NIAGARA TUNNEL

Ontario’s need for renewable energy is growing. In response, Ontario’s publicly-owned power utility contracted Strabag AG, experts in tunnel construction, to build a new tunnel under the City of Niagara Falls. The tunnel will carry enough water to the Sir Adam Beck (SAB) Complex to generate an additional 1.6 billion kW hours annually. That’s enough power for a city twice the size of Niagara Falls.

The world’s largest hard rock tunnel boring machine (or TBM) is digging the tunnel. A cross between a space capsule and a showerhead, the TBM is making a hole 14.4 m in diameter, and an incredible 10.4 km long.

By the time the TBM finishes the 10.4 km grind under the Niagara River, it’ll have chewed up 1.6 million cubic metres of rock – enough to completely fill Toronto's Rogers Stadium. Despite all this boring activity, at surface (roughly 140 m. above the tunnel), you can’t feel any vibrations.

To man this tunnel and all of the administration required, BOXX Modular is providing:

• two, two-storey 24 ’x 40’ office complexes;
• one 24’x40’ addition to their main office;
• two 8’x10’ guard houses;
• one 12’ x 60’ change room;
• two 10 ’x 50’ office trailers.

As well, we rent several other trailers for short term requirements as needed. Strabag AG expects to complete the tunnel by 2010.