PROJECT SUMMARY

One of the most daunting challenges in any urban construction project is to successfully complete the project while causing minimal delays and inconvenience to citizens.

When our customer needed to install a 305 mm (12 in) replacement pipeline under 12 lanes of traffic at the city’s second-busiest intersection (averaging 238,000 vehicles/day) a prolonged shutdown was out of the question.

The line was placed at the intersection of Deerfoot Trail and 17th Avenue SE (one a provincial highway, the other a city thoroughfare). The Crossing Company employed a heavy rig to drill a pilot and install the line across the north and southbound lanes, two exit ramps and an exit loop. The same rig was used to install 55 m (180 ft) of 610 mm (24 in) casing.

KEY CHALLENGES

Normally, surface coil is laid above the ground along the drilling path, sending an electronic signal to guide the drill. Due to the traffic, another solution was required. The Crossing Group employed a series of strategically-placed beacons to communicate with the steering tool below the surface. The project was completed within one month. The only disruption was a one-day Sunday closure of 17th Avenue SE while the product line was being pulled across the roadway, and into the prepared borehole as the final stage of installation.

Additionally, a site-specific plan with road control measures was required to mitigate any potential issues related to trucking on these high-traffic city roadways.

The Crossing Company completed the project under time and under budget – while keeping traffic flowing.

SERVICES PROVIDED

HORIZONTAL DIRECTIONAL DRILLING AND SURFACE CASING