| Location |
Porter-Whittier, Prince William Sound , Alaska |
| PPP Option |
Design Build; Operations and Maintenance Fee Service Contract |
| Mode |
Dual Mode Heavy Rail / Vehicular Tunnel |
| Description |
The privately operated, 2.6-mile, dual mode Anton Anderson Memorial 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 , the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) converted the tunnel to 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 has involved two innovative public-private partnerships. 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 PPP application, DOT&PF has outsourced the operation of the tunnel to VMS, Inc., 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-Portage 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. |
| PPP Applications |
Design-build procurement
Operations and Maintenance Service Fee Contract
|
| Sponsor |
Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF )
|
| Cost |
$80 million – $57 million tunnel conversion, $23 million access roads
|
| Type of Finance |
Pay-as-you-go
|
| Revenue Sources |
Tolls charged since April 1, 2001 , supporting O&M costs (complex toll structure: single passage ranges from $7.50 to $125, annual passes also available). http://www.dot.state.ak.us/creg/whittiertunnel/tolls7-04.pdf
|
| Project Delivery / Contract Method |
Design-Build (tunnel conversion)
Design-Bid-Build (approach road)
|
| Private Partner |
Design-Builder: Kiewit Construction Company, with Hatch Mott MacDonald
Approach Road Design: CH2M Hill
Approach Road Contractor: Herndon and Thompson, Inc.
|
| Project Advisors |
Design-build advisor: HDR Alaska |
| Lenders |
|
| Physical Status |
Re-opened June 7, 2000
|
| Financial Status |
Paid
|
| Innovations |
First design-build highway project in Alaska
First dual mode rail/vehicular tunnel
Longest dual mode tunnel in the United States
First O&M fee service contract in Alaska
The project has won many awards including the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award
|
| Related Links / Articles |
http://www.dot.state.ak.us/creg/whittiertunnel/index.shtml
http://web.mit.edu/afs/athena/course/1/1.011/www/finalppr/bangbang-lezzlier-Whttier_Final_Paper.pdf |
| Contacts |
Gordon S. Burton
Facility Manager
Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
5820 East Tudor Road
Anchorage , Alaska 99507
Tel. (907) 472-2584
Fax (907) 472-2533
gordon_burton@dot.state.ak.us
|
