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The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) and HNTB Corp. have been recognized by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Pennsylvania (ACEC/PA) for their work on the Norristown High-Speed Rail Line emergency slope repair project.

SEPTA and HNTB received a 2013 Diamond Award Certificate that recognizes their work along the line between the Roberts Road and Garrett Hill stations that shifted as a result of the Philadelphia region being deluged with nearly 30 inches of rain during a 45-day period in August and September 2011, said SEPTA officials in a prepared statement.

In that section of the project, saturated soil in 150 feet of the 40-foot-tall embankment that supported track dropped vertically and pushed out the side of the slope. The inbound track dropped about a foot and shifted horizontally by about 16 inches.

SEPTA retained HNTB to inspect and survey the slope before performing a subsurface investigation. HNTB eventually installed inclinometer casings at the top and toe of the slope. A daily track embankment monitoring program was instituted, as well.

HNTB designed the permanent slope repair and constructed support throughout the project. A temporary access road was built before the project began.

Construction was completed in March 2012.  The Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded SEPTA $2.9 million for the project.