Lessons from the Streetcar

Published in: 
Trenchless World, May 2015

Authors: 
Bradford Miller, P.G. and Dennis Doherty, P.E., Haley & Aldrich; and Mark Smith, P.E., Southern Company/Georgia Power 

Synopsis:
The 2.7-mile (4.3km) Atlanta Streetcar project, completed in 2015, reconnected downtown Centennial Park with several historic sites isolated from the city center by interstate highways.

The project included relocation of a 115kV electric circuit below historic Auburn Avenue, using a 1,860ft-long (567m) HDD completed on behalf of Georgia Power. The high-pressure fluid-filled (HPFF) cable duct replaced a direct-buried power line installed in 1959 that was located directly beneath the new streetcar trackbed.

Strategic planning and co-operative relationships between the owner, contractor and design engineer ensured the success of the project, despite its challenging urban location. This article conveys successful lessons for other engineers/owners considering an urban HDD installation.

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