Granite-Super JV Awarded $324.8 Million Big Creek Tunnel Project in Ohio
Granite Construction has announced that the Granite-Super Joint Venture, comprising Granite and Super Excavators, has been awarded a $324.8 million contract by the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) to construct the Big Creek Tunnel (BCT) project in Cleveland, Ohio. The contract award will be included in Granite’s third-quarter 2026 contract awards.
The project represents a significant investment in wastewater infrastructure and is part of Project Clean Lake, a long-term initiative launched by NEORSD in 2011 to improve water quality, reduce combined sewer overflows and protect waterways across Northeast Ohio. With a total investment of approximately $3 billion over 24 years, the program includes the construction of large-scale underground storage tunnels and associated infrastructure to manage wastewater and stormwater.
The Big Creek Tunnel project is the seventh and final large-diameter combined sewer overflow (CSO) storage tunnel to be constructed under Project Clean Lake. Its completion will mark a major milestone in the regional sewer district’s ongoing efforts to modernize wastewater management infrastructure and reduce untreated sewage discharges into local waterways.
Under the contract, the Granite-Super Joint Venture will construct approximately 22,300 linear feet of 20-foot-diameter tunnel, along with 3,115 linear feet of ancillary tunnels. The supporting tunnel infrastructure will include adits, an overflow tunnel, a connecting tunnel and a dewatering tunnel. These components will form an integrated underground system designed to capture and temporarily store excess wastewater during heavy rainfall and periods of increased sewer system demand.
The project also involves extensive construction of supporting infrastructure and major structural components. The scope includes multiple shafts, diversion structures, gate and screening structures, gate control vaults, consolidation sewers and an overflow box culvert. Additional work will cover associated site preparation, utility installations, surface restoration and other construction activities necessary to complete the tunnel system.
The construction of the large-diameter tunnel will require specialized underground excavation techniques, shaft construction and complex infrastructure coordination. The project’s scale and technical requirements align with Granite’s experience in major tunneling and heavy civil infrastructure projects. The joint venture will combine the capabilities of Granite and Super Excavators to deliver the extensive underground construction work.
Once completed, the Big Creek Tunnel is expected to eliminate approximately 550 million gallons of combined sewer releases annually. The project will help reduce the volume of untreated wastewater and stormwater discharged into local waterways during significant rainfall events. By providing additional underground storage capacity, the tunnel will improve the sewer system’s ability to manage excess flows and support long-term water quality objectives throughout the region.
Granite Tunnel Division Vice President Jim Nickerson highlighted the company’s experience in large-diameter tunneling and shaft construction, emphasizing the project’s alignment with its technical capabilities.
“The scale and complexity of this project align directly with Granite’s strengths in large-diameter tunneling and shaft construction,” said Nickerson. “This is a major wastewater infrastructure project, and it will strengthen system performance and protect local waterways across Northeast Ohio.”
Project Clean Lake is a comprehensive wastewater infrastructure program designed to address combined sewer overflow challenges in the Northeast Ohio region. Combined sewer systems collect both sanitary sewage and stormwater in the same pipes. During heavy rainfall, the volume of water can exceed the capacity of the sewer system and treatment facilities, resulting in combined sewer overflows that release untreated or partially treated wastewater into nearby rivers and other waterways.
The Big Creek Tunnel will provide additional storage capacity to help manage these excess flows, reducing pressure on the existing sewer network and supporting more effective wastewater treatment. Its construction will contribute to the broader environmental objectives of Project Clean Lake, including improving water quality, reducing pollution and protecting aquatic ecosystems.
The $324.8 million contract further expands Granite’s portfolio of major underground infrastructure and water-related construction projects. The award also reinforces the company’s participation in large-scale public infrastructure developments that require specialized engineering, excavation and construction expertise.
Through the Granite-Super Joint Venture, the companies will undertake the final major tunnel construction project within Project Clean Lake, supporting NEORSD’s long-term strategy to improve wastewater management and environmental protection across Northeast Ohio. The completed infrastructure is expected to deliver lasting benefits to the region’s sewer system and local waterways.
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