By: Contech Engineered Solutions, LLC
Project Overview: The BNSF Railway Cicero Terminal
The BNSF Railway is the biggest freight railroad in the US, and Chicago is the busiest rail hub in the country. Therefore, the Cicero terminal is key for moving cargo for BNSF, seeing up to 145 trains daily. BNSF began construction in 2022, with work ongoing until 2024. However, MWRD regulations require large detention systems for new projects, posing a challenge for this project. Thus the BNSF Railway Cicero Terminal Stormwater Management project was born!
Contech’s Solution for Detention System
Contech partnered with K5, one of the contractors, to provide quick design solutions and installation insights. Furthermore, Contech addressed site concerns with a pond liner to reduce excavation costs. The project site had contaminated soils, and spoil removal was costly. Thus, it was crucial to minimize the overall footprint and excavation.
The Pond Liner Solution
To address this, Contech partnered with a local pond liner company to line the entire excavation area. This allowed stone voids to be accounted for in the railway terminal stormwater management design. Additionally, Contech’s Xfiltration Joints helped minimize the footprint and excavation costs.
The Detention System Design
The railway terminal stormwater management detention system consisted of 90″ CMP with ALT2 coating and Xfiltration Joints. It included 27 rows totaling 14,285 linear feet of pipe and provided 752,107 cubic feet of storage. The design was revised four times due to storage increases and utility conflicts. However, Contech’s online design tool allowed for quick iterations and updates, providing same-day design changes, material lists, and excavation quantities.
Installation and Support
Contech’s field team ensured smooth installation with preconstruction meetings and ongoing support. Installation took over a month and a half, starting in late July 2023 and ending in early September 2023. The contractor installed over 0.25 miles of pipe on the best day.
Project Outcomes and Success
In the end, Contech reduced installation costs to meet financial requirements. Also, Contech provided a flexible design to meet site constraints on a tight timeline. Moreover, Contech offered a reliable railway terminal stormwater management system with easy installation and ongoing support, ensuring the successful completion of the BNSF Cicero Terminal project.
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