Undergrounding
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.
Underground fire disrupts fiber optic networks, closes key Baltimore facilities
An underground fire in downtown Baltimore led to a manhole explosion and disrupted critical fiber optic networks over the weekend, affecting thousands.
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.
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.
Construction mishap releases thousands of gallons of sewage into Washington’s Lake Whatcom
A construction incident on Sept. 11 led to a sewage leak into Lake Whatcom, with estimates ranging between 25,000 and 50,000 gallons of raw sewage spilling into the water.
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.
Duke Energy undergrounds 48% of Florida power lines with plans to expand as hurricane season peaks
Approximately 48% of Duke Energy Florida's primary power lines are underground and better protected from wind damage. The company will continue to install underground cable in areas that are identified as the most outage-prone areas.
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.
International report: Germany accelerates plans for energy development
Germany plans to actively accelerate the development and modernization of its underground energy infrastructure in the near future.
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.
Underground explosion triggers fire in Virginia's Crystal City neighborhood
An underground utility fire occurred in Crystal City, a neighborhood in Arlington, Va., on July 23. The fire broke out on the 2400 block of Crystal Drive, following reports of an explosion heard and felt in the area.
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.
Wisconsin utility to improve storm-related outages with $106 million undergrounding investment
We Energies, the state’s largest electrical utility, is proposing a $106 million investment over the next two years to bury overhead power lines and upgrade equipment to improve outage isolation and increase system automation. Currently, 45% of its lines are underground.
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.
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.
Rocky Mountain Power to underground 35 miles of power lines to prevent wildfires
In addition to burying power lines underground, RMP plans to apply protective coatings to some lines to prevent sparks and has installed 480 weather stations for continuous monitoring and risk modeling.
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.
Kinetic to bury over five miles of fiber optic infrastructure following devastating Iowa tornado
This investment will add to the already existing 10,600 ft (about 2 miles) of Kinetic fiber optic cable in the area. Kinetic's Iowa-based fiber network, about 12,400 miles, is 16 times larger than the total length of Iowa's 782 miles of federal interstates.
Rehab Technology selection guide
This comprehensive listing provides an invaluable resource in researching availability and specifications of key rehabilitation equipment/materials for the underground infrastructure industry.
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.
- Fatal Shawnee trench collapse linked to Oklahoma contractor’s repeated safety violations, OSHA reports
- Construction worker dies after being found unconscious in trench box
- Tunnel boring machine ‘Clack-A-Mole’ nears one-third completion in Oregon outfall project
- Explosion in underground PG&E vault leaves one dead in Richmond, Calif.
- Tennessee pipeline gets initial FERC approval despite environmental concerns
- Wisconsin proposes new PFAS drinking water standards to align with federal rules
- Elgin, Ill., joins EPA drinking water initiative to accelerate lead pipe replacement
- GasTracker Accurately Locates Plastic Gas Pipes
- Florence, S.C., to fund $537 million sewer, water upgrade with bonds and 5% rate hike
- Union County, Ga., breaks ground on $20.5 million fiber broadband expansion project