Threading

Pipelines can be pushed under a road instead of digging up the road. First a small tunnel is dug using a directional drill rig. Then the pipe is lifted to draw the end back and as it is slowly lowered the pipe is threaded into the tunnel. When complete, the end will be welded to a pipe on the other side of the road.

It is amazing that the 'solid steel' six inch pipe is so flexible.

View LARGE and you can see that the pipe is going under the driveway to the Mountain Shadows Presbyterian Church.

I luckily happened upon this scene while on the way to the bike store to have new rim tape installed on my rear wheel. A plague of flats (only tiny holes) has required a multitude of tube repairs.