Emergency Rehabilitation of the Ohio River Interceptor

Many cities within the United States are facing deterioration of historical sewer piping and tunnels, and Louisville is no exception. When preliminary studies revealed the potential for the 84” Ohio River Interceptor (ORI) tunnel to collapse below several of its most-utilized downtown streets, Louisville / Jefferson County MSD needed a rapid response to ensure the safety of its citizens and to avoid any disruption to downtown businesses. A hybrid project procurement method was invoked, effectively establishing close collaboration between the Designer and Ulliman Schutte in order to accommodate the urgent nature of the project.

  • Location: Louisville, KY
  • Owner: Louisville and Jefferson County MSD
  • Engineer: Brown and Caldwell
  • Contract Value: $17M
  • Contract Awarded: 2018
  • Contract Type: CMAR Hybrid

Our team's additional investigations confirmed that the ORI was in an advanced state of deterioration.

In many locations none of the tunnels’ initial 12” thick crown remained. In other areas, the tunnel walls had eroded well beyond the depth of the reinforcing steel. Ulliman Schutte worked closely with the Designer and Louisville MSD to evaluate several rehabilitation methods with regard to cost, risk, schedule, and public impact. Once finalized, the optimal solution included customized structural stabilization, substantial concrete rehabilitation, and PVC liner installation. As with many tunnels of its age, each tunnel cross-section was unique, necessitating the fabrication of fully customized structural elements. 

Experience with Large Bypass Pumping Operations

As no alternative sewer routing was available within the existing piping, Ulliman Schutte designed and implemented a 50 MGD pump-around system which spanned five city blocks, positioning the temporary pumps and piping in locations which minimized risk and public visibility. 

Working within Busy, Urban Areas

The project's location in the heart of downtown Louisville required careful planning and coordination in order to protect the surrounding community. Safety measures included a robust maintenance of traffic plan to ensure that commuters and pedestrians had continual access to downtown businesses and attractions. 

Through true teamwork and collaboration among the many stakeholders, the entire project – from concept to flow restoration – was completed in under seven months.

For a more detailed overview of the project – and its impact on the surrounding Louisville community – check out this video.

Awards

The Project received Engineering News-Record's Regional Award in 2019 and received the Grand Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies in 2020.