ALCOSAN taps LJB for Allegheny River Tunnel construction management, advances wet weather upgrades

ALCOSAN taps LJB for Allegheny River Tunnel construction management, advances wet weather upgradesThe Allegheny County Sanitary Authority is integrating a construction manager during the design phase of its new tunnel to ensure constructability, while simultaneously pushing forward evaluations to curb wet weather overflows at the Sandy Creek Pump Station.

LJB Underground Services was selected to manage construction for the Allegheny River Tunnel after analyzing over 550 contractor questions from ALCOSAN's previous tunnel procurement.

HRG, JMT, and ms Consultants were shortlisted to evaluate the Sandy Creek Pump Station, the system's largest, which struggles with wet weather overflows.

The authority is also replacing its 27-year-old legacy billing system, shortlisting five firms to handle data integration from over 20 different regional water agencies.

The Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has selected LJB Underground Services for construction management services on the upcoming Allegheny River Tunnel (ART). The decision was recommended for approval by the authority's Professional Services Committee on September 10, 2026. ALCOSAN’s strategy involves integrating the construction manager while the tunnel is still under design to ensure constructability. Director of Engineering and Construction Kim Kennedy noted that LJB was chosen from two highly qualified proposals received in July following in-person interviews. A key factor in LJB's selection was their analysis of the authority's previous tunnel procurement. Kennedy stated that LJB reviewed over 550 contractor questions and authority responses from the Ohio River Tunnel (ORT) process, allowing the firm to develop recommendations to enhance the upcoming ART bid phase. The committee authorized the executive director to negotiate a fee with LJB. In addition to the tunnel project, ALCOSAN is advancing critical upgrades to mitigate wet weather overflows. The committee approved a shortlist of three firms—HRG, JMT, and ms Consultants—to provide comprehensive assessments and improvement recommendations for the Sandy Creek Pump Station. Constructed in the mid-1990s, Sandy Creek is the largest pump station in ALCOSAN's regional conveyance system. It frequently takes on wet weather flows that cause overflows, requiring rapid regulatory reporting. The upcoming work will include evaluations of both the pump station and its force main. The committee also advanced shortlists for two significant technology replacements. Five firms (Cayenta, ESC Partners, Hansen, Oracle America, and TMG Consulting) were shortlisted to replace ALCOSAN’s legacy "Banner" billing system, which has been in operation for 27 years. Director of Finance Karen Fantoni noted the heavy lift required for the new system, which must process water data from over 20 different water agencies and interface with the authority's general ledger. Meanwhile, GFT, GHD, and WRA were shortlisted to implement a new Continuous Emissions Monitoring System (CEMS) for the authority's incinerator, replacing a 20-year-old system to maintain compliance with its Title V operating permit and air regulations.