The Kitchener Railway Tunnel is a subset of the Georgetown South project, one of the largest rail transit infrastructure expansions in North America. The Kitchener railway tunnel will provide a fourth set of tracks for the metro system beneath Highways 401 and 409, with the 401 being the busiest highway in Toronto.
The tunnel will achieve two-way traffic and all-day service to the area for Ontario residents. Because of classification as Class 1 highways, traditional open construction methods could not be used on the project. In fact, construction is all being done under 21 lanes of traffic. The work includes construction of two single track tunnels under the highway system. Amherst Concrete Pumping is up to the challenge with their new 16-Z Track Spider.
The 16-Z’s low profile and maneuverability allows it to enter and effectively position itself within the tunnel. The low clearance height of 13.2 feet and Z-Fold boom leaves plenty of room for it to open and extend to the top of the wall forms. The mobile unit also prevents the need to manually drag hose along the tunnel floor while they moving along the pour.
Amherst is seeing reduced labor costs, increased productivity, and more accurate placement thanks to the 16-Z.
