Columbus City Council Considers Lower Olentangy Tunnel Engineering Contract
The measure authorizes an initial $4.6 million toward a planned $24.6 million contract with Black and Veatch for sewer relief between Tuttle Park and Antrim Park.
Legislation before Columbus City Council authorizes Columbus Water and Power to enter into a professional engineering services contract with Black and Veatch Corporation for the Lower Olentangy Tunnel Phase 2 project. City records list the measure on second reading. Council is scheduled to vote on the legislation on Monday, Nov. 2, following its first reading on Oct. 26.
A deep concrete drop shaft and outlet chamber for the Lower Olentangy Tunnel project near Tuttle Park in Columbus.
Credit: WOSU Public Media Image source
Under the ordinance, the city would appropriate and expend $4,595,036.43 from the Sanitary Revolving Loan Fund for the contract. According to city records, seven planned contract modifications are expected to bring the total engineering contract cost to $24,595,036.43 across the multi-phase effort.
The project will use tunneling or microtunneling methods to construct an underground relief sewer tentatively planned at a minimum diameter of 96 inches, or 8 feet. The new tunnel will extend from a downstream connection to Phase 1 in Tuttle Park north to an upstream terminus near Antrim Park, with additional interception points planned along the alignment.
According to the Division of Water Reclamation within Columbus Water and Power, the relief sewer is intended to mitigate sewer system overflows along the Olentangy River corridor to a 10-year level of service, improving water quality and reducing potential human contact with waterborne pollutants. The tunnel will relieve three of the 25 main trunk sewers in the city's collection system, addressing capacity across the tributary areas of the Olentangy Main Interceptor, the Clintonville Main Trunk Sewer, and the Clinton No. 3 Trunk Sewer.
Work on the project will span approximately eight years. City planning documents estimate approximately 3.5 years for evaluation and design, followed by four to five years to complete easement acquisition, construction, and the warranty period, with the contract including engineering services throughout construction.
An evaluation committee recommended awarding the contract to Black and Veatch after the city formally advertised the project from March 4 through May 1 and received three responsive proposals. As part of its proposal, Black and Veatch proposed using five Columbus-based subconsultants: AECOM Technical Services, Inc., Resource International, Inc., Dynotec, Inc., Magna Engineers, and DHDC Engineering Consulting Services, Inc.
Contract authorization is contingent upon state financing through the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund, a reimbursement program jointly administered by the Ohio Water Development Authority and the Ohio EPA's Division of Environmental and Financial Assistance. Columbus City Council authorized applying for the loan in December 2025, and the Ohio Water Development Authority board is scheduled to consider approving the loan at its meeting in December 2026.
Previously, Pique Media reported on scheduled council action for the Lower Olentangy Tunnel Phase 2 engineering contract on Oct. 23.
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Supporting evidence (15)
Legislation before Columbus City Council authorizes Columbus Water and Power to enter into a professional engineering services contract with Black and Veatch Corporation for the Lower Olentangy Tunnel Phase 2 project.
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BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS: SECTION 1. That from the unappropriated monies and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2026, the sum of $4,595,036.43 is appropriated in Fund 6111 (Sanitary Revolving Loan Fund), per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance. SECTION 2. That the Director of Columbus Water and Power is hereby authorized to enter into a professional services and construction services contract for the Lower Olentangy Tunnel Phase 2 Design project with Black and Veatch Corporation 4449 Easton Way, Suite 150, Columbus, OH 43219, in an amount up to $4,595,036.43, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract on file in Columbus Water and Power.
City records list the measure on second reading.
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{Body=Public Utilities & Sustainability Committee, Content type=Legislation, Document coverage=API text and document metadata; linked PDF bytes are not retained, File=2830-2026, Legislation type=Ordinance, Municipality=columbus, Status=Second Reading, Text version=1}
Under the ordinance, the city would appropriate and expend $4,595,036.43 from the Sanitary Revolving Loan Fund for the contract.
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SECTION 1. That from the unappropriated monies and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2026, the sum of $4,595,036.43 is appropriated in Fund 6111 (Sanitary Revolving Loan Fund), per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance. SECTION 2. That the Director of Columbus Water and Power is hereby authorized to enter into a professional services and construction services contract for the Lower Olentangy Tunnel Phase 2 Design project with Black and Veatch Corporation 4449 Easton Way, Suite 150, Columbus, OH 43219, in an amount up to $4,595,036.43, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract on file in Columbus Water and Power. SECTION 3. That Ordinance 3119-2025, approved by Columbus City Council on 12/15/25, authorized projects to be funded by a loan to be obtained through the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF); City Council approves the Lower Olentangy Tunnel Phase 2 project, CIP #650724-100003, to be funded with a WPCLF loan; and this ordinance is contingent upon that loan being approved. SECTION 4. That the expenditure of $4,595,036.43, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized to pay for this contract per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
According to city records, seven planned contract modifications are expected to bring the total engineering contract cost to $24,595,036.43 across the multi-phase effort.
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ESTIMATED COST OF PROJECT: The proposed award amount is $4,595,036.43. Seven contract modifications are anticipated. Cost summary: Original Contract $4,595,036.43 Modification #1 $5,500,000.00 Modification #2 $5,500,000.00 Modification #3 $2,000,000.00 Modification #4 $2,000,000.00 Modification #5 $2,000,000.00 Modification #6 $2,000,000.00 Modification #7 $1,000,000.00 CONTRACT TOTAL $24,595,036.43
The project will use tunneling or microtunneling methods to construct an underground relief sewer tentatively planned at a minimum diameter of 96 inches, or 8 feet.
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It is tentatively assumed that a relief sewer will be constructed with a minimum of 96-inches in diameter and will need to be constructed via tunneling or micro tunneling methods from its downstream connection to LOT Phase 1 in Tuttle Park, to its upstream terminus near Antrim Park, along with additional interception points along the alignment.
The new tunnel will extend from a downstream connection to Phase 1 in Tuttle Park north to an upstream terminus near Antrim Park, with additional interception points planned along the alignment.
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It is tentatively assumed that a relief sewer will be constructed with a minimum of 96-inches in diameter and will need to be constructed via tunneling or micro tunneling methods from its downstream connection to LOT Phase 1 in Tuttle Park, to its upstream terminus near Antrim Park, along with additional interception points along the alignment.
According to the Division of Water Reclamation within Columbus Water and Power, the relief sewer is intended to mitigate sewer system overflows along the Olentangy River corridor to a 10-year level of service, improving water quality and reducing potential human contact with waterborne pollutants.
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Columbus Water & Power (CWP), Division of Water Reclamation (DWR) has identified the need to provide additional hydraulic capacity to improve water quality and reduce the potential for human contact with waterborne pollutants by mitigating overflows from the sewer system to a 10-year level of service along portions the Olentangy River.
The tunnel will relieve three of the 25 main trunk sewers in the city's collection system, addressing capacity across the tributary areas of the Olentangy Main Interceptor, the Clintonville Main Trunk Sewer, and the Clinton No. 3 Trunk Sewer.
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This project will allow the City of Columbus to address multiple sanitary sewer overflows at several designed sanitary relief's along the Olentangy River corridor. The tunnel will relieve 3 of the 25 main trunk sewers in the City's collection system.
The tunnel will relieve three of the 25 main trunk sewers in the city's collection system, addressing capacity across the tributary areas of the Olentangy Main Interceptor, the Clintonville Main Trunk Sewer, and the Clinton No. 3 Trunk Sewer.
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This project will address hydraulic inefficiencies, potential alterations to land uses and rapidly developing areas within the Olentangy Main Interceptor (OMI), Clintonville Main Trunk Sewer (CVM) and Clinton No.3 Trunk Sewer (CL3) sewers’ tributary areas through the Lower Olentangy Tunnel (LOT) Phase 2 contract.
City planning documents estimate approximately 3.5 years for evaluation and design, followed by four to five years to complete easement acquisition, construction, and the warranty period, with the contract including engineering services throughout construction.
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TIMELINE: It is expected to take approximately 3.5 years for the evaluation and design of the necessary improvements and an additional 4 to 5 years to complete the easement acquisition, construction and warranty period. This contract will also include engineering services during construction.
An evaluation committee recommended awarding the contract to Black and Veatch after the city formally advertised the project from March 4 through May 1 and received three responsive proposals.
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All proposals were deemed responsive. The evaluation committee reviewed the proposals and recommended the contract for the Lower Olentangy Tunnel Phase 2 project be awarded to Black and Veatch Corporation
An evaluation committee recommended awarding the contract to Black and Veatch after the city formally advertised the project from March 4 through May 1 and received three responsive proposals.
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This project was formally advertised on the Vendor Services and Bonfire websites from 3/4/2026 through 5/1/2026. Three proposals were received:
As part of its proposal, Black and Veatch proposed using five Columbus-based subconsultants: AECOM Technical Services, Inc., Resource International, Inc., Dynotec, Inc., Magna Engineers, and DHDC Engineering Consulting Services, Inc.
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As part of their proposal, Black and Veatch Corporation has proposed using the following sub-consultants to perform contract work: Company Name City/State ODI Cert. Status AECOM Technical Services, Inc. Columbus, Ohio MAJ Resource International, Inc. Columbus, Ohio WBE Dynotec, Inc. Columbus, Ohio MBE Magna Engineers Columbus, Ohio WBE DHDC Engineering Consulting Services, Inc. Columbus, Ohio MBE
Contract authorization is contingent upon state financing through the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund, a reimbursement program jointly administered by the Ohio Water Development Authority and the Ohio EPA's Division of Environmental and Financial Assistance.
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This project is anticipated to be financed with a Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF). The WPCLF program is jointly administered by the Ohio EPA's Division of Environmental and Financial Assistance and the Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA). City Council authorized this loan application and acceptance of funding via Ordinance 3119-2025 passed by Council on 12/15/25. This loan is expected to be approved at the December 2026 OWDA Board meeting.
Columbus City Council authorized applying for the loan in December 2025, and the Ohio Water Development Authority board is scheduled to consider approving the loan at its meeting in December 2026.
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This project is anticipated to be financed with a Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF). The WPCLF program is jointly administered by the Ohio EPA's Division of Environmental and Financial Assistance and the Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA). City Council authorized this loan application and acceptance of funding via Ordinance 3119-2025 passed by Council on 12/15/25. This loan is expected to be approved at the December 2026 OWDA Board meeting.
Columbus City Council Schedules Action on Lower Olentangy Tunnel Phase 2 Engineering Contract
Supporting evidence (1)
Previously, Pique Media reported on scheduled council action for the Lower Olentangy Tunnel Phase 2 engineering contract on Oct. 23.
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Columbus City Council Schedules Action on Lower Olentangy Tunnel Phase 2 Engineering Contract