O'Hare Storm Sewer Tunnel Wins ASCE Illinois Top Civil Award
Image
Chicago – October 19, 2026 -- The HNTB-designed South Conveyance Storm Sewer Project at O'Hare International Airport has won the American Society of Civil Engineers Illinois Section's 2026 Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award in the more than $100 million category, after crews tunneled beneath active runways and taxiways without interrupting airport operations.
HNTB engineered tunnel under live airfield for Chicago Department of Aviation
The project provides stormwater infrastructure to support O'Hare's continued modernization and future development. HNTB served as engineer of record and worked with the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) and project partners to develop and implement the tunnel solution beneath active airfield infrastructure.