Green Line Beltline East, Utility Relocation
Client:
City of Calgary
Location:
Calgary, Alberta
Year:
2022-2024
Project Scope
The Green Line Beltline East Utility Relocation was an infrastructure project serving as a critical precursor to Calgary's Green Line LRT program. Located in the downtown core between 11th and 12th Avenue near the Calgary Stampede grounds, the project relocated deep water, sanitary, and storm infrastructure at depths of 3 to 6 metres to clear the future transit corridor. Whissell provided design-assist and constructability expertise throughout early planning phases before executing the full utility relocation scope.
- 500 m each of 1950mm concrete storm trunk, 1200mm PVC sewer trunk, 900mm steel water feedermain, and 1050mm feedermain
- 300mm PVC watermain and 250/300mm sanitary sewer installation
- Manhole structure supply and installation; tie-ins to existing utilities; bypass of live systems
- Utility removals, abandonments, and realignments; asphalt removals and restoration
Challenge & Mitigation
The project was located immediately north of the Calgary Stampede grounds, where construction windows were constrained by major public events and dense existing utility networks. Whissell staged work and reopened traffic lanes on short notice to accommodate event schedules and employed detailed investigative excavation to manage conflicts with live and abandoned utilities in one of Calgary's most congested corridors.
Value Add Solution
The original design required a massive bypass for an 1800mm storm main using twelve 18-inch pumps. Whissell proposed a cast-in-place chamber around the existing main, eliminating the bypass entirely and generating significant cost savings. A second value engineering solution on the sanitary bypass saved additional cost. Total value engineering savings on this single project were substantial.
