Jennifer Conn, Akron reporter, cleveland.com

Rosie the tunnel boring machine

AKRON, Ohio - Rosie, Akron's massive tunnel-boring machine, has completed the Ohio Canal Interceptor Tunnel, which at $184 million is the largest project in the $1.2 billion Akron Waterways Renewed project.

The project is part of a federal EPA mandate for Akron to keep sewage from mixing with storm water, and contaminating the Cuyahoga River, Lake Erie and other local bodies of water.

Ohio Canal Interceptor Tunnel 3 is one of three sites that will connect to form a 6,240-linear-foot tunnel, with a 27-foot diameter. The tunnel will hold 25.6 million gallons of storm water and sewage during heavy rains.

Here's a look at the results of the tunnel-boring phase of the project, which ended Aug. 29 with Rosie breaking through to daylight.

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Jennifer Conn, Akron reporter, cleveland.com

Ohio Canal Interceptor Tunnel 3

OCIT-3 is between West Exchange Street and West Cedar Street along the Ohio & Erie Canal. It marks the southern most point of the Ohio Canal Interceptor Tunnel.

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Jennifer Conn, Akron reporter, cleveland.com

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170 feet below

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To get to where Rosie broke through last week requires a trip in a wire basket down a shaft that's 170-feet deep. Brad Swinehart of Kenny Construction Co. guides observers into the basket.

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Jennifer Conn, Akron reporter, cleveland.com

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Going down

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Throughout the day, about 75 people are sent down the shaft in small groups.

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Jennifer Conn, Akron reporter, cleveland.com

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In the tunnel

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Mark Strong of the Kenny Construction Co. waits below to guide the cage to the temporary concrete floor.

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Jennifer Conn, Akron reporter, cleveland.com

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Rosie's trough

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Rosie will be brought out of the tunnel next week on this temporary trough, and then will be dismantled.

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Jennifer Conn, Akron reporter, cleveland.com

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Dismantling Rosie

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Rosie's cutter weighs 184,000 pounds. The bearing component weighs 300,000 pounds. Once dismantled, some of the pieces will be sold to companies to build into other construction equipment.

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Jennifer Conn, Akron reporter, cleveland.com

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Specially fabricated reinforcement

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Specially fabricated, epoxy-coated rebar reinforces the walls of the basin at OCIT 3.

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Jennifer Conn, Akron reporter, cleveland.com

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Made to last

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The walls are made of concrete ranging in thickness from 36 to 38 inches.

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Jennifer Conn, Akron reporter, cleveland.com

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Overflow control

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The tunnel will hold sewer water from all over the city, controlling nine of the overflows into the Ohio & Erie Canal and Little Cuyahoga River.

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Cutter blades

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Rosie's cutter head holds 60 blades, which were replaced when they became dull.

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Behind the cutters

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Rosie's bearing component is behind the cutter head.

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Rosie's face

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John Chesser of Kenny Constitution Co. and other workers clean Rose's cutter head to prepare it for dismantling.

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Hoe ram

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Some of the earth on Rosie's face must be removed with a hoe ram, which is similar to a jack hammer. The ram is affixed to an excavator lifted down into the tunnel with a crane.

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Ventilation

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Each day the air is tested before crews go into the tunnel. Throughout each shift, fresh air is sent into the tunnel via a ventilator.

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A joint venture

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Members of the construction team hail from a joint venture representing Welty Building Co., Parsons Construction Group and Thomarios Construction.

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Multiple players

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Several companies were needed for the project, but the city worked to keep 35 percent of labor local. Many of the parts for Rosie and the tunnel were manufactured locally, including:

the 30-foot diameter, 1.5-inch thick steel shield for Rosie's cutter head- Youngstown

most bearings on the cutter head manufactured -- Canton

concrete segments for the pipe manufactured -- Macedonia

gaskets for the concrete segments manufactured -- Mogadore

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More work

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Now that Rosie has completed the tunnel, surface work will begin.

That includes building a diversion structure at OCIT 1, which will divert sewer overflow to the main interceptor sewer and the Akron Water Reclamation facility.

Work can also begin on connecting the many overflow points to the tunnel.

The Akron Waterways Renewed Project is expected to be complete by early summer 2019.

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