PennDOT Selects Baker for CM/CI Services for the Rehab of the Squirrel Hill Tunnels in Pittsburgh

Published on Thursday, 09 February 2012 13:27 Written by TradersHuddle Staff

Michael Baker Jr., Inc., a unit of Michael Baker Corporation (NYSE Amex:BKR), has been chosen by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to provide construction inspection and construction management services during the rehabilitation of the Squirrel Hill Tunnels in Pittsburgh, Pa. The project includes updates to the electrical, lighting, control and ventilation systems, as well as addressing structural repairs to the walls and arched ceiling, installation of a water line, bridge repair and rehabilitation, expansion dam replacement, and other miscellaneous construction within the length of the tunnel (4,225 linear feet). The work is expected to be completed in the summer of 2014.

“Baker possesses a staff with unmatched knowledge of the Department’s policies and procedures,” said Thomas E. Donatelli, P.E., assistant vice president, Pittsburgh Construction Services. “We have the experience that is essential to coordinate complex highway, bridge and tunnel construction projects simultaneously within a busy metropolitan area which includes a vast number of businesses and commuters.”

The tunnel rehabilitation will increase vertical clearance to reduce the number of delays due to over-height trucks; lighting improvements will be made to allow motorists to maintain highway speed through the tunnels; new monitoring systems will be installed to provide a safer environment for the travelling public and an upgrade to the fire suppression system will add to the safety improvements. Night and weekend work will be performed to ease the burden on the more than 100,000 motorists who utilize this portion of the roadway.

Michael Baker Corporation (www.mbakercorp.com) provides engineering, design, planning and construction services for its clients’ most complex challenges worldwide. The firm's primary business areas are architecture, aviation, defense, environmental, geospatial, homeland security, municipal & civil, oil & gas, rail & transit, telecommunications & utilities, transportation, urban development and water. With more than 3,200 employees in nearly 110 offices across the United States, Baker is focused on creating value by delivering innovative and sustainable solutions for infrastructure and the environment.