Grand Award presented for New York City’s Canarsie Tunnel rehabilitation; other honors include groundbreaking renovation of U.S. Open tennis center.
Published 06-29-21
Submitted by WSP
NEW YORK, June 29, 2021 /CSRwire/ — The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Thursday, June 17, honored WSP USA, a leading engineering and professional services consultancy, with five Engineering Excellence Awards, including a Grand Award for the Canarsie Tunnel Sandy Rehabilitation and L Line Core Capacity Improvement project.
WSP USA, in a joint venture with PTG, served as prime consultant for the assessment and design of the Canarsie Tunnel rehabilitation and core capacity improvements following damage sustained in 2012 during Superstorm Sandy. The work was performed on behalf of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Construction and Development (MTA C&D)/New York City Transit.
Submerged in an estimated seven million gallons of salty floodwater from Sandy for over 11 days, the brackish floodwaters degraded or ruined virtually everything in the tunnel, including tracks, switches, signals, controls and power and communications systems. The storm also severely damaged the mid-river pump room and circuit breaker house. The extensive Sandy damages initiated the Canarsie Tunnel Rehabilitation and L Train Core Capacity Improvements project integrating tunnel rehabilitations; accessibility upgrades at 1st Avenue and Bedford Avenue Stations; and construction of a new underground substation at 14th Street near Avenue B.
With a mandate to keep the subway line running and serving riders, the WSP team worked closely with MTA C&D representatives, contractor, construction management team and project stakeholders to incorporate innovative design and construction approach and adopt an operation that limited closures to a single track on weeknights and weekends throughout tunnel rehabilitation to improve resiliency and prepare the line for increased future service. The tunnel, which connects Manhattan and Brooklyn under the East River and accommodates an average of 400,000 riders daily, returned to full service on April 26, 2020, three months ahead of the schedule without a full shutdown and amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“By starting the tunnel rehabilitation on schedule in April 2019, the project team avoided schedule delays from the start,” said Jeremy Hung, WSP project manager. “The innovative design techniques and construction approaches used provide more options for future transit tunnel projects to help minimize disruptions and inconvenience for the public.”
WSP USA also earned four Honor Awards. The recipients included:
About WSP USA
WSP USA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, one of the world's leading engineering and professional services firms. Dedicated to serving local communities, we are engineers, planners, technical experts, strategic advisors and construction management professionals. WSP USA designs lasting solutions in the buildings, transportation, energy, water and environment markets. With more than 12,000 employees in more than 200 offices across the U.S., we partner with our clients to help communities prosper. wsp.com
WSP is among the world's largest environmental, engineering, advisory and sustainability consulting firms, with more than 55,000 professionals worldwide. We design lasting solutions in the buildings, transportation, energy, water and environment markets, and develop equitable, ESG-centered strategies that help organizations and communities adapt to changing conditions and become more resilient. Reckon with the past. Innovate for the future. Learn more at wsp.com.
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