City and contractors kick off updates to infrastructure, ensuring James River is protected from combined storm and sewer events.

LYNCHBURG, VA, Oct. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lynchburg, VA - On October 29, Guy F. Atkinson Construction (Atkinson) and Clark Water broke ground alongside City of Lynchburg officials on the LYHBeyond, the Blackwater CSO Tunnel project. The new tunnel and pump station will create storage capacity and infrastructure to ensure that the James River is protected from combined storm and sewer events, marking a notable step towards Atkinson and Clark Water's shared mission to deliver complex infrastructure to protect the communities, people, and ecosystems where we live. 

The Blackwater CSO Tunnel will start at the CSO 52 site located along the Point of Honor Trail and will travel all the way to the bottom of Seventh Street in downtown Lynchburg, following the path of the Blackwater Creek toward the James River. The scope of the project includes a new 4,715-foot combined sewer overflow (CSO) tunnel with an internal diameter of 12 feet, as well as several new diversion and overflow structures to divert excess flows from the Blackwater Creek Interceptor (BWCI) and James River Interceptor (JRI) into the tunnel and pump station respectively. The dewatering pump station is designed to streamline the tunnel and shaft draining process to approximately 24-36 hours.

To support the pump station, an electrical building will also be built to house and maintain the necessary electrical, instrumentation, and control components. In addition to the new structures and their associated utility needs, on-site restoration will be implemented throughout the project.

Stantec is the project engineer, and Wiley Wilson is the project architect. Substantial completion is slated for Summer 2027.

Discover more about the project: https://www.lyhbeyond.org/

Watch the project video here: https://www.lyhbeyond.org/project-plan 

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About Guy F. Atkinson Construction

Atkinson is a leader in delivering complex projects. Founded in 1926, Atkinson has played a vital role in shaping our nation's infrastructure. Atkinson provides innovative design and construction solutions for heavy civil projects to meet our client's needs. Our commitment to client satisfaction, excellence, and safety fosters enduring partnerships. For more information, visit atkn.com.

About Clark Water

Serving as a trusted construction partner to both public and private sector clients, Clark Water is a subsidiary of Clark Construction Group and specializes in the delivery of water and wastewater infrastructure projects. Clark Water provides a full range of custom planning, design, construction, and construction management services to meet the specialized needs of the community. For more information, visit Clark Water

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• LYHBeyond, the Blackwater CSO Tunnel Groundbreaking

CONTACT: Shanna Wilson

Clark Construction Group

917-674-3096

Shanna.wilson@allisonpr.com