Tours will depart from the David L. Lawrence Convention Center to take you to your destination, so plan to arrive promptly as buses will leave on time. Tours are available on a first come first served basis and have limited capacity. Please refer to ASCE’s conference Web site for more detailed information. A separate registration fee is required. ASCE reserves the right to cancel a tour if the minimum registration is not met.
** Additional guest tour information is available on the Guest Program page. Click here for more details.**
Pittsburgh Rivers, Locks, and Dams
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Join The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on a trip to the Emsworth Locks and Dam facility located on the Ohio River. Travel by boat through the Emsworth Locks and hear a narrative overview of the history of the rivers in Pittsburgh and other points of interest. The tour will feature a presentation of the locks and dams operations and innovative construction techniques recently implemented on a neighboring locks and dam facility. Lunch is included in the boat price. Minimum: 25 attendees. Maximum: 48 attendees
Registration Fee: $35
Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Institute Facilities
11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Visit the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, one of the nation’s leaders in robotics technology, and see some of their current and more recent research projects including automated excavators for brownfield reclamation
usage; BOSS – an automated Chevy Tahoe required to “obey” traffic laws while merging in and out of moving traffic and negotiate intersections, etc.; X-prise Google Lunar Challenge – a competition to safely soft-land a mobile vehicle on the lunar surface that can send high-definition signals to earth from multiple locations. Photo I.D. is required. Minimum:10 attendees. Maximum:100 attendees
Registration Fee: $35
North Shore Connector Construction Site
1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
The Port Authority of Allegheny County is expanding its light rail transit system by boring two twin 2,400 foot tunnels underneath the Allegheny River in the vicinity of PNC Park. A 500-ton, 23-foot cylindrical drill will carve its way from the North Shore to the new Gateway Station, Downtown, and then drill the second tunnel on its return to the North Shore. This tour will feature a visit to the project site and entry into the receiving pit. Join us for a first-hand look at the newly constructed tunnel and subway station. Attendees of this tour must be at least 18 years of age. Due to the nature of this specific site tour, handicap accessibility is not possible, and there is a lot of walking and stair-climbing involved. Hard hats and safety vests are required and will be provided onsite. Attendees are responsible for bringing
their own construction boots, which are also required. Minimum: 10. attendees.
Registration Fee: $35
ALCOSAN and PWSA Tour
10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
The Allegheny County Sanitary Authority, (ALCOSAN) has been instrumental in transforming Pittsburgh area rivers and streams from polluted waterways devoid of plant and aquatic life to a desirable location for recreation and commerce. ALCOSAN is the largest wastewater treatment facility in the Ohio Valley, treating up to 250 million gallons of wastewater daily from 83 communities including the City of Pittsburgh. Attendees will also visit the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA), which provides quality water and services to approximately 250,000 consumers throughout the City of Pittsburgh daily. This portion of the technical tour consists of a guided visit of PWSA’s 100 MGD main plant and 20 MGD membrane filtration plant. The Highland Reservoir No. 1 - 20 million gallons of water per day Membrane Filtration Plant — was constructed in 2002 to provide polishing treatment and disinfection for an open finished water reservoir. Boxed lunch will be provided. Minimum: 10 attendees Maximum: 60 attendees.
Registration Fee: $55
