How the Center for Innovative Finance Support Office Does Business...
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About Us |
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Capacity Building |
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Outreach/Awareness |
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Research |
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Technical Assistance |
Location |
Porter-Whittier, Prince William Sound, Alaska |
Project Sponsor / Borrower |
Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) |
Program Areas |
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Mode |
Dual Mode Heavy Rail / Vehicular Tunnel |
Description |
The privately operated, 2.6-mile, dual mode Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel (aka Whittier Tunnel) connects the cities of Porter and Whittier on Prince William Sound, 65 miles southeast of Anchorage, Alaska. Originally constructed as a railroad tunnel in 1943, the tunnel was Whittier's only land link for over 50 years, during which time the city developed as an important intermodal barge-rail freight hub. In response to the growing number of people wanting to travel overland to Whittier, DOT&PF converted the tunnel for use as a one-lane combined highway and rail tunnel that allows cars and trains to take turns traveling through the tunnel. The Whittier Tunnel conversion involved two innovative P3s. DOT&PF procured the conversion as its first design-build contract, which it awarded to Kiewit Construction Company. Construction began in September 1998 and involved replacing the grave track bed with concrete slab suitable for both rail and rubber tire vehicles. In a second P3 application, DOT&PF has outsourced the operation of the tunnel to VMS, Inc. (purchased by Australia's Transfield Services in October 2007), a private highway asset management and operations company. Since its opening in the summer of 2000, VMS has been responsible for the operation and maintenance of the Whittier Tunnel. VMS' responsibilities include toll collection and administration, train/vehicle passage control, systems monitoring, as well as all maintenance operations for railway/roadway systems, including snow removal at tunnel entrances. VMS also provides initial emergency fire/rescue and EMT responses. |
Cost |
$80 million ($57 million tunnel conversion, $23 million approach roads) |
Funding Sources |
Pay-as-you-go (toll receipts) |
Project Delivery / Contract Method |
Design-Build (tunnel conversion) Design-Bid-Build (approach roads) |
Private Partner |
Design-builder: Kiewit Construction Company and Hatch Mott MacDonald O&M provider: VMS, Inc. |
Project Advisors / Consultants |
HDR - Design-build advisor CH2M Hill - Approach roads design Herndon and Thompson, Inc. - Approach road contractor |
Lenders |
None |
Duration / Status |
Re-opened June 7, 2000 |
Financial Status |
Paid |
Innovations |
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Related Links / Articles |
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Contacts |
Gordon S. Burton |
