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The August 27, 1964 cover image revisited by Engineering News-Record shows divers constructing a trench for a petroleum-products pipeline beneath the Raritan River near New Brunswick, New Jersey. Working from a barge in opaque water, crews first removed river mud, then used a crawler drill underwater to bore into exposed rock. Over nine days, the divers drilled 115 holes, loaded them with 4,800 pounds of dynamite and broke up about 500 cubic feet of riverbed rock. The tightly controlled operation created a 600-foot crossing for the Colonial Pipeline, a line that ENR described as carrying approximately 45% of the refined petroleum products used on the U.S. East Coast.
What happened on August 27, 1964?
The date refers to an Engineering News-Record cover showing underwater construction on the Raritan River. The image captures McAlindin Construction Co. divers operating a crawler drill from a barge while preparing a pipeline crossing near New Brunswick. ENR associate editor Scott Lewis revisited the photograph in a Construction History feature published October 22, 2026.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsThe project was not a routine dredging job. The pipeline trench had to pass through soft river mud and then solid rock, so the work combined marine excavation, diver-guided drilling, controlled blasting and removal of broken material in conditions where visibility was effectively absent.
How was the Raritan River pipeline trench prepared?
Preparation began above the riverbed, before drilling started. Gates Construction used a barge-mounted dragline and clamshell for 30 days to strip away mud as deep as 19 feet and expose the underlying rock. Removing that overburden gave the drill access to the competent material that had to be fractured for the trench.
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The excavation was widened at the surface to create room for the drilling equipment. Although the finished trench was relatively narrow, the opening through the mud measured 80 feet across at the top, providing a 12-foot operating path for the crawler drill.
| Feature | Documented measurement | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Mud removal period | 30 days | Time spent clearing the riverbed before rock drilling |
| Maximum mud depth | 19 feet | Thickness of soft material removed in places |
| Finished trench length | 600 feet | Length of the river crossing excavation |
| Finished trench depth | 9 feet | Vertical rock excavation below the prepared bed |
| Finished trench width | 7 feet | Target width for the pipeline trench |
| Top opening in mud | 80 feet | Temporary working opening around the drill |
| Drill operating path | 12 feet | Clear route required to move the crawler drill |
How did divers drill and blast underwater?
Once the rock was exposed, McAlindin’s divers had to position and move the crawler drill by feel. The water was murky enough that visual guidance could not be relied on, making physical communication with the machine and careful control of each hole essential.
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- Bore the blast pattern. Divers drilled 115 holes through the riverbed rock over nine days.
- Load the holes. The holes were packed with 4,800 pounds of dynamite.
- Sequence the charges. Individual charges were separated by 17-millisecond delays, so the blast progressed in a controlled sequence rather than detonating as one instantaneous mass.
- Remove the broken rock. The blasts produced about 500 cubic feet of shattered material on the river bottom, which then had to be cleared from the trench.
The figures describe a deliberately engineered cycle: drill, load, delay, blast and remove. Working underwater did not eliminate the need for ordinary excavation discipline; it made alignment, timing and debris handling harder because every operation took place without a clear view of the workface.
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How large was the completed trench?
The permanent excavation was 600 feet long, 9 feet deep and 7 feet wide. Those dimensions are distinct from the much broader 80-foot opening cut through the mud. The wide opening was a temporary access and maneuvering zone, while the narrower trench defined the route for the pipeline beneath the riverbed.
The project therefore had two geometries to manage: a broad surface excavation to accommodate the crawler drill and a controlled rock trench sized for the crossing itself. Keeping those dimensions separate is important when interpreting the archival photograph or describing the construction method.
What pipeline used the crossing?
ENR identifies the line as the Colonial Pipeline, running from Houston to Linden, New Jersey. In the 2026 feature, the publication states that the pipeline supplied approximately 45% of the refined petroleum products—diesel, gasoline, jet fuel and heating oil—used on the East Coast of the United States. That figure is ENR’s description of the system’s regional role; it is not a measurement of the individual Raritan River segment.
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The crossing was consequently one small piece of a much larger transport network. Its 600-foot underwater trench had to connect reliably with a pipeline extending across multiple states and serving major fuel markets.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why is this 1964 construction image significant?
The photograph records a method that depended on coordination between marine plant and specialist divers. A dragline and clamshell handled the long mud-removal phase; a crawler drill created the blast holes; divers worked by touch in zero-visibility water; and timed explosives fractured the rock for later removal.
It also shows why underwater pipeline construction cannot be judged by trench dimensions alone. The seven-foot final width tells only part of the story. Access, the 80-foot surface opening, the 12-foot drill path, nine days of drilling and the removal of 500 cubic feet of blasted rock were all necessary to produce that relatively compact finished excavation.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where was the 1964 pipeline crossing located?
The crossing was in the Raritan River near New Brunswick, New Jersey. The archival image shows the work area from a barge rather than a land-based excavation site.
Which companies carried out the river work?
Gates Construction handled the 30-day mud-removal operation with a barge-mounted dragline and clamshell. McAlindin Construction Co. employed the divers who operated the crawler drill and performed the underwater drilling and blasting.
How long did the underwater drilling phase take?
The drilling and charging operation lasted nine days. During that period, divers completed 115 holes before the controlled blasts and subsequent rock removal.
Why was the excavation opening 80 feet wide if the trench was only 7 feet wide?
The 80-foot dimension describes the opening through the overlying mud, not the finished trench. It provided the crawler drill with a 12-foot operating path and enough working room for positioning and movement.
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