A major investment in wastewater infrastructure is moving forward in western Pennsylvania after a joint venture between Lane Construction and Brayman Construction secured a $1 billion contract to build the Ohio River Tunnel for the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority.
The project represents one of the most significant water infrastructure initiatives currently underway in the Pittsburgh region and forms a central component of ALCOSAN’s broader Clean Water Plan, a long-term effort to improve water quality and modernize the region’s aging sewer system.
Under the contract, Steel City Tunnel Partners will construct approximately 4.9 miles of deep tunnel infrastructure along with multiple access shafts, regulator facilities and related surface structures. The system is designed to capture excess wet-weather combined sewer flows and transport them for treatment rather than allowing discharge into regional waterways.
Once operational, the tunnel is expected to prevent approximately 7 billion gallons of combined sewer overflows from entering local rivers each year, supporting environmental compliance requirements while strengthening the region’s wastewater management capacity.
The project combines national tunneling expertise with local heavy civil construction experience. Lane Construction will lead major tunneling operations and project management activities, while Pittsburgh-based Brayman Construction will oversee shaft construction, foundation systems and heavy civil components.
The award reflects growing investment in large-scale underground utility infrastructure across the United States as municipalities address aging water systems, environmental mandates and resilience challenges.
Deep tunnel projects have become a preferred solution in many metropolitan areas seeking to reduce combined sewer overflows while minimizing disruption at the surface. Such projects require specialized expertise in tunneling, geotechnical engineering, shaft construction and underground excavation.
The Ohio River Tunnel also reinforces the increasing role of collaborative delivery models, with joint ventures bringing together complementary technical capabilities to execute highly complex infrastructure programs.
Beyond environmental benefits, the project is expected to generate substantial construction activity throughout the Pittsburgh area over multiple years. Large tunneling programs typically support hundreds of skilled construction jobs while creating demand for suppliers, equipment providers and specialty subcontractors.
The contract further strengthens both companies' positions in the expanding water infrastructure market. Brayman is already involved in another billion-dollar infrastructure project in the region through its participation in the Montgomery Lock Chamber Replacement program for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The Ohio River Tunnel award signals continued momentum in the water and wastewater infrastructure sector as utilities and public agencies invest in long-term resilience projects. For construction owners, engineers and contractors, the project highlights growing opportunities in underground infrastructure, environmental compliance work and large-scale civil construction. It also demonstrates the increasing importance of specialized partnerships capable of delivering technically complex projects that address regulatory requirements, sustainability goals and critical public infrastructure needs.
