TUNNELING 2,500 FEET OF PIPE UNDER BISCAYNE BAY

摘要

Watson Island and Biscayne Island are pristine islands located in Biscayne Bay between the mainland City of Miami and Miami Beach (Figure 1). The City of Miami is actively developing the islands for commercial and residential purposes. Of importance is the construction of the new Parrot Jungle facility in Watson Island; the old facility in the mainland will be relocated to the new facility when construction is completed in 2003. Providing water and wastewater services to Watson Island has been the primary concern of the City of Miami Public Works Department. Under an agreement with the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (MDWASD), the City would construct a pipeline from Watson Island via Biscayne Island into mainland Miami and MDWASD would own and operate the completed pipeline. The pipeline would cross Biscayne Bay parallel to a historic existing bridge between Biscayne Island and the mainland. The Biscayne Bay’s fragile environment and marine traffic precluded “open cut” technology to install the 12- inch pipeline. Trench-less technology was the selected construction method.