Underground Construction
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.
22 Years of advancing research in underground infrastructure and trenchless technologies: CUIRE's commitment
It is hard to believe that 22 years have passed since the Center for Underground Infrastructure Research and Education (CUIRE) was established. In 2006, the first trenchless technology conference was held at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA).
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.
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.
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.
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.
- 290-mile gas pipeline expansion proposed across Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina
- City of Albuquerque halts fiber optic construction in response to damage, complaints
- Body retrieved day after fatal trench collapse at Bakersfield, Calif., job site
- $227 million Garnet Valley water project advances, set to create 73,000 jobs in Nevada
- Pasadena, Calif., undergrounding project could take 500 years to finish
- Gehl and Mustang offer world’s largest skid loader
- Growing Pains and Gains
- Authorities investigating trench collapse that killed worker in Ashburn, Va.
- City of Albuquerque halts fiber optic construction in response to damage, complaints
- Pasadena, Calif., undergrounding project could take 500 years to finish