Introduction this chapter describes the construction process for the second avenue subway. Jul 15, 2010 the anton anderson memorial tunnel aka whittier tunnel runs 2. Anderson, chief engineer june 11, 1943 port of whittier engineer staff. Below are a few important facts to know in advance before traveling the portage glacier highway through the anton anderson memorial tunnel to whittier. A tunnel construction is an underground passage provided beneath earth surface or water. The tunnel is an important link to an ice free port, if the ports on the eastside of cook inlet were to become inoperable, whittier with the railhighway would become a critical feature of importance to sustain the supply chain for southcentral alaska. It links the seward highway south of anchorage with whittier and is the only land access to the town. If you drive the seward highway heading southeast from anchorage for about 60 miles and pass through the historic anton anderson memorial tunnel, you will arrive at the pristine wilderness at the head of passage canal and find the city of whittier nestled between breathtaking mountains, emerald forests, and a sparkling blue sea.
The alaska department of transportation, in cooperation with granite construciton, is working on the whittier tunnel. Fhwa center for innovative finance support project profiles. The details of all publications are in the researchgate in full text pdf forms. The whittier access project state of the art engineering. The tunnel was upgraded to bimodal use by the kiewit construction company. Was asked to clarify this is about the whittier tunnel not buillding jet boat tunnels, also realized i left out some info, couldnt edit the old thread.
A one mile tunnel was built under begich peak and the other tunnel was impressively hammered two and a half miles through the base of maynard mountain. Youll go through anton anderson memorial tunnelthe longest 2. The method of tunnel construction adopted for a project depends on various factors. Driving towards whittier, the tunnel opens for 15 minutes at the bottom of every hour. Whittier access project tunnel segment mott macdonald. The tunnel was upgraded to bimodal use by the kiewit. Whittier tunnel closure november 20th, 2019 wednesday 2. Sunday night through friday morning first tunnel into whittier will be 6. Be sure to look up the tunnel schedule so you arent sitting for a long time on one side or the other to complete the drive. Whittier is a city at the head of the passage canal in the u. Built during wwii as a topsecret military project, today whittier is a great jumpingoff place to explore prince william sound. Firefighting preparedness is an important part of tunnel operations, we appreciate your patience and understanding during this two hour exercise. Technical manual for design and construction of road tunnels civil elements. Alaska railroads glacier discovery train proceeds east into the whittier tunnel in whittier, ak.
Alaska department of transportation, whittier tunnel track. Whittier tunnel closure april 22nd, 2020 wednesday 1. Discover anton anderson memorial tunnel in whittier, alaska. Tolls alaska department of transportation state of alaska. The spur included three and a half miles of tunnels. Nicole teresa valdez, saman kumara silva, and william duarte jr holds a general engineering contractor license according to the california license board their buildzoom score of 93 ranks in the top 27% of 336,931 california licensed contractors. Workers lived in a tent city where supplies and construction materials were brought by barges. There are special instructions just for motorcycles. Tunnel schedules view online or choose to download in adobe pdf or excel format summer may 1 sept 30 summer schedule summer schedule. This designbuild project includes the replacement of the existing bridge and improvements to eight additional bridges to accommodate the widening of a fourmile stretch of i95. Unpredictable ground conditions, environmental requirements and geological factors makes tunneling a challenging job. Tunnel formwork allows a 24hour construction cycle to be achieved and thus the buildability of insitu concrete is improved by choosing this type of formwork. Tunnel construction and tunnel engineering is considered to be one of the most sophisticated and specialized art in the field of civil engineering. The work described in this document was conducted as part of nchrp project 2068a, the u.
January 23, 2015 deadline for receipt of proposals. Please check the project webpage for more construction information at we appreciate your patience and. Modern tunnel construction bored circular cut and cover. This tunnels is shared with the alaska railroad and is the longest combined vehiclerailroad tunnel in north america. Sproject manager, hdr alaska history whittier is a small community located. Whittier access tunnel construction, engineering and. Their buildzoom score of 93 ranks in the top 27% of 336,931 california licensed contractors. The tunnel will close after the completion of the 1. Best interest finding toll increase july 1, 2015 pdf document 1 mb.
The tunnel operation services the port and city of whittier, the alaska marine highway system, the freight and tour industries and. Book your tickets online for anton anderson memorial tunnel, whittier. In practice, when the two halves are bolted together, the tunnel formwork will appear like the following figure. Whittiers fascinating history glacier city gazette. Tunnelworks services inc, 502 h whittier blvd, whittier, ca employees. Enjoy the unique experience of a trip to whittier, alaska, driving the longest. Built during wwii as a topsecret military project, today whittier is a great jumping off place to explore prince william sound.
A presidential order closing mines nearly turned girdwood into a ghost town. Tunnel is excavated within the protection of the completed pipe roof canopy early 1990s, 5 feet between top of tunnel and road surface. Whittier tunnel schedule alaska department of transportation. Vehicle turnout for emergency stopping in anton anderson memorial tunnel. At the 2010 census the population was 220, up from 182 in 2000. The ice and water control liner was assembled in portage lake tunnel for use in the anton anderson memorial tunnel. I285 tunnel pipe roof canopy uses microtunneling or piperamming techniques to install a presupport canopy of steel pipes. The anton anderson memorial tunnel, often called the whittier tunnel after the town at its eastern terminus, is a dualuse bimodal highway and railroad tunnel that passes under maynard mountain. Fhwa center for innovative finance support project. Whittier tunnel alaska department of transportation.
Project work will include crown drainage collection to reduce water flowing into the subgrade, reduce panel settlement and retard the corrosion of invert panel rebar, rail and rail connections. Transporting roadwayrail panels into the tunnel in winter 199899. Their location is 502h whittier blvd ste 165, whittier. The tunnel will reopen on the normal schedule on january 1, 2019. Known by locals as the whittier tunnel or the portage tunnel, the anton anderson memorial tunnel is a tunnel through maynard mountain. Please check the project webpage for more construction information at. The 2018 estimate was 205 people, almost all of whom live in a single building. The anton anderson memorial tunnel, often called the whittier tunnel after the town at its. This publication is the product of 17 years of experience in hoop house high tunnel design, construction and utilization. We arrived in our coach bus and got in line just as an outbound. When you are sailing the alaska ferry from whittier you must pay attention to the tunnel schedule. Welcome to the spectacular community of whittier, alaska. Nemati fall quarter 2009 1 advanced construction techniques tunnels and shafts gordon t.
Anton anderson memorial tunnel whittier, alaska atlas. History, tunnel facts, operational information, and construction details are available on this website. Whittier tunnel is under construction through april 30th. Both automobiles and trains travel through the anton anderson memorial tunnel to whittier. The whittier tunnel was constructed over 50 years ago and was.
Tunnelworks services inc whittier remodelers in whittier ca. Whittier is also a port for the alaska marine highway. Tunnel form construction technique and process for structures. The highway is made up of a series of roads, bridges, and tunnels that connect the portage glacier area of the chugach national forest and the city of whittier to the seward highway. If youre preparing for a home renovation, do not forget to hire remodelers.
Alaska department of transportation, whittier tunnel track circuit system evaluation the anton anderson memorial tunnel, better known as the whittier tunnel, is a 2. Whittier is an easy 63mile drive south of anchorage on the scenic seward highway or highway 1 on driving maps. Tunnelworks services incs remodelers are motivated to make your homes remodel as attractive as it can be. Doesnt affect friday evening to sunday day but you might spend an extra night. Enjoy the unique experience of a trip to whittier, alaska, driving the longest combined. For information on the construction schedule at the tunnel, please consult alaska 511 exit site.
Nicole teresa valdez, saman kumara silva, and william duarte jr holds a general engineering contractor license according to the california license board. Running under an entire mountain, the longest highway tunnel in north america is kept fresh using portal fans and jet fans. Construction began in september 1998 and involved replacing the grave track bed with concrete slab suitable for both rail and rubber tire vehicles. Always allow for at least one tunnel opening to give ample time to check in at the required time. Potential environmental impacts that could result from its construction, as well as mitigation measures to lessen their effects, are discussed in subsequent technical chapters. The railvehicle tunnel is the longest of its kind in north america. Anton anderson memorial tunnel, whittier alaska viking travel. For information on the construction schedule at the tunnel, please consult alaska 511 or the navigator for the most current update. Complete list of different methods of tunnel construction. Whittier alaska tunnel information whittier chamber. Arrive at least 10 minutes prior to tunnel opening. The tunnel is an important link to an ice free port, if the ports on the eastside of cook inlet were to become inoperable, whittier with the railhighway would become a critical feature of. Driving from anchorage to whittier to play in prince william sound. But in 1949, bolstered by the construction of the seward highway, the community came back to life.
Spencer said whittiers many wood buildings became somewhat obsolete. For information on the construction schedule at the tunnel. Bear valley is accessed from the portage glacier highway off of the seward highway. Its design and construction will benefit all state of alaska constituents and will provide the efficient and affordable access to whittier and prince william sound that people have long sought. The whittier tunnel was the first to combine rail and highway use in north america, the first to combine jet and portal fans in its ventilation system, and the first to use a unique traffic control system that ensures no conflict between rail and highway service along the same alignment. Anton anderson memorial tunnel portwhittier, alaska fhwa. Star track modules were used throughout the reconstruction of the anton anderson memorial tunnel in whittier, alaska. We appreciate your understand as we conduct this vital training.
This supply link was the source of construction of the first tunnel through the maynard mountain. Kiewit crews converted the 1940sera railroad tunnel into a stateoftheart multiuse railautomobile tunnel. At a length of,300 ft 4,100 m, it is the secondlongest highway tunnel and longest combined rail and highway tunnel in north america. The whittier tunnel conversion involved two innovative p3s. There is a tight schedule for inboundoutbound and railvehicle traffic. It is part of the portage glacier highway and at,300 feet 4,100 m, is the secondlongest highway tunnel. The whittier access tunnel was alaskas first designbuild transportation project. This video has been shortened by request and the shorter vi. Thanks to a unique design, the tunnel allows a single lane of automobile traffic to drive directly over the railroad track area a design that saved tens of millions of dollars over the cost of constructing a new highway tunnel. Advanced construction techniques tunnels and shafts. Enjoy the unique experience of a trip to whittier, alaska, driving the longest combined vehiclerailroad tunnel in north america.
Whittier tunnel surface and drainage improvements alaska. Construction photos, whittier tunnel, transportation. For details on design and construction, see the tunnel design page in this website. The department of transportation and public facilities, central region, is soliciting proposals from qualified vendors to provide maintenance and operations services for the anton anderson whittier memorial tunnel at whittier, alaska. Al swalling, west coast construction super lt col j. Anton anderson memorial tunnel, whittier alaska viking. That led to tunnel construction beginning in the summer of 1941.
Am 530, whittier or am 1610, portage vehicles wait in a staging area at each end until a scheduled departure at fifteen minute intervals. Tunnelworks services inc is managed in whittier, ca and is locally held. Construction of the spur to whittier began in 1941, and was completed two years later on april 23, 1943. Summer schedule effective may 1 through september 30 tunnel. Worlds longest highway tunnel travels through a mountain. Description of construction methods and activities a. A controlled onelane tunnel with alternating train and vehicle use. Sproject manager, hdr alaska history whittier is a small community located on pristine prince william sound in alaska. Cm 510 cm 510 cm 510 advanced construction techniques tunneling professor kamran m. It is a single lane tunnel which accommodates both motorized vehicles and trains. Gateway to western prince william sound city of whittier.
Tunnel formwork come in half units and in the form of an inverted l. High tunnel hoop house construction guide steve upson an agricultural division publication nfho1401. The whittier access project state of the art engineering for alaska arema presentation. History and military significance of whittier alaska. This tunnel is the only access into and out of whittier. This work is designed to improve the tunnel for the future. Its the only road connection between whittier and the outside world, and is shared by. Give yourself another 20 30 minutes to get through the tunnel. Pedestrian tunnels the mode of the future by don del nero, pe, cdt. Agenda 1 introduction 2 thin cover tunneling methods 3 tunnel design factors 4. Spencer said whittier s many wood buildings became somewhat obsolete. The portage glacier highway, or portage glacier road, is a highway located in the u. Anton anderson memorial tunnel whittier, alaska atlas obscura. Doesnt affect friday evening to sunday day but you might spend an extra night in whittier if you miss the 8 oclock tunnel sunday night or try to do an weekeday evening shrimp pot run.
As traffic grows, whittier tunnel flourishes during summer. Different methods of tunnel construction and their details. Use new plastic pipe for construction because weathered and used pipe may be brittle and could break when bending into shape. The lifeline accessing port in whittier wwii engineering. Find the best information and most relevant links on all topics related to.
Best practices for roadway tunnel design, construction. The whittier tunnel is a one way tunnel between bear valley and the town of whittier. Beginning october 28, 2018 through april 30, 2019, the tunnel will have early closures for construction. Anton anderson memorial tunnel, whittier tripadvisor. See supply list, 20 pipes total will be needed and may need to be special ordered. Whittier alaska tunnel information its official name is the anton anderson memorial tunnel.
262 237 314 132 1427 572 906 396 892 1376 97 1533 299 892 560 1026 716 1624 461 1397 659 752 989 1274 1182 1251 1368 1118 1021 1563 115 1114 75 1328 1010 816 477 577 694 511 44 1312 293 1103 1064 1374