch. “True innovation is to do what the Metro is generally not doing routinely,” explained Nadine Lee from LA Metro.

Meanwhile, light rail has been enjoying a dramatic renaissance in North America with more than 30 cities in the United States and Canada currently introducing or expanding light rail. This revival is going hand-in-hand with new features such as low-floor design, clever urban planning and transit oriented development, which have all triggered high interest around light rail in the United States.

RELATED: Tunneling Option Preferred for Calgary Green Line LRT

Looking ahead, the second International Rail Forum for North America will be held in the autumn of 2017 in the United States. In the meantime, North American transport professionals will convene again with their international counterparts at UITP’s flagship event, the Global Public Transport Summit in Montréal, May 15-17, 2017.

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Around 250 guests were present at the Werner von Siemens Ring award ceremony on December 13, 2016 in the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities. They included the German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Sigmar Gabriel, Chairman of the Foundation Council Prof. Dr. Joachim Ullrich, ring prizewinner Dr.-Ing. E.h. Martin Herrenknecht and laudatory speaker Prof. Dr.-Ing. E.h. Manfred Nußbaumer M. Sc. (from left).

Dr.-Ing. E.h. Martin Herrenknecht accepted the Werner von Siemens Ring – a most prestigious technical engineering award – on Dec. 13, 2016 in the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities. The Werner von Siemens Ring Foundation highlighted Herrenknecht’s innovative efforts in the development of tunnel boring machines and mechanized tunneling. For the past 100 years, the Werner von Siemens Ring has been awarded to inventors and entrepreneurs for outstanding achievements who, like Werner von Siemens, have realized epoch-making technical innovations and guided them to success.

Prof. Dr. Joachim Ullrich, the Chairman of the Foundation Council and President of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, presented Herrenknecht with his Werner von Siemens Ring. It is a unique item designed and produced by Michael Berger, a kinetic jewelry designer and renowned master goldsmith, who was commissioned by the Foundation.

Around 250 guests representing the areas of science, business and politics took part in the festive event at the historic Gendarmenmarkt, eager to witness the presentation of the prestigious prize. The official speech was given by Nobel prizewinner and chemist Prof. Dr. Stefan Hell. In the greeting of Sigmar Gabriel, Germany’s Vice-Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, Herrenknecht’s achievements were also praised. “To ensure that we can also continue to set standards with innovative products in the future, we need strong research facilities, strong companies and lively exchange. As the manufacturer of the world’s largest tunnel boring machines, Dr. Martin Herrenknecht is an exemplary figure in these areas: he is an inventor and founder, a technical pioneer and an entrepreneur, and with the success displayed by his company, he is one of the representatives of this country’s economic strength.”

RELATED: Herrenknecht TBMs Boring Hong Kong Metro

In a speech about the Herrenknecht, Prof. Dr.-Ing. E.h. Manfred Nußbaumer M. Sc., member of the Foundation Council at the Werner von Siemens Ring Foundation and former chairman of the Board at Ed. Züblin AG, lauded the particular technical courage and entrepreneurial pioneer spirit displayed by the entrepreneur and engineer from Baden-Württemberg. “You have repeatedly broken new ground. Every time we met, I was amazed at the energy with which you pursued your goals and the wide range of possible solutions at your disposal for excavating tunnels.

Herrenknecht received the award with particular pleasure: “I was surprised to receive this honor. Especially when I consider the impressive range of ring bearers to date. Without the substantial support given by my mother when establishing the company, without the untiring understanding of my family given to me as an entrepreneur, and without the fantastic commitment by my engineers and employees all over the world, I would most likely never have been considered for the Werner von Siemens Ring. Scientists, inventors and entrepreneurs have a special privilege and a genuine responsibility as we are capable of bringing beneficial progress to many key challenges. Although new tunnel infrastructures and tunneling technology are only a small excerpt thereof, this award means that they will also be attributed special acknowledgement by science.”

In almost 40 years of its corporate history, Herrenknecht AG has been involved with more than 3,100 tunnel projects in over 80 countries in close collaboration with its customers. These include projects large and small, with progress regularly marked by new records and milestones.

RELATED: Herrenknecht Wins Business Achievement Award

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Brierley Associates is continuing to expand its BIM/VDC services. To date, the company has participated in over 20 collaborative BIM projects for underground and support of excavation work. The firm recently added to its BIM capabilities with the hiring of Jake Koelliker.

Koelliker received his bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University in Construction Management and began working as a VDC/BIM engineer shortly thereafter. Koelliker has worked on coordinating healthcare, waste water, parking garages, solar, and multi-purpose facilities specializing in self-perform cast-in-place concrete. He also was an essential part of developing work flows and establishing standards for self-perform concrete through the production of Concrete Lift Drawings and the inclusion of Collaboration for Revit, Autodesk Point Layout, SCRUM, Kanban, and other LEAN practices.

RELATED: Brierley Associates Adds to Texas Region

Koelliker joined Brierley Associates in October and has been helping to coordinate several large SOE designs in the San Francisco Bay Area. His ultimate goal is to create a collaborative environment where all project conflicts are resolved virtually in an efficient and productive manner prior to construction.

In other Brierley Associates news, the firm added Kristin Kwok to its Moraga, California, office. Kwok received her bachelor’s and master’s degree in Civil Engineering from UC-Berkeley, and was awarded the departmental citation for her undergraduate work. Having focused on geotechnical and structural engineering, Kwok is excited to apply her knowledge to the geo-structural work at Brierley.

RELATED: Brierley Associates Completes Water Tunnel Inspection in Milwaukee

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In this November 2016 photo, you are looking north at the future northbound SR 99 off-ramp bridge to South Dearborn Street. The new ramp is under construction just west of Seattle’s stadiums. Earlier in the week, crews working for Interwest Construction placed the 14 girders that will support the roadway deck. (Photo: WsDOT)

Crews building the SR 99 tunnel in Seattle reach another milestone on Dec. 13 as they installed the 1,000^th ring. The ring was installed 170 ft beneath Belltown as the miners continue their push toward the north portal. Tunnel boring is now 70 percent complete.

“We’re in a really good rhythm,” said Cody Heck, who builds rings for contractor Seattle Tunnel Partners. “I think my first ring that I built here was about an hour and a half. Now it’s down to about 40 minutes.”

With Bertha’s cutterhead approaching the ground beneath Third Avenue and Blanchard Street, tunnel boring is now 70 percent complete.

Meanwhile, other crews are making headway. A separate crew is hard at work behind the tunneling machine, building the double-deck highway that will carry traffic when the tunnel opens. Construction of the highway occurs in 54-ft sections.

Building the highway in this fashion allows concrete the time it needs to strengthen before additional components of the highway are added at a given section. It also allows workers to spread out and complete the portion they’re working on more quickly than would be possible if all crews were focused on the same area at the same time.

Crews are also nearing completion on what will ultimately be the most recognizable features of the SR 99 tunnel: the operations buildings at each portal with their bright yellow ventilation stacks.

RELATED: Seattle Voters Approve ST3

The stacks are central to the tunnel’s ventilation system, which will be capable of removing 1.4 million cubic feet of air per minute should it be necessary. In addition to ventilation, the buildings will house operating systems, including safety, lighting and communications. They’ll also provide space and access for the very thing that inspired the colorful stacks – WSDOT’s yellow maintenance vehicles.

Crews are also nearing completion on what will ultimately be the most recognizable features of the SR 99 tunnel: the operations buildings at each portal with their bright yellow ventilation stacks.

Both buildings will be mostly complete by next year, although a portion of the north operations building will be completed after the tunneling machine is removed from the ground. Crews have installed the stacks and main ventilation fans, as well as all exterior glass, in both buildings. The focus now is on completing the remaining interior work.

Permanent power was recently connected to the north operations building, which is located at the corner of Harrison Street and Sixth Avenue North. The building’s interior, as well as the plaza that’s taking shape outside, are now lit up at night.

The south operations building, which is located on the south side of South King Street, will be connected to the electrical grid in 2017.

RELATED: Seattle Ship Canal Project EIS Available for Review

Both buildings were designed to be beacons of light rather than blocks of cold concrete. The ventilation rooms of both operations buildings will stay lit throughout the night, acting as luminous bookends to the bored tunnel.

Tunnel breakthrough is expected to occur in 2017.

Source: Washington State Department of Transportation

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In completing his first calendar year with the company, Robin Lindahl, Normet Group President and CEO, is reorganizing to maximize the company’s strategic focus and achieve the goal of doubling the company revenues by 2020. Normet’s operational model and organization will be changed to fully capture the market potential and to better respond to customer needs.

Lindahl

“The coming changes will be done to strengthen capabilities across Normet’s offering as well as build stronger process solution capabilities in the underground mining and tunneling community. We will also look at synergies and efficiency in our global supply chain to gain further competitiveness,” Lindahl said.

RELATED: Normet Announces Organizational Changes

These changes will be fully implemented by the end of 2016 and the new organization will be operational as of Jan. 1, 2017. “These changes will have positive impact to overall personnel as we plan to further strengthen key focus areas,” Lindahl added.

Beginning Jan. 1, Normet will have three business lines, Equipment, Life Time Care and Ground Control & Construction Technologies, as well as Market Operations and Global Supply Chain Operations, which all report directly to Lindahl, who was named President and CEO last January.

Immonen

The new Equipment business line will be headed by SVP Kari Hämäläinen. The new Life Time Care business line will be headed by SVP Mikko Immonen, who joined Normet from Outotec Oyj where he has been an integral part of creating a strong service business over the last seven years. The Ground Control and Construction Technologies business line will be headed by SVP Odd-Bjørn Kleven. He oversees the amalgamation of Construction Chemicals and Rock Reinforcement, whose technological offering anchors the solutions approach taken to Normet’s tunneling and mining customers. Market Operations will concentrate fully on the customer interface, sales and marketing, solution offering and strengthening of the company’s LTC (Life Time Care) network. This will be headed by Mike Rispin, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. The regional set up will continue with six regions each headed by a Vice President.

• Rispin

  CIS/Mongolia – Jorma Piironen

• EMEA – Janne Lehto
• Asia – Alan Pengelly
• Australia/NZ – Neil Fitzmaurice
• North America – Greg Hallett
• Latin America – Marcelo Anabalon

Supply Chain Operations, headed by SVP Timo Rask, encompassing sourcing and global production network for Equipment and LTC, takes a renewed global approach to ensure the most competitive placement of Normet’s offering at the customer interface.

RELATED: Normet Introduces Alpha 1430 Kit

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The New York metropolitan area could face severe consequences if a new Hudon River rail tunnel is not built.

The New York metropolitan region risks enormous commuting and economic disruption unless a new Hudson River rail tunnel project known as Gateway is built between New York and New Jersey, some of the region’s top elected officials warned at a Dec. 12 event hosted by Regional Plan Association and the Association for a Better New York.

Senators Cory Booker and Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Chuck Schumer of New York urged the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump to move forward on the tunnel project. The senators were joined at the discussion by Amtrak Chairman Anthony Coscia and by Scott Rechler, the chairman and CEO of RXR Realty and chairman of RPA.

“If it doesn’t happen, there are devastating consequences,” Sen. Schumer said. “We don’t build this, and these tunnels fail, the whole economy will collapse. There will be a deep recession in the New York metropolitan area and a recession probably in the whole country.”

RELATED: Gateway Project Takes Step Forward

Damage from saltwater flooding during Hurricane Sandy has been eating away at the walls of the existing tunnels, which were built more than a century ago and need to be closed for extensive repairs. The Gateway project also includes an expansion of Penn Station and other major improvements along the rail corridor to fix decaying structures that regularly cause extensive delays. Once the new tunnel is built and repairs to the existing tunnels are completed, Amtrak and New Jersey Transit will be able to run more trains during rush hour and cut down on the delays that plague commuters today.

Gateway has been called the most important infrastructure project in the country, underpinning the region’s $1.5 trillion economy. In an agreement struck last year, the federal government and Amtrak agreed to cover 50% of the estimated $20 billion cost of the project, with the other half to be split between New York and New Jersey.

RELATED: New Hudson River Tunnel to Receive $70 Million for Engineering

During a panel discussion moderated by RPA President Tom Wright, those present said they were optimistic that the incoming Trump administration would support the project. “I think they recognize that to make America great again, they’ve got to make our infrastructure great again,” Rechler said during the discussion.

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The County Sanitation District No. 2 of Los Angeles County is seeking prequalified contractors for its Joint Water Pollution Control Plant Effuent Outfall Tunnel. Interested contractors need to submit a pre-qualifications package before 3 p.m. PST on Feb. 28. 2017.

Additionally, the district has issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) for construction management services for the project. Interested engineering consultants need to submit an RFQ before 11 a.m. PST on Jan. 31, 2017.

The project consists of constructing approximately 7 miles of 18-ft internal diameter precast concrete segmental lining tunnel from a single heading with a pressurized face TBM and all appurtenant work.  The project will be located within Los Angeles County, California.

Further details are available here.

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The new machines will be used on the $1.45 billion US) Dudullu-Bostancı Metro Line project,

TERRATEC announced the delivery of a further two 6.56-m diameter earth pressure balance (EPB) tunnel boring machines for the ongoing expansion of the Istanbul Metro system in Turkey. The announcement came following a factory acceptance test on Dec. 6.

The new machines will be used by the Şenbay Madencilik-Kolin-Kalyon Joint Venture ¬– along with two other TBMs – on the €1.4 billion ($1.45 billion US) Dudullu-Bostancı Metro Line project, which runs north to south across the densely populated Anatolian side of the city. The 14.2-km long line, along with its 13 new stations, will be located entirely underground.

Members of the JV were so impressed with the performance of the TERRATEC machine (S42) used on the new Mecidiyeköy-Mahmutbey Metro line – which is currently being built by the Gülermak, Kolin and Kalyon JV – that they were very keen to employ a further two machines, S50 and S51, on their second project for the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM).

RELATED: TERRATEC Double Breakthrough Marks Completion of 20 Drives in Delhi

The customized TERRATEC TBMs have versatile mixed-face cutterheads with an opening ratio of about 35%, designed to manage Istanbul’s geology – which includes both rock and soil formations – and state-of-the-art features such as VFD electric cutterhead drives, soft ground cutting tools that are interchangeable with 17-in. roller disc cutters, high torque screw conveyors, and active articulation systems. The tunnel linings will consist of reinforced concrete trapezoidal segments (5+1), with an outer diameter of 6,300 mm, an inner diameter of 5,700 mm and a width of 1,400 mm.

“I was very impressed by the TERRATEC machines when I attended the recent factory inspection and I am looking forward to great production records being set by the TBMs,” said Feriha Mert, Anatolian Rail Systems Manager, for the IMM.

The fully automated Dudullu-Bostancı Metro Line (GoA4) – with driverless trains, CBTC, and platform screen doors at stations – will provide numerous connections to other Istanbul transportation systems, such as the Bosphorus ferry (at Bostancı Harbour), the Marmaray railway, the Kadıköy-Kartal metro line and the Üsküdar-Çekmeköy metro line.

Tunneling is expected to commence in early 2017 and be completed by mid-2019.

RELATED: Managing Project Risk on Instanbul’s Eurasia Tunnel

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Road Traffic Management Center of Helsinki.

More than 25 ITA COSUF members in October participated in an internal workshop organized by the Finnish Transport Agency in Helsinki. The experts for Operational Safety of Underground Facilities met to network and inform about the latest developments, especially those presented by the Finnish tunneling experts. The event started with the General Assembly and the presentation of the ITA COSUF Award Winner 2016, Wilson Ulises Rojas Alva from Denmark and ended finally with an interesting site visit.

Finnish Transport Agency

Laura Väisänen gave an overview of the Finnish Transport Agency (FTA) and explained that the FTA is responsible for all Finnish roads, railways and waterways and especially for the development of the Finnish transport system. The ITA COSUF experts learned that not only road and railway safety is an essential topic but also maritime safety is an important focus area of FTA. The federal institution strives for a smooth, efficient and safe transport in Finland.

ITA COSUF Hosts Workshop and Site Visit

One of the strategic goals is gaining for reliable digital services that are leading to greater operational efficiency. Some impressive road and railway statistics were shown: there are 44 existing tunnels on the 5,900-km railway network and 20 road tunnels on 78,000 km of highways in Finland. Altogether a budget of 2.2 billion Euros will be spent on ongoing projects.

Helsinki Metro

“All underground developments of the Helsinki Metro are key processes for the Helsinki Rescue Department,” stated Marko Järvinen, Helsinki Rescue Department during his presentation of the western extension of the Helsinki Metro with 21 km of tunnels, 13 underground stations and one underground depot (Fig. 1). “That means a full-time job for many fire officers and employees in the alarm center.”

RELATED:

The safety strategy of Helsinki Rescue Department in underground facilities is easy to understand: to be involved in the design of tunnels as early as possible, which is even enforced by the Finnish Rescue Law. The most important safety targets are a proper self-evacuation and a safe access route for firefighters, taking into account that the compressed air tanks only have a limited capacity. Järvinen gave an interesting insight of his daily job with emergency exercises, control of smoke detectors, operational procedures and much more.

Site Visits

Combining, as usual for ITA COSUF events, theory with practical experience, the participants visited the Train Security Control Center and the Road Traffic Management Center of Helsinki, presented by Arto Muukkonen and Mika Jaatinen. These traffic management centers are spread out in Finland with the purpose to monitor the traffic and weather conditions (situation awareness), to provide information for road users and to control the traffic by variable message signs. The tunnel management systems of nine road tunnels in Helsinki are operated from the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Traffic Management Center (Fig. 2). Incident Management takes places in close cooperation with other authorities and support from the centers is given for road maintenance.

Last but not least, a new metro station was visited where the participants not only were impressed by the safety features, but also by the sophisticated architecture and the high quality of finishing the station with natural stone.

ITA COSUF Award Winner 2016

ITA COSUF Chairman Dr. Roland Leucker (left) presents Wilson Ulises Rojas Alva with the ITA COSUF award.

Directly at the end of the General Assembly 2016, ITA COSUF Chairman Dr. Roland Leucker presented Wilson Ulises Rojas Alva with the ITA COSUF Award 2016 for his outstanding contribution to the safety of underground facilities (Fig. 3) related to the influence of vehicular blockages on tunnel fires “There is clearly a knowledge gap concerning the influence of vehicular blockage on the tunnel fire dynamics. Additionally, the confinement velocity and the longitudinal velocity are both not well understood, neither in horizontal tunnels nor in sloped tunnels. More experimental work should be carried out in small-scale thermal models in order to advance the knowledge in tunnel fire dynamics.” Leucker said.

ITA COSUF is accepting nominations for the 2017 award up to May 30, 2017. Information is available ITA COSUF homepage. The award will be presented during the ITA COSUF workshop at the International AFTES Congress, Nov. 13-15, 2017, in Paris.

ITA COSUF is the first committee of the ITA, the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association, founded in 2005. It is the Center of Excellence for safety consisting of approximately 80 corporate member organizations and companies from 25 countries all over the world.

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Nath

Senthil Nath GT, from Geoconsult Asia Singapore, won the annually awarded NCE Tunnelling Award, announced by U.K.’s New Civil Engineer and the British Tunnelling Society, in London on Dec. 8, 2016. Nath is Senior Engineer with more than eight years of expert-knowledge in handling diversified geotechnical projects.

“I am very proud to win this award and would like to thank to all my friends, colleagues and especially my employer Geoconsult for the support,” Nath, 30, said to the crowd of 450 at the awards event.

“Senthil is experienced with major infrastructure projects including TBM and SEM/NATM tunnels, deep foundation and tunnel and excavation support systems for urban development projects, site supervision and design management,” said Dr. Oskar Sigl, Managing Director and Partner of Geoconsult Asia Singapore.

RELATED: Tunnel Achievement Awards

Nath´s background is geotechnical engineering and he has pursued second level specializing masters (ITA endorsed) course in Tunneling and TBM. “He is involved in the design of mined tunnels undercrossing critical structures, temporary works for cross passages, TBM docking and construction support for more than 12 km of TBM drive for the Thomson Line project in Singapore,” Sigl said. “We as Geoconsult Group Management and colleagues are very proud to have the opportunity to work with an engineer like Senthil Nath.”

Geoconsult is a private and independent engineering group providing engineering services on a global scale. Founded in 1973, the group gives work to a staff of more than 350 people and comprises offices in Argentina, Chile, Germany, India, Singapore, Slovakia, Turkey as well as in Austria.

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Governor Andrew M. Cuomo celebrated the on-time arrival of the Second Avenue Subway – the system’s first major expansion in more than 50 years – with the line’s inaugural ride on New Year’s Eve. The new line’s first ride and celebratory party were co-hosted by MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas F. Prendergast and attended by Second Avenue Subway and MTA workers, local community members, dignitaries, local elected officials and members of President Obama’s cabinet. Attendees rode to each of the new stations and rang in the New Year with a celebratory countdown and toast at the 72nd Street station.

“After nearly a century, the Second Avenue Subway is no longer a dream that only a few still believe is possible. Thanks to the dedication and tireless efforts of thousands of great New Yorkers, the stations are open, the trains are running and it is spectacular,” Cuomo said. “With this achievement, we have recaptured the bold ambition that made the Empire State so great, proving that government can still accomplish big things for the people it serves. New Year’s Eve is all about starting anew and I am proud to ring in the New Year on the Second Avenue Subway and welcome a new era in New York where there is no challenge too great, no project too grand, and all is possible once again.”

The inaugural ride, in a train specially wrapped with Second Avenue Subway logos, included celebratory stops at the new 86th and 96th Street stations, which were previewed to the public at open houses last week. At each of the new stations, participants of the inaugural ride were greeted with the words “Excelsior” and “E Pluribus Unum,” permanently displayed on beams there as New York’s message to people who ride the subways. Guests also had an opportunity to view the public art in each station, part of the largest public art installation in New York State history.

The celebration was attended by many of the workers who helped build the new line’s massive underground tunnels and stations, as well as the workers who will operate the system. Community residents, local merchants, and elected officials also took part in the festivities, along with members of President Obama’s cabinet – U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.

“This is a grand celebration befitting a truly historic occasion and a proud moment for the MTA,” Prendergast said. “We worked around-the-clock to meet Governor Cuomo’s deadline, and tomorrow the public will reap the benefits of this commitment. We thank the men and women who worked so hard on this massive project, and we hope all New Yorkers enjoy this new line and vastly improved commute.”

RELATED: MTA Begins Procurement for Second Avenue Subway Phase 2

During the evening, attendees enjoyed a performance from the cast of “In Transit,” the subway-themed Broadway musical, as well as music by Sunnyside Social Club, a jazz band that’s part of the MTA’s “Music Under New York” program. Food and beverages served at the event were provided by several different local producers from throughout New York State.

The event was co-hosted by the Association for a Better New York, Blasters, Drillrunners and Miners Local 29, Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, Central Park Conservancy, Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Municipal Art Society of New York, the Museum of Modern Art, New York Historical Society, the New York Mets, New York State Council on the Arts, New York Transit Museum, Partnership for New York City, Real Estate Board of New York, Regional Plan Association, NYC Sandhogs Local 147, Transport Workers Union Local 100 and the Whitney Museum of American Art.

New Q Train Service

The Second Avenue Subway began service at noon, Jan. 1, with stations opening at 11:45 a.m. Q train service will run from 96th Street, 86th Street, 72nd Street, and 63rd Street, and continue through Manhattan and into Brooklyn, to Coney Island.

From Jan. 2 until Jan. 8, service on the Second Avenue Subway will begin at 6 a.m. and run until 10 p.m. Then, starting on Jan. 9, service will operate around-the-clock. Trains will run every six minutes during peak hours.

The new line also features low-vibration track, for a smoother, quieter ride.

New Stations

The bright, spacious new Second Avenue Subway stations feature access for the disabled, climate control features to maximize comfort, high ceilings column-free design for an open, airy atmosphere, vibrant lighting and the largest permanent public art installation in state history.

A two-tiered mezzanine design is a fixture of the new stations and improves the flow of riders, reduces crowding on the platform and enhances the overall subway experience for riders.

There are completely new stations at 96th, 86th and 72nd Streets along Second Avenue, and a new entrance at 63rd Street and Third Avenue will allow riders to enter a renovated station for new Q train service there, including a connection to the existing F line.

New Public Art

The new Second Avenue Subway also features the largest permanent public art installation in New York State history, with dramatic, large-scale works by notable artists at each of the line’s new stations.

At the 63rd Street Station, Jean Shin’s installation “Elevated” uses archival photographs of the 2nd and 3rd Avenue Elevated train to create compositions in ceramic tile, glass mosaic, and laminated glass at each of the three station levels.

At the 72nd Street Station, Vik Muniz’s “Perfect Strangers” features more than three dozen characters created in mosaic and installed throughout the mezzanine and entrance areas, populating the station with colorful images of all types of New Yorkers.

The artwork at the 86th Street Station consists of 12 large-scale works by Chuck Close called “Subway Portraits” – 9-ft-tall mosaic and ceramic tile interpretations of the artist’s painstakingly detailed photo-based portrait paintings.

At the 96th Street Station, Sarah Sze’s “Blueprint for a Landscape” features familiar objects – sheets of paper, scaffolding, birds, trees, and foliage – caught up in a whirlwind velocity that picks up speed and intensity as the composition unfolds throughout the station.

RELATED: $27 Billion New York MTA Capital Plan Approved

By the Numbers

• Workers excavated 583,600 cubic yards of rock & 460,300 cubic yards of soil (more than half the Empire State Building by volume)
• Cubic yards of concrete used in construction: 261,038
• Pounds of rebar used in construction: 48.9 million
• Pounds of structural steel used in construction: 40.7 million
• The new line features 35 new escalators, 12 new elevators, and 22 new stairways
• The new line features 200,000 square feet of floor tiles, 130,000 square feet of ceiling tiles, and 692,000 square feet of wall tiles
• Number of doors: 1,014
• Number of light fixtures: 10,264
• Number of floor drains: 712
• Number of plumbing and bathroom fixtures: 264

Phase 1

The Second Avenue Subway under construction.

Phase 1 of the Second Avenue Subway includes the three new ADA-compliant stations at 96th Street, 86th Street and 72nd Street, and new entrances to the existing Lexington Av/63rd Street Station at 63rd Street and Third Avenue. It will provide service from 96th Street to 63rd Street and will serve more than 200,000 people per day, reducing overcrowding on the Lexington Avenue Line and restoring a transit link to a neighborhood that lost the Second Avenue elevated subways in 1940. The existing Q line will continue through 63rd Street all the way to Coney Island. The new stations will provide transfers to other subway and commuter rail lines. Further phases of the project will extend the line to Hanover Square in the Financial District.

As part of the Governor’s efforts to build a 21st century transportation network smarter, faster and more efficient than ever before, the state has launched a “New MTA” webpage. The webpage offers a one-stop guide to the proposals that are part of New York’s unprecedented $100 billion infrastructure plan to build a new New York.

The Second Avenue Subway expansion is part of the Governor’s sweeping statewide initiative to redevelop and rebuild New York’s aging infrastructure from the ground up. The comprehensive plan includes a new LaGuardia Airport, completely redesigned Penn Station, the LIRR 2nd and 3rd Track projects, the New New York Bridge, a major expansion of the Jacob K. Javits Center, as well as a complete overhaul and upgrades to the MTA’s seven bridges and two tunnels in the metropolitan region.

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Construction spending hit a 10-year high in November with monthly and year-over-year gains in both public and private categories, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said the November data indicates that the 2017 outlook for construction is favorable even as they cautioned that demand will vary for different types of construction projects.

“These numbers confirm what contractors have been reporting—that there was no let-up in demand last year,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Most contractors expect to remain busy in 2017, as well, although there will be a shift in the types of projects that are most active. Office construction is especially hot, while manufacturing and apartment construction are slowing sharply, and public investment is a major question mark.”

Construction spending in November totaled $1.182 trillion at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, the highest total since April 2006, Simonson said. He added that the November rate was up 0.9 percent from the month before and up 4.1 percent from the November 2015 level.

RELATED: Tunneling Industry Outlook 2016

Private residential construction spending increased by 1.0 percent between October and November and rose 3.0 percent over the past 12 months. Spending on multifamily residential construction slipped 2.7 percent for the month but was 11 percent higher than in November 2015, while single-family spending climbed 1.8 percent for the month but dipped 0.9 percent from a year earlier.

Private nonresidential construction spending grew by 0.9 percent for the month and 6.4 percent year-over-year. The largest private nonresidential segment in November was power construction (including oil and gas pipelines), which gained 0.5 percent for the month and 1.5 percent over 12 months. The next-largest segment, commercial (retail, warehouse and farm) construction, rose 0.3 percent in November and 12 percent year-over-year. Manufacturing construction decreased 1.1 percent for the month and is down 8.0 percent from a year before. Private office construction spending reached an all-time high, rising 1.9 percent for the month and 31 percent compared with November 2015.

Public construction spending moved up 0.8 percent from October to November and 2.6 percent from the November 2015 rate. However, public totals have been volatile for the past two years, Simonson observed. He cautioned that federal funds for infrastructure remain a weak point and that a number of states are facing new fiscal challenges that may jeopardize investment in infrastructure and public universities.

Association officials said the November spending data offers some early insight into the outlook for construction in 2017. They added that the association will release its annual Construction Hiring and Business Outlook on Jan. 10 which is based on survey results from construction firms across the country. That Outlook offers insights into whether firms plan to hire new employees, which market segments they expect to grow in the coming year and the significant challenges firms expect to face in the coming months.

“Now that construction spending levels are approaching prior peak levels, we want to know whether the industry will continue to expand this year,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s chief executive officer. “One factor driving the outlook for 2017 will be whether the new President and Congress can find a way to make needed infrastructure investments, cut regulatory burdens and provide relief for rising health care costs.”

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Dreyfuss-Wells

The Board of Trustees of the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) announced that Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells will be appointed Chief Executive Officer effective Feb. 11, 2017 pending board confirmation on Thursday, Jan. 5. Dreyfuss-Wells will succeed Julius Ciaccia who, after more than nine years as CEO, will retire on Feb. 10, 2017.

“Under the leadership of CEO Ciaccia, the Sewer District has become one of the most renowned progressive environmental organizations in the nation,” said Dreyfuss-Wells. “I would like to thank the Board of Trustees for giving me the opportunity to build upon those successes.”

Dreyfuss-Wells has been with the Sewer District since 2008, and currently is the Deputy Director of Watershed Programs. In addition to her leadership role in the development and implementation of the Regional Stormwater Management Program, Dreyfuss-Wells played a critical role in the negotiations with the federal government of Project Clean Lake, the Sewer District’s program to significantly reduce the amount of raw sewage discharging into the environment. Project Clean Lake is a $3 billion program that includes the construction of several large CSO tunnels, including the Dugway Storage Tunnel that is currently under construction.

RELATED: NEORSD Selects Design Team for Westerly CSO Tunnel

She has led on the Sewer District’s Green Infrastructure Program, including the implementation of the grants program, which is designed to remove stormwater from the combined system as redevelopment activities occur. She has been integral, too, in the development of the Member Community Infrastructure Program, a funding program provided by the Sewer District to assist member communities in addressing water quality and quantity issues associated with aging sewer infrastructure that adversely impact human health and the environment.

TBM hole-through on the Euclid Creek Tunnel, NEORSD’s first major tunnel as part of Project Clean Lake.

“Throughout her time at the Sewer District, Kyle has demonstrated significant leadership related to water quality issues both at the Sewer District and during her work with national water organizations, like the National Association of Clean Water Agencies,” said Ciaccia. “This will be beneficial as the Sewer District continues to lead on local and national sewer- and stormwater-infrastructure issues — from high-performing wastewater treatment plant operations to regional stormwater management efforts.”

Currently, Dreyfuss-Wells is chair of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies‘ Stormwater Management Committee and the District 1 Natural Resources Assistance Council for the Ohio Public Works Commission’s Clean Ohio Conservation Program.

“Throughout her career, Kyle has demonstrated enthusiastic leadership and a commitment to this region. As part of the Sewer District, she has not only played an integral role in addressing wastewater issues, like combined sewer overflows, she’s a visionary and a pioneer in matters related to stormwater issues. This is extremely important as the we continue to enhance this piece of our core mission,” said Darnell Brown, Chief Operating Officer for the City of Cleveland and Sewer District Board President.

Dreyfuss-Wells received her BS in Biology Summa Cum Laude from The Ohio State University. She received an MPA (master of public administration) and a MS in Environmental Science with honors at Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs, and served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Samoa. Before joining the Sewer District, she was Director of the Chagrin River Watershed Partners Inc., a non-profit organization serving 35 municipalities on Cleveland’s east side improving land-use decision-making in the 267 square-mile Chagrin River watershed.

RELATED: Euclid Creek Tunnel Completed $3.6 Million Under Budget

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Kennedy

Shannon & Wilson is continuing its expansion of their underground services practice with strategic hire Edward R. Kennedy. Kennedy joins the firm as a Vice President and Senior Project Manager for Tunnels and Systems. He has more than 40 years of experience in all major phases of heavy civil construction projects and significant expertise with soft ground and hard rock Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs).

Kennedy has served as Resident Engineer for large, complex water/wastewater, transportation, and other infrastructure-related projects in challenging urban environments. He is also an established leader and innovator in the tunneling/underground industry having participated in much of the development history of the TBM, working with The Robbins Company, which pioneered hard rock TBMs and disc cutters.

Kennedy is recognized by contractors, engineers, owners and manufacturers as an innovative engineer and hands-on TBM expert with unique knowledge of mechanical excavation and its application. He also has worked on the design, operation and troubleshooting of both soft ground and hard rock TBMs around the world.

RELATED: Shannon & Wilson Announces 2016 Promotions

“Adding Ed to our team strengthens Shannon & Wilson’s construction management and engineering services for TBM projects, and adds capabilities to our growing eastern U.S. services” said Axel Nitschke, Director of Operations for Underground Services and the manager of Shannon & Wilson’s DC Metro office.

Shannon & Wilson is an employee-owned consulting firm with more than 60 years of experience providing geotechnical and environmental consulting services from 12 offices across the United States. Shannon & Wilson serves owners and the construction and mining industries across the nation for underground construction and rehabilitation projects using a wide range of techniques and technologies.

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Brokk 110

Brokk, the world’s leading manufacturer of remote-controlled demolition machines, presents the Brokk 110. The electric-powered machine features increased demolition power over its predecessor, the Brokk 100, and includes the all-new Brokk SmartPower electrical system. The machine’s improvements increase the reliability and versatility for Brokk customers working on harsh jobsites in industries such as construction, metal processing, mining and nuclear.

“For more than 40 years, we’ve focused on offering the best possible products,” said Martin Krupicka, Brokk Group CEO. “With the Brokk 100, we saw the opportunity to further enhance efficiency and increase hitting power, which led to the development of the new Brokk 110.”

The new machine features a 10-ft (3-m) reach and weighs 2,183 lbs. It delivers 15 percent more power than the older Brokk 100 and 50 percent more than its predecessor, the popular Brokk 90 (discontinued in 2011) while retaining its compact design, making it ideal in restricted spaces and on weak floors.

RELATED: Compact Solutions for First Street Tunnel

The Brokk 110 includes Brokk SmartPower, the company’s all-new electrical system, which is also available on the new Brokk 120 Diesel and Brokk 280. The intelligent system incorporates hardened components and fewer moving parts than its predecessor. Brokk SmartPower optimizes performance based on a number of factors, including power supply quality and ambient temperature. The system can sense when a power supply is
poor or faulty, making it suitable for generators or unreliable power supplies.

“The Brokk 110 represents the constant innovation at Brokk,” said Peter Bigwood, vice president of sales and marketing for Brokk in North America. “Its new SmartPower electrical system offers customers heightened reliability and durability to ensure increased productivity and safety on the jobsite.”

In addition to improvements to its overall power and electrical systems, the Brokk 110 also features upgraded durability. This includes hardened parts, LED headlight protection, reinforced corners and a new steel gray color coating in strategic areas to add additional resistance to dirt and scratches.

The Brokk 110 is compatible with the same wide range of attachments available for the Brokk 100 that it replaces, including breakers, crushers, grapples, rock drills and shears. At 31-in. wide, the compact machine and its attachments fit easily through standard doors and inside passenger elevators. With its low floor load, the Brokk 110 is able to maneuver in otherwise inaccessible areas, such as stairwells or elevators. Its compact size is ideal for a variety of applications, from top-down demolition and interior strip-outs to selective concrete removal.

RELATED: Brokk Names McCabe as New England Regional Sales Manager

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The U.S. Department of Transportation and LA Metro announced that federal grants and loans totaling more than $1.6 billion have been secured to help build the second phase of the Purple Line Extension to downtown Beverly Hills and Century City.

The money is for the 2.6-mile second phase of the Purple Line Extension that will run between Wilshire/La Cienega Station and Century City. Two stations are included in the second section: Wilshire/Rodeo in downtown Beverly Hills and Century City at the corner of Avenue of the Stars and Constellation Boulevard.

The first section of the Purple Line Extension is under construction and will run for 3.9 miles between Wilshire/Western Station and Wilshire/La Cienga with stations at Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax and Wilshire/La Cienega.

RELATED: LA Metro Breaks Ground on Purple Line Extension Project in Los Angeles

The $1.187-billion federal grant for section two is from the Federal Transit Administration’s New Starts program, which helps local transit agencies build big capital projects. The $307-million loan is from the U.S. DOT’s TIFIA program that provides low-interest loans to help build infrastructure projects. The subway project is also receiving $169 million through the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality program. Funding for the second phase includes $747 million from the Measure R half-cent sales tax approved by L.A. County voters in 2008. Section two is expected to cost about $2.4 billion to build.

Metro is now in the process of selecting a contractor to build the subway extension’s second phase. The agency plans to recommend a contractor to the Metro Board in January. Pre-construction activities — including utility work relocation — for the second phase are already underway. Major construction is planned to begin in 2018.

Completion of the second subway section is anticipated no later than 2026 per the agreement Metro has in place with the FTA. But Metro is aiming to finish the project at an earlier date.

RELATED: LA Metro Christens TBM for Regional Connector

A third and final section will extend the subway to the Westwood/VA Hospital. Construction on this section — with funding from the recently approved Measure M sales tax — is planned to begin as early as 2019.

A total of $3.1 billion in federal New Starts funding has now been secured for recent Metro transportation projects, including $1.25 billion for the first section of the subway and $670 million for the Regional Connector. These grants would not have been possible without Metro also having local funding from the Measure R sales tax.

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A cause near and dear to the hearts of the 24th annual Microtunneling Short Course organizers is helping the men and women who have served in the U.S. military successfully return to civilian life. To help with this effort, course organizers have partnered with the Office of Veterans Services at the University of Colorado Boulder to offer 10 Scholarships for full course attendance to the 24th annual Microtunneling Short Course and awards banquet. Additionally, the course will be soliciting donations from the microtunneling industry in the form of $1,000 scholarship donations and/or items to be auctioned off during a silent auction.

The annual Microtunneling Short Course has been the premier event devoted to advancing the worldwide microtunneling industry. Much like the microtunneling market itself, the Microtunneling Short Course has evolved to meet the needs of professionals new to the market, as well as seasoned veterans looking to catch up on the latest developments. The 24th annual course returns to the University of Colorado Boulder from Feb. 7-9, with the one-day Pilot Tube Seminar on Feb. 6.

RELATED: 23rd Annual Microtunneling Short Course Attracts Record Numbers

The 2016 Microtunneling Short Course boasted a record 140 delegates.

Since the inaugural event in 1994, the Microtunneling Short Course has drawn more than 3,000 participants. In 2016, the course was held in Boulder for the first time and drew a record number of participants.

The hallmark of the program is the technical presentations, which are given by real-world professionals including contractors, consulting engineers, utility owners and equipment manufacturers. Presentations cover all aspects of microtunneling, including planning, design, construction, site investigation, legal issues and any other topic relevant to the industry.

If you are interested in donating a scholarship, please contact Brittany Cline.

RELATED: 9th Annual Breakthroughs in Tunneling Short Course Held in Boulder

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