Port Mann tunnel contract award

The CAD 167.3M (USD 171.08M) contract for the Port Mann tunnel project was awarded to a McNally and Aecon JV last month. The 1km-long, 2.8m id tunnel will be driven by EPBM under the Fraser River in British Columbia, Canada through pressure reaching up to 6-bar.

The tunnel, designed by the Sandwell/Jacobs/Golder JV, was predicted to encounter glacial tills and clay deposits at an average depth of 60m, 40m below water level.

Construction of two shafts of approximately 55m at the ends of the tunnel has been scheduled to begin in May. The shafts will then be excavated and lined with a 1m-1.5m (3ft-5ft) thick heavily reinforced concrete final lining prior to tunnel excavation.

The Port Mann tunnel was envisaged as part of client Metro Vancouver’s CAD 600M (USD 613.56M) water system upgrade. The project will double water supply capacity south of Fraser River. Completion by 2014.