Underground Construction

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.

Bechtel to oversee tunnel construction in $12.7 billion BART Silicon Valley extension

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority has awarded Bechtel Infrastructure Corporation a contract to manage construction of the Bay Area Rapid Transit’s (BART) Silicon Valley Phase II extension.

Bluebonnet Fiber, USDA partner to expand underground broadband infrastructure in South Texas

Bluebonnet Fiber has announced a new partnership with USDA to complete pre-construction efforts for the installation of underground fiber optic cables to expand broadband access in Duval, Frio, Jim Hogg, La Salle, and Zavala counties.

Bird to acquire B.C. construction firm Jacob Bros for $135 million

(UI) — Bird Construction Inc. is set to acquire Jacob Bros Construction, a B.C.-based civil infrastructure contractor, for $135 million. The deal is expected to close early in the third quarter of 2024, pending regulatory approvals and other conditions.

Drilling under the LSU campus

A groundbreaking project at LSU utilizes horizontal directional drilling (HDD) technology to install two 1,600-foot HDPE pipes, modernizing the campus's chilled water supply and return systems while minimizing surface disruption.

Editor’s log: Let’s stay real

You don’t see much original, in-depth journalism these days. That goes for business-to-business journalism in the underground infrastructure markets, but also for virtually every type of media across business and consumer markets.

Consumers Energy burying power lines near Standish, Mich.

Consumers Energy crews have begun the second week of a project to bury two miles of power lines near Standish, aiming to improve the region’s electric grid by protecting lines from falling trees and severe weather.

Houston faces hurdles in transitioning to underground power lines amid severe weather concerns

Given Houston's vulnerability to hurricanes, relocating power lines underground could theoretically reduce the risk of prolonged outages. However, this concept faces significant obstacles.

Berkeley pushes PG&E to bury power lines to mitigate wildfire risk

Berkeley city officials are pressing Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) to include their city in a plan to underground 10,000 miles of power lines in regions with the highest fire danger, The Berkeley Scanner reported.

Purdue University students attend 2024 Underground Infrastructure Conference in partnership with BAMI-I

A student delegation organized by Dr. Tom Iseley and Wei Liao from the Purdue/BAMI-I Underground Infrastructure team consisted of eleven Purdue University students representing the UCA (Underground Construction Association) and NASTT (North American Society for Trenchless Technology) chapters at the conference.

Google to invest $1 billion in Hawaiʻi's subsea internet infrastructure with new fiber-optic cables

Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke, leader of Connect Kākou, Hawaiʻi’s high-speed internet initiative, and Benji Robinson, Asia Pacific director for Google, unveiled plans for the construction of a $1 billion project to create new fiber-optic internet subsea cables.

Enbridge selects contractors Barnard, CBNA for Great Lakes Tunnel construction

(UI) — Enbridge selects Barnard Construction Company Inc. and Civil and Building North America Inc. to construct the Great Lakes Tunnel, safeguarding Line 5 pipeline beneath the Straits of Mackinac.

Underground infrastructure overhaul planned for Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in Carlsbad, N.M.

A critical piece of underground infrastructure at the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant is about to get a makeover.

$274 million investment to improve water quality across Pennsylvania

This investment, facilitated through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority, will fund 30 projects focusing on drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and non-point source issues.

Harnessing advanced technologies for underground engineering success

Underground construction endeavors are intricate, demanding meticulous planning, execution and risk management. With billions of dollars invested and millions impacted annually, the stakes are monumental.

Editor’s Log: And the smiles never stopped

In late March, UI wrapped another successful Underground Infrastructure Conference. Per usual, a wealth of information and market intelligence was gathered from remarkable speakers and experts in a variety of fields including sewer installation and rehabilitation, fiber optics, power, horizontal directional drilling, and safety.

Enstor eyes FERC nod to double underground gas storage capacity at Mississippi Hub

Enstor Gas LLC has submitted an application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for an expansion of its underground natural gas storage facility located in Simpson County, Mississippi.

Wisconsin’s Menominee Tribe secures funding for underground power line project

FEMA's Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grant program has allocated $872,894 to support the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin's underground power line conversion initiative.

Damage prevention and safety: Turning awareness into action

Surveys and studies reveal that professional excavators/contractors are highly aware of Common Ground Alliance’s (CGA) 811 initiative that requires they (as well as landscapers and homeowners) contact their state’s OneCall Center so underground utility lines are identified and marked before breaking ground.

Western sanctions impacting Russian underground infrastructure

The Russian sector of underground infrastructure construction is potentially in a serious crisis. The ever deepening shortage of funding and the lack of technologies are posing a threat for implementation of many investment projects and planned modernization of existing infrastructure.

Colorado Springs Utilities undertakes underground power line shift post-2021 windstorm

In Colorado Springs, efforts are underway by Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) to relocate power lines underground after identifying susceptibility during a windstorm in 2021.

California regulators greenlight program to accelerate electric infrastructure undergrounding

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has introduced a new initiative aimed at accelerating the undergrounding of electric distribution infrastructure across the state. This program, mandated by Senate Bill (SB) 884, targets increased system resilience and climate adaptation.