Underground Infrastructure
Underground gas leak unlikely cause of fatal Pennsylvania house blast
It is unlikely that natural gas seeped from an abandoned underground mine and caused a house explosion in western Pennsylvania last weekend that killed six people, state officials said Friday.
Duke’s Root Control and UIS join forces to enhance underground service offerings
(UI) — Duke’s Root Control Inc. acquires Underground Infrastructure Services (UIS) of Livonia, Mich., significantly expanding its wastewater and gas inspection and remediation services, including inspection and replacement for water, gas, cable, and electrical utilities.
LUMA's $180 million underground transmission overhaul receives Puerto Rico’s approval
(UI) — LUMA's $180 million project proposal intends to repair and harden important underground transmission system components whose prospective breakdowns might jeopardize the system's dependability and resilience.
Caltech research reveals underground fiber optic cables as effective earthquake detectors
(UI) — In California, a network of underground fiber optic cables serves as a vital internet connectivity conduit. However, a Caltech study showed that these underground cables could function as earthquake sensors, detecting and quantifying seismic activity.
Joint project aims to enhance wastewater capacity, infrastructure in Ridgefield, Washington
(UI) — In a collaborative effort, the Port of Ridgefield, City of Ridgefield, and Clark Regional Wastewater District are teaming up for a joint project that aims to enhance wastewater capacity and infrastructure in Ridgefield, Washington.
PG&E gains ground on undergrounding 10,000 miles of power lines
(UI) — The largest project in the country to bury electricity lines underground is being carried out by Pacific Gas and Electric Company, and it is on target to finish this year. The utility intends to bury 10,000 miles of wires, and work on this project is progressing mile by mile and county by county.
Study reveals gaps in resilience planning for US stormwater sector
(UI) — In a recent study conducted by the Water Environment Federation (WEF), critical resilience gaps were found in the U.S. stormwater sector, highlighting challenges in adapting to climate change impacts and addressing aging infrastructure, funding shortages, and workforce needs.
Lynchburg, Va., plans $100 million tunnel project to conquer sewer overflow and CSO compliance
(UI) — The $100 million tunnel project is anticipated to be built using a tunnel boring machine. It will boast a completed diameter of approximately 12 feet, extend 4,700 feet in length, and rest 80 feet below ground.
Recent underground power line explosions in San Francisco raise concerns, safety assurances remain
(UI) — A San Francisco neighborhood has experienced significant problems as a result of an underground explosion and subsequent fire for at least the second time in less than three months.
PG&E plans to move power lines underground along Highway 89 in California
(UI) — In the upcoming months, the Plumas County power lines on Highway 89 between Moccasin and Indian Falls will be relocated underground by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E).
Cities prioritize water main replacement, neglecting buried lead pipes
Around the country, utilities have been leaving lead pipe in the ground even when it is easiest to remove during water main work. Worse, they have been removing sections, disturbing the pipe and leaving the rest, which can spike lead levels, causing harm that will last a lifetime, an investigation by The Associated Press has found.
Wellington City Council adopts digital map for underground infrastructure management
(UI) — The Wellington Underground Asset Map, backed by a $4 million investment, aims to revolutionize the installation and maintenance of buried infrastructure, including telecommunications cables, gas pipes, and other vital services.
VINCI Construction and GRDF enhance underground utility mapping with Exodigo
(UI) — Through VINCI's innovation platform, Leonard, the two companies partnered to demonstrate the accuracy and potential of Exodigo's AI-based solution for identifying and mapping underground utilities, Exodigo identified 57% more utility lines than shown on existing records.
San Rafael secures PG&E funding for Canal Area underground utilities upgrade
(UI) — To facilitate the project's progression, the San Rafael City Council has unanimously approved the establishment of an underground utility district for the designated area. This strategic move enables the city to leverage funding provided by Pacific Gas & Electric Co.
Biden-Harris administration awards $930 million for middle-mile infrastructure
(UC) — The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration has announced over $930 million to expand middle mile high-speed Internet infrastructure across 35 states and Puerto Rico.
DOE makes progress on new ventilation shaft at US’ only underground nuclear repository
Ventilation at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant has been an issue since 2014, when a radiation release contaminated parts of the underground facility and forced an expensive, nearly three-year closure.
Liberty VI continues fiber network construction work in St. Croix, St. Thomas
(UI) — The ongoing work will employ various underground technologies to mitigate roadway disruptions, such as utilizing a micro-trenching technique that minimizes pavement breakage and dust emission by producing a minimal cut and using existing ducts whenever feasible.
Jacobs wraps up underground infrastructure for US wave energy test facility offshore Oregon
(UI) — All the conduits for this project were installed using horizontal directional drilling (HDD) techniques. The HDD technique was chosen because it didn't harm delicate wetlands and seashore regions and because it allowed the job to be done all year round, according to Jacobs.
Springfield's aging sewer system in Doling Park-Pea Ridge Creek set for major replacement work
(UI) — In order to accommodate anticipated expansion and development in the region, the major objectives of the work are to decrease the frequency of sewer overflows that result in pollution and enhance the size and capacity of underground sewer pipes to the 1,200 miles of pipe and over 28,000 manholes across the city.
Innovative underground lab paves the way for human survival trials on Moon and Mars
(UI) — In order to study how scientific and medical procedures will go in difficult extraterrestrial circumstances, scientists converted deep tunnels 1.1 km beneath the countryside into an underground lab.
McCarthy tackles underground obstacles to deliver innovative structures for Houston hospital
(UI) — McCarthy took on a significant logistical task as part of the project to extend a water main 2,500 feet across the property while managing existing underground utilities. McCarthy employed a completely BIM-coordinated MEP system on the technical front and used McCarthy Mapping to locate underground utilities.
California water officials to replace 500 feet of sewer pipe in San Juan Capistrano
(UI) — From June 5 to 18, the Santa Margarita Water District will repair 500 feet of sewer pipes on Los Rios Street as part of San Juan Capistrano's sewer upgrade plans.
Harbor Peak breaks ground on seven-mile fiber optic conduit system in Ashburn, Va.
(UI) — The underground infrastructure system will enable lateral connections into the many data centers surrounding the conduit system, and interconnect to Harbor Link’s 60-mile conduit build along I-95 to Washington D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland, totaling approximately 300 route miles between the networks.
Virginia piloting underground technology to assist in locating parking spots
(UI) — The three-year pilot project aims to improve the user experience for metered parking spaces in two key commercial-residential corridors in Arlington, Va. The pilot will use underground sensors to provide real-time occupancy information for each of the parking spaces included in the project area.
ProStar expands with acquisition of underground locating technology PointMan
(UI) — ProStar Holdings Inc., a provider of precision mapping solutions, announced that it has expanded its footprint in Australia with the adoption of PointMan by Provac. Provac Australia Pty. Ltd. provides unparalleled reliability and trusted services in both underground utility locating and non-destructive vacuum digging.
Common Ground Alliance: 55% of underground utility damage caused by professional contractors
The most common root cause of these damages was “no notification made to the 811 center,” meaning the damage could have been avoided if excavators contacted 811 to have utility lines marked prior to breaking ground.
PURIS enhances potable water rehabilitation leadership, acquires D&D Water & Sewer
(UI) — PURIS, a provider of trenchless infrastructure renewal solutions, has announced the acquisition of the assets of D&D Water & Sewer Inc. Headquartered in Canton, Mich., D&D provides the region with specialized underground infrastructure installation and repair solutions.
NextEra Energy subsidiary FPL starts moving power underground in Coral Gables, Fla.
(UI) — More than 100 city officials and employees of Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) gathered in a neighborhood in Coral Gables, Fla., to officially start a long-awaited project: the undergrounding of electricity lines in the area as part of FPL's Storm Safe Underground Program.
DCA launches new workforce campaign ‘Success Looks Like This’
(UI) — Distribution Contractors Association (DCA) is launching an alluring new workforce initiative — ‘Success Looks Like This’ — a campaign designed to showcase underground utility jobs for what they are: well-paying, personally fulfilling career opportunities.
RodRadar signs $1.4 million deal with Sitech Tejas
(UI) — RodRadar, developers of groundbreaking imaging technology for detecting underground utility infrastructure during excavation, has entered into a $1.4 million agreement with SITECH Tejas, a HOLT company. The deal will see the North American dealer add RodRadar’s debut product, LDR Excavate, to its portfolio of heavy civil construction solutions.
- Tunnel boring machine ‘Clack-A-Mole’ nears one-third completion in Oregon outfall project
- Lynchburg, Va., breaks ground on largest-ever Blackwater CSO tunnel project
- Texas A&M weighs underground transit plan with Elon Musk's Boring Co. to reduce campus traffic
- Wyo-Ben’s Max Gel, Max Bore HDD system boost drilling efficiency, performance
- Colorado's Wolf Creek Pass tunnel drainage project begins
- Wisconsin proposes new PFAS drinking water standards to align with federal rules
- Elgin, Ill., joins EPA drinking water initiative to accelerate lead pipe replacement
- Dog River pipeline replacement in Oregon improves water supply with new HDPE pipe
- Leaking wastewater systems named top source of San Diego River contamination, study finds
- New Portable Welding System From Miller