JV selected for nearly US$1.2bn Manhattan Tunnel Project in NYC

Overhead view of Hudson Yards in Manhattan, New York City, US. (Image: Adobe Stock)

The Manhattan Tunnel Project (MTP) seeks to build a connecting section for the future new Hudson Tunnel, which will link New York City and New Jersey state via under-river rail tunnel infrastructure. The MTP will install railway tubes from the Manhattan Bulkhead in the Hudson River to the “cut-and-cover” Hudson Yards Concrete Casing region near NYC’s 12th Avenue.

Specifically, the project’s aim is to design and build approximately 700-foot of twin 30-foot diameter tunnels. The portion to the east of 12th Avenue will be permanent, while the portion between the Manhattan Bulkhead and 12th Avenue will be a temporary tunnel shell “with the primary purpose of clearing the pathway for the future final tunnel to be installed by tunnel boring machines,” GDC said.

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The project also includes designing and building an access shaft at 12th Avenue that will ultimately be converted into a permanent ventilation facility for the new tunnel.

“The project will also remove obstructions that could slow or damage the tunnel boring machines digging the portion of the tunnel passing under the Bulkhead and into Manhattan and will protect and support existing features, including the Bulkhead and sewer lines,” GDC added.

Additional details on the Manhattan Tunnel and Hudson Tunnel projects

Newly appointed GDC CEO Tom Prendergast said, “The Manhattan Tunnel Project is one of the most technically complex pieces of the HTP.

“Building anything underground in Manhattan requires careful planning and expert execution, as I know from overseeing multiple subway expansion projects.”

GDC noted the Manhattan Tunnel project requires complex tunnelling activities, including navigating multiple major sewer lines, live utilities and other concerns.

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“Due to the presence of historic fill along Manhattan’s western shore, obstructions could range from archaeological findings to concrete slabs and debris,” GDC said. “The project will also clear pile foundations remaining from both the West Side Highway that collapsed in 1973 and existing sewer utilities.”

To provide the flexibility needed to navigate these obstacles, the selected contractor has proposed excavating the tunnel using a protective digging shield, GDC said.

“These methods would enable the majority of construction to take place underground, improving safety and significantly reducing the impacts of construction on surface roads and sidewalks.”

Manhattan Tunnel Project diagram (Image: Gateway Development Commission)