The Problem:
Installing a 50-foot tunnel underneath a rail line, owned by the Peoria & Pekin Union Railroad, to create a new bike path. Shallow space under tracks and over surface slump and sandy soil conditions caused concern. Originally, the Illinois Department of Transportation wanted a box culvert for a walkway, but the project was changed over to specify round casing for a pedestrian tunnel and bike path.

The Solution:
Miller the Driller chose Permalok’s 122.5" O.D. Casing pipe for the project. The Casing pipe was fitted with an inverted bell-pipe adapter to reduce the overall diameter to 80". An 80" ram cone was then connected to the adapter, which further reduced the diameter to 30 inches, and a 30" ram cone made the final connection. Five 10-foot casings were successfully installed while the project was monitored closely for surface slump. Sandy soil conditions made subsidence a real risk but Miller the Driller used pneumatic pipe ramming technology to connect the Permalok interlocking rings.

The successful pipe ramming project was one of the largest-diameter pipe ramming projects Miller the Driller had attempted to date, and also qualified as one of the largest ever in North America.