Brightwater tunneling contractors take top international industry honors

Tunneling projects also receive prestigious “Highly Commended” designation

"These awards are the Oscars of the tunneling industry, so we can say we selected the best contractor in the world to complete our Brightwater conveyance tunnel,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine in congratulating Jay Dee Coluccio and the County management team.

Joint venture contractors Jay Dee Coluccio Taisei (JDCT) and Jay Dee Coluccio (JDC) won the coveted 2011 International Tunnelling Award for Tunnelling Contractor of the Year, presented by New Civil Engineer magazine at an awards ceremony at the Conrad Hong Kong Hotel on Dec. 1.

JDCT had successfully completed mining of the four-mile Brightwater West Tunnel (BT-4) in early 2010, when King County had to address the Central contractor's inability to complete that tunnel on time. Executive Constantine selected JDC in April 2010 to complete the remaining 1.9 miles of the four-mile Central Tunnel. Taisei Corporation had participated in the joint venture that built the BT-4 tunnel, but was committed to other projects and did not participate in the new joint venture, which became the BT-3C Completion contract.

The BT-4 and BT-3C Brightwater conveyance tunnel projects also received a “Highly Commended” designation, awarded for projects over the last 12 months that set new standards in the tunneling world and can be a model for future similar projects.

The $77.3 million BT-3C contract called for JDC to complete mining of the 13.3-foot-diameter tunnel by September 2011, but JDC finished ahead of schedule in mid-August 2011.

“This year's project winners are all outstanding examples of how technical expertise and innovation can combine to deliver exciting, sustainable and hugely valuable infrastructure," said Anthony Oliver, editor of New Civil Engineer magazine.

With tunnel mining completed, JDC’s remaining work includes installation of the final lining in the BT-4 tunnel, construction of the sampling facility at Point Wells, and connection of the Brightwater conveyance pipeline to the mile-long marine outfall, which was completed in 2008. JDC will also restore the 9-acre Point Wells portal site near Richmond Beach.

The 13-mile tunnel is scheduled to begin carrying treated wastewater from the Brightwater site to the deep-water outfall in September 2012.

The treatment plant began operating this summer and treated wastewater will be sent to South Plant in Renton or West Point in Seattle until the completed Brightwater tunnel begins operating in September 2012.

The $1.8 billion Brightwater project is currently within 3.3 percent of its original baseline budget established in 2004, when accounting for 5 percent inflation.

Additional information about the award and a complete list of winners is available online at http://www.tunnellingawards.com.

Note to editors and reporters: Visit the WTD Newsroom, a portal to information for the news media about the Wastewater Treatment Division, King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks: http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/wtd/Newsroom.aspx.

People enjoy clean water and a healthy environment because of King County's wastewater treatment program. The county’s Wastewater Treatment Division protects public health, the environment and the economy by serving 17 cities, 17 local sewer districts and more than 1.5 million residents in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties. Formerly called Metro, the regional clean-water agency now operated by King County has been preventing water pollution for nearly 50 years.

Related information

Brightwater Project

King County Wastewater Treatment