Tunnelling Project of the Year (over $100M)

This award seeks to recognise excellence in delivery of a tunnelling project or tunnelling-related element of a project up with a value of over US$100M that was completed between January 2023 and July 2024.

Aecom, New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Gall Zeidler Consultants
Grand Central Madison

The $11.1B Grand Central Madison (GCM) is NY Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)’s largest capital project and the largest project funded by the US Federal Transportation Administration. It provides a direct Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) service to Manhattan’s East Side saving over 40 minutes of daily commuting time to over 160,000 daily riders. It increases LIRR capacity by over 40%, improves reverse commuting, and links the LIRR with Metro North Railroad (MNR) providing direct connectivity of Long Island to New York’s northern suburbs and Connecticut. The project involved the construction of 9.7km of rock tunnels, 3.2km of soft ground tunnels and two caverns each is 18.3m wide x 20.1m high x 350m long. Numerous innovative and sustainable solutions were implemented achieving a monumental new underground transportation facility in Manhattan. The project opened for operation on January 23, 2023 to great accolades by the public and elected officials.

Align JV and Bouygues Travaux Publics
HS2 Chiltern Tunnels

The Align JV was chosen to construct 32.2km of tunnels below the Chiltern Hills for HS2, this required the use of an advanced Variable Density TBM due to the challenging ground conditions, including low cover, high flint content, and dissolution features. Bouygues Travaux Publics (BYTP), as part of the joint venture, incorporated multiple innovations into the tunnelling process to improve safety and efficiency. These innovations include Centre of Thrust technology which enabled automatic steering of the TBM, and an automated slurry circuit which controlled all 16 slurry booster pumps automatically to achieve the desired flow. Both of these systems allowed the TBM operator to focus on other vital mining parameters more closely. Align wanted to play its part in training the next generation of tunnellers, and so partnered with our labour supplier TG Tunnelling to train apprentices on site. Additionally, BYTP upskilled six young miners to become TBM operators.

Balfour Beatty Vinci Joint Venture
HS2 Area North - Sublot 1 Tunnels

The BBV tunnelling team successfully designed and constructed the Long Itchington Wood (LIW) Tunnels ahead of schedule, marking the first bored tunnels completed for HS2 last year. They also launched two more TBMs for the Bromford Tunnels, final tunnels before reaching Birmingham station. HS2, the Main Works Civils Contractor JV Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV), and their design joint venture (DJV) partners Mott MacDonald and SYSTRA, formed an innovative and cohesive Integrated Project Team (IPT). This team has worked enthusiastically to support multiple TBMs since their launch at the end of 2021. They completed the first drive in July 2022, dismantled and transported the TBMs back to the portal through September 2022, reassembled and re-launched them for the second drive in November 2022, and achieved breakthrough in March 2023. Following the success of the LIW tunnels, the Bromford tunnel TBMs were launched and are advancing towards the West Portal reception site.

Bouygues Travaux Publics CJV
Central Kowloon Route - Central Tunnel

The Central Kowloon Route – Central Tunnel is logistically demanding tunnelling project, featuring two tunnels, each 2.8km long and accommodating three lanes of traffic. This project showcases exceptional engineering prowess, involving the excavation of approximately 3 million tons of material and the construction of around 300,000 m3 of permanent concrete works beneath the vibrant Kowloon District in Hong Kong. Despite its urban location, surrounded by reservoirs, hospitals, residential buildings, gas drums, and four active metro lines, the team has risen to the technical challenges. Ingeniously, all construction activities are efficiently supported by three vertical shafts, including two 40m shafts and a central 107m deep shaft. From the very beginning, this project has been recognized as an extraordinary engineering feat, given its magnitude, numerous stakeholders, and complex construction constraints.

Hochtief-Murphy Joint Venture
National Grid’s London Power Tunnels Phase 2 – Package 2 Tunnels & Shafts

Working as part of the Project 13 Enterprise collaborative delivery philosophy, the London Power Tunnels Phase 2 Package 2 Tunnels & Shafts project (comprising National Grid and their engineering partners Mott MacDonald and WSP, as well as design and build contractor HMJV and their supply chain family including permanent works designer AECOM), have continued to set the benchmark for performance on major infrastructure schemes. The team have outperformed against a range of project outcomes including betterment of programme delivery and budget – often a rarity in comparable major infrastructure schemes, as well as mitigating key project risks, driving safe and sustainable solutions, and leaving a positive legacy in the communities that we work in. These achievements have only been possible through the forward thinking and collaborative culture which is embraced by all involved in the project."

Larsen & Toubro Construction, Heavy Civil Infrastructure IC Business Group
Mumbai Coastal Road Project (South) Package IV

Mumbai Coastal Road Project, Package 4.Company: L&T construction (Heavy Civil Infrastructure) To enhance transportation infrastructure and connectivity in Mumbai. Notable Awards:1) Tunneling Association of India (TAI)'2023 for "Tunneling Innovation of the year Award".2) Silver award by RoSPA Health & safety3) Green Apple Environmental award'21 by the house of parliament, London. Stands out for:1) First India's largest diameter TBM with 12.19m dia. of twin undersea tunnel.2) Heaviest Cutter Head lowering of around 350 MT for the 1st time in India.3) Heaviest TBM (Shield and Cutter Head) rotation of around 1900 MT using rotation arrangement of skid track, hydraulic jacks and push pull cylinders.4) Successfully have done Record in Tunnel boring 456.724m in a Month of July 2022.Environmental Impact: Implemented sustainable materials and eco-friendly construction practices to minimize environmental