Market Experience
Kiewit has been a leader in the construction of underground facilities for more than 50 years. Our core staff of more than 100 full-time underground professionals has constructed some of the country's most challenging and impressive underground transportation, power, environmental and mine development projects. These involved drill/blast excavation; machine tunneling in hard rock and soft ground; deep shafts, chambers and caverns; and large open-cut structures.
Our underground projects are without boundaries. From the Southwestern desert to the frigid Alaskan wilderness, across the Rockies and the Appalachian foothills and into Puerto Rico, Kiewit has delivered more than $3 billion in underground-related contracts over the last 15 years.
Devil's Slide Tunnel – Pacifica, CA
Due to the long history of rockslides and land slippage, Kiewit Pacific Co. is constructing twin tunnels to bypass the Devil’s Slide portion of Route 1, so motorists can avoid these major slide areas. Using the New Austrian Tunneling Method, which relies on inherent rock strength for support, crews will construct the tunnels through granitic, sandstone and shale formations. The tunnels will be about 4,100 feet long, 30 feet wide, 22 feet high and 60 feet apart.
East Side CSO – Portland, OR
When completed in December 2011, this massive tunnel construction program will virtually eliminate combined sewer overflows into the Willamette River. A Kiewit-led joint venture completed preconstruction services under Phase I of the project. Currently, Kiewit is performing work on Phase II, the largest component of Portland's CSO program, a $381 million network of shallow pipelines.
Dulles Pedestrian Walkback Tunnel – Dulles International Airport, VA
The new passenger tunnel at Dulles International Airport allows travelers to move more efficiently through the fast-growing airport. Kiewit Construction Company excavated the tunnel under a live taxiway using New Austrian Tunneling Method. The completed tunnel is lined with PVC waterproofing and reinforced cast-in-place concrete and is equipped with escalators and moving walkways.
Wolf Creek Upper Narrows – South Fork and Pagosa Springs, CO
With the majority of construction completed on a 6% grade at 9,000 ft. altitude, the Wolf Creek Upper Narrows project involved mining a 901-ft.-long by 47-ft.-wide by 28-ft.-tall two-lane tunnel through welded volcanic tuff within close proximity to traffic. The $13.5 million, 27-month project was part of State Hwy. 160's final 8 mi. widening and rehabilitation.