Capitol Development Design Inc.
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Historic Paw Paw Tunnel
Paw Paw, WV. |
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The Historic Paw Paw Tunnel was constructed between 1836 and 1850 by the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company. The tunnel still stands as an outstanding example of 19th century American engineering and is considered the finest example of early American canal engineering. The Paw Paw Tunnel is located immediately east of the town of Paw Paw, West Virginia and is 3,118 feet long.
The tunnel was originally built to avoid a longer route along the Potomac River that would traverse a double loop. Upon completion in 1850, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal was able to open operations between Cumberland, Maryland and Georgetown. The excavation for the tunnel was done through black powder blasting.
The tunnel was operational from its completion to the canal’s demise in 1924 and is primarily used today as part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park.
Upon developing this project, the National Park Service’s goals were to create a study which would:
- Assist Park managers in specifying work needing to be completed inside the tunnel.
- Determine the existing condition of the tunnel.
- Identify problems which needed to be remedied immediately.
From this study the National Park Service attempted to identify conceptual design solutions for the existing problems, while providing an accurate cost estimate for the referenced problems on site.
Capitol Development Design, Inc. (CDDI) provided surveying services for this historical project. CDDI established a horizontal and vertical control network for the restoration of the tunnel. The information CDDI submitted assisted both architects and structural engineers to evaluate and design restoration measures for the ultimate re-construction of the Tunnel.