New York Construction Report special feature
When work is happening deep beneath New York City, inside one of the busiest rail corridors in the country, there is no room for inefficiency—or error. That was the reality facing the Amtrak East River Tunnel project, where Skanska Civil USA was tasked with advancing critical infrastructure upgrades in an extremely confined and high-stakes environment.
Concrete Washout Systems (CWS) was brought in to solve a challenge that could easily disrupt operations: managing concrete slurry inside the tunnel itself. Traditional washout methods were not an option. Working in close partnership with Skanska Civil USA, the CWS team deployed a vacuum-based solution designed specifically for tight, sensitive spaces.
Over the course of the project, CWS safely vacuumed and removed approximately two miles of concrete slurry directly from within the tunnel. The process allowed work to continue without interruption, eliminated the hazards associated with unmanaged washout, and reduced the risk of environmental or safety incidents in an already complex setting.
By minimizing downtime and maintaining strict compliance standards, CWS helped Skanska keep the project on schedule while protecting both workers and critical infrastructure. The result was a clean, efficient solution that demonstrated how the right partner and approach can make even the most challenging environments manageable.
