Underground Construction

Indiana American Water completes $45 million acquisition of Silver Creek Water

The transaction expands the utility’s service area to approximately 8,000 new customers in Silver Creek and Carr Townships in Clark County, and New Albany Township in Floyd County, located in southern Indiana.

CGA opens registration for 25th annual conference in Orlando, Florida

The conference will bring together industry leaders to reflect on CGA’s quarter-century legacy and explore future innovations in damage prevention.

Worker deaths decline amid OSHA crackdown on high-risk trench and fall hazards

According to preliminary data, fatalities in key high-risk areas like trench collapses and falls, which are among the leading causes of death for construction workers, have notably declined.

Lynchburg, Va., breaks ground on largest-ever Blackwater CSO tunnel project

On Oct. 29, the City of Lynchburg broke ground on the Blackwater CSO Tunnel Project, a milestone in local infrastructure and the largest capital improvement in the city’s history. Known as LYHBeyond, the project aims to significantly reduce combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and safeguard the city’s waterways.

California's Anderson Dam tunnel project marks milestone as completion nears

To complete the tunnel’s last 347 feet, crews used a specialized micro-tunnel boring machine, maneuvering it 30 feet beneath the reservoir’s surface. After the boring was done, divers and construction teams carefully removed the machine from the tunnel’s endpoint using a large crane.

Frontier-Kemper wins $1.1 billion New York tunnel project

(UI) – Tutor Perini subsidiary Frontier-Kemper Constructors has been awarded a contract valued at approx. $1.1 billion by the New York City Dept of Environmental Protection for the Kensico-Eastview Connection Tunnel Project.

Tunnel boring machine ‘Clack-A-Mole’ nears one-third completion in Oregon outfall project

As of Sept. 24, Clack-A-Mole has mined 770 feet of the total 2,370-foot tunnel, reaching 32% completion. Clack-A-Mole, weighing a massive 225,000 pounds, is currently averaging about 32 feet of progress per day as it digs a path toward the river.

Federal charges filed against contractors for failing to remove lead pipes in Newark, N.J.

Two officials from a construction company contracted to remove lead pipes in Newark have been charged with fraud, accused of deceiving the city by leaving the hazardous pipes in place while falsely claiming to have replaced them.

Energy giants propose new transmission lines across PJM states

Dominion Energy Virginia, American Electric Power and FirstEnergy Corp. have entered into an innovative joint planning agreement to propose several new regional electric transmission projects across multiple states within the PJM footprint.

Newburgh, N.Y., completes $31 million sewer project using microtunneling for underground pipeline

The project installed 8,700 feet of new sewer pipes and used microtunneling for over 2,000 feet of underground pipeline to improve capacity and reduce pollution in the Hudson River.

Sanitary sewer line replacement scheduled for Bunker Hill and Greenbay in Houston

All work will occur underground or within the city’s Right of Way (ROW), with no expected need to access private property unless necessary, and residents will receive advance notice if this happens.

Asheville, N.C., faces weeks-long recovery after Tropical Storm Helene damages water system

Asheville’s water system suffered severe damage from Tropical Storm Helene, disrupting treatment facilities and distribution lines. Washed-out roads are complicating repair efforts, with city officials warning it may take weeks to fully restore service to the area’s 94,000 residents.

Nevada County approves PG&E underground utility project for Red Dog Road

The Nevada County Board of Supervisors in California has approved the creation of the Red Dog Road Underground Utilities District, a project aimed at improving wildfire safety by moving utilities underground.

San Diego sewer upgrade nears completion, potholing to confirm underground utilities

Upcoming work will replace sewer mains and laterals on three streets in San Diego. Crews will also conduct potholing to verify the locations of underground pipes and utility lines.

Explosion in underground PG&E vault leaves one dead in Richmond, Calif.

A man was found electrocuted inside an underground PG&E utility vault in Richmond, California, last month after a series of explosions. The incident highlights the dangers associated with unauthorized access to these high-risk underground utility spaces.

Jasper, Ind., to begin Phase II of downtown revitalization

The city of Jasper, Indiana, is set to begin Phase II of its Downtown Revitalization Project, which includes critical upgrades to the underground infrastructure.

Siksika Nation selects Cross Cut Directional Boring for fiber optic rollout

Cross Cut Directional Boring LTD has been selected as the contractor for the project, which includes building a backbone network and installing residential service cables. Vacuum excavator trucks will be used to locate existing underground utilities.

PG&E resumes underground power line work in California’s Plumas County

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has resumed its efforts to bury power lines in Plumas County, California, after work was paused due to the Park Fire.

Utah’s Park City Council greenlights $7 million project to bury power lines in Bonanza Park

Park City is advancing its long-awaited initiative to bury power lines in the Bonanza Park area, paving the way for future development in the district.

GDC awards first tunnel boring contract for NY-NJ project for $465 million

The Palisades Tunnel Project will construct the first mile of 5,100-foot twin tunnels on the New Jersey side, including boring, lining with waterproof concrete, and creating the Hudson County Shaft for Tunnel Boring Machine removal.

Leica introduces DD300 CONNECT for improved underground utility detection

By detecting the position of underground utility networks, the DD300 CONNECT aims to improve worker safety and prevent damage to underground infrastructures.

GDC secures $16 billion for Hudson Tunnel project, set to create 95,000 jobs

The Gateway Development Commission has finalized the funding needed for the Hudson Tunnel Project, securing a total of $16 billion. The HTP, a major underground infrastructure project, will replace and expand the aging rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River.

Lynchburg, Va., begins Phase IV of downtown renewal, tackling aging utilities

The Downtown Renewal Construction Project, which began in 2016, is a multimillion-dollar investment aimed at upgrading Lynchburg's aging underground utility infrastructure and enhancing streetscapes.

Chesapeake Utilities expands Florida’s underground gas transmission with $46 million investment

The new facilities will consist of approximately 14 miles of new transmission infrastructure, a district regulator station, a tie-in with FCG's distribution system and an interconnect with existing PPC facilities.

OSHA cites contractor for fatal trench collapse in New Canaan, Conn.

A contractor from Easton could have prevented the death of an employee, who was repairing an underground water line, in a trench collapse at a New Canaan work site in December 2023, according to an investigation by OSHA.

Virginia town set to begin $104 million CSO tunnel project

The Blackwater CSO Tunnel will be a nearly mile-long, 12-foot-diameter underground tunnel located 70 to 120 feet beneath Blackwater Creek. It is designed to collect and store up to 4.7 million gallons of combined sewage and stormwater during heavy rains, preventing wastewater from overflowing into local waterways.

La Grange, Ill., secures $2 million for stormwater detention project

The proposed $8.9 million project includes the construction of 10-acre feet of underground stormwater detention. La Grange Village is actively pursuing additional funding sources to complete the financing for this essential infrastructure project.

Miller Lane water main installation project underway in Cheyenne, Wyo.

This project is part of the BOPU’s initiative to enhance water service reliability by renewing aging infrastructure. The work will be carried out by Aztec Construction Company.

Aging water infrastructure causes major water losses in Texas cities

Texas’ largest cities lost around 88 billion gallons of water last year due to old water infrastructure and extreme heat, resulting in significant financial losses and increased pressure on the state's water supply.

Xcel Energy updates $1.9 billion wildfire mitigation plan with undergrounding measures

Xcel Energy is making physical investments to reduce the risk of utility-caused wildfires. These measures include targeted undergrounding of power lines, line rebuilds, and non-expulsion upgrades in Tier 2 and Tier 3 risk areas.