GTA Mainline Natural Gas Pipeline

The GTA Mainline is a 49.6km natural gas pipeline constructed in Toronto, Ontario, mostly within an existing infrastructure corridor, running parallel with Highway 407. The pipeline was constructed in four sections. Spread One was about 7.6km of NPS 36 pipeline and Spreads Two, Three, and Four were about 42km, (NPS42 and 36).

Construction of the GTA project was challenging due to the urban location. Michels interfaced and obtained multiple permits from seven different municipalities, cities and regional conservation authorities, each with their own requirements. Complex traffic management was required as many major arteries were used as construction access roads.

Sixty-three major road crossings were installed using trenchless methods. No roads were open-cut. The pipeline crossed 520 buried utilities, and Michels’ precision resulted in receipt of the Excavator of the Year Award from the Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance for zero damages or contacts to buried infrastructure.

Throughout the course of the project, 16 HDD and 2 Direct Pipe® crossings were installed. HDD pullbacks were often executed in segments because entire strings could not be constructed in the available space.