The City of Fort Wayne formerly unveiled the massive boring machine that will make an incredible 5-mile journey to dig an underground tunnel that will improve water quality. For three years, American Structurepoint has worked with the City and Black and Veatch prepping for the tunnel project anticipated to result in a 90-percent reduction in combined sewer overflow going into the City’s rivers. This will stop sewer overflow of more than 850 billion gallons a year! Our firm completed environmental site assessments, conducted sensitive areas and permit evaluations, and consolidated sewer designs of diversion structures/drop shafts that will direct flows to the underground tunnel.

The boring machine’s name is MamaJo, which is a combination of the first two letters of the names of Fort Wayne’s three rivers – St. Marys, Maumee, and St. Joseph. MamaJo has a diameter of more than 20 feet and stretches more than 400 feet in length. MamaJo will grind through bedrock for the tunnel that will be 200 feet underground, with an interior diameter of 16 feet. The boring machine also bears the logos of all consultants involved in the project. MamaJo will begin boring later this year and complete its journey in 2021. The tunnel will be operational in 2023.