MIT Civil Engineering – 1.011 Project Evaluation Spring Term 2003Roberta Hsu, Leslie Robinson Page 1Whittier Access Project, AlaskaThe Anton Anderson Memorial TunnelWhittier Access ProjectWhittier Access Project, AlaskaOutline Project Background Project Issues Design and Implementation Cost-Benefit Analysis Results CritiqueWhittier Access Project, AlaskaWhittier, Alaska Population: 300 residents Tourist destination for water recreation and vacationing Rail port built during WWII to provide a supply link from Prince William Sound to town of PortageWhittier Access Project, AlaskaHistory 1943: 2.5 mile RR tunnel constructed through the Maynard Mountain leading to a boom in population growth 1950: military vacated Whittier, then became a federally-run commercial port Passage to Whittier only via RR flat cars that carry vehicles Access Project: the tunnel, the new roadway, and two bridgesWhittier Access Project, AlaskaGroups Involved Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities Design Builder: Kiewit Construction Lead Consultant: HDR Designer: Hatch Mott MacDonaldWhittier Access Project, AlaskaProject Objectives Increase access to Whittier Guarantee convenient and affordable access Improve the safety measures of the tunnelMIT Civil Engineering – 1.011 Project Evaluation Spring Term 2003Roberta Hsu, Leslie Robinson Page 2Whittier Access Project, AlaskaAlternatives To increase the existing rail service To use a high-speed electric train To construct a highway route over Maynard Mountain To construct a highway route through the tunnel To construct a combined roadway and railway route through Maynard Mountain and a highway leading to the tunnelWhittier Access Project, AlaskaRisks and Uncertainties Weather Design-Build construction method Availability of materials & equipmentWhittier Access Project, AlaskaTunnel Construction The existing railroad track and underlying crushed rock were replaced with concrete panels Rock excavation created space for fans and safehouses for use during emergencies Walls are natural rock, reinforced with steel plates where necessaryWhittier Access Project, AlaskaConstruction Challenges Snow Tunnel Portals: had to be built to resist forces of possible avalanches Tight working conditions Time constraint: project had to be finished in two years Keep tunnel in operationWhittier Access Project, AlaskaAddressing the Challenges Staging areas A-shaped portals Specialized equipment and methods, detailed scheduling of machinery sequence Heavy emphasis on partnering, overlapping shifts to ensure constant on-site monitoring Procedure was practiced outside of tunnel before actual installation Whittier Access Project, AlaskaCash Flow DiagramAnton Anderson Project: Cash Flow Diagram$(300,000.00)$(200,000.00)$(100,000.00)$-$100,000.00$200,000.00$300,000.00$400,000.00Sep-98Dec-98Mar-99Jun-99Sep-99Dec-99Mar-00Jun-00Sep-00Dec-00Mar-01Jun-01Sep-01Dec-01Mar-02Jun-02Sep-02Dec-02Mar-03Jun-03Sep-03Dec-03Time Dolla rsMIT Civil Engineering – 1.011 Project Evaluation Spring Term 2003Roberta Hsu, Leslie Robinson Page 3Whittier Access Project, AlaskaProjected RevenueProje cted Annual Revenue$-$200,000.00$400,000.00$600,000.00$800,000.00$1,000,000.00$1,200,000.00$1,400,000.00$1,600,000.002001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009YearRevenue [$]Whittier Access Project, AlaskaCosts and Benefits Costs Cost of Construction Loss of full tunnel operations Environmental impacts Benefits Increased accessibility to Whittier Shorter commute time Economic boost Gain exposure to design-build Whittier Access Project, AlaskaResults Innovative computerized control and emergency response systems that regulate rail and vehicle traffic Can operate in -40o F temperatures and in extreme wind and snow conditions First tunnel to use both portal and jet fans for ventilationWhittier Access Project, AlaskaPerformance $57 million dollar tunnel, under $59.6 million contract amount Early finish date: Fully operational two months ahead of schedule, June 2001 Only combined railroad/highway tunnel in the world The longest highway tunnel in North AmericaWhittier Access Project, AlaskaCritique and Conclusions Design-build allows room for innovation in construction methods Careful planning and monitoring increase overall project efficiency End result: substantial decrease in project duration and costWhittier Access Project, AlaskaReferences ADOT&PF Facility Manager, Mr. Gordon S. Burton http://www.dot.state.ak.us/creg/whittiertunnel/index.htm http://www.kiewit.com/project/pro_5598016.html http://www.auca.org/month/ http://transportation.org/aashto/success.nsf/allpages/AlaskaWhittierAccess http://www.govwest.com/Whittier_publ.asp http://www.asce.org/pressroom/news/pr043001_ocea.cfm
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