Boring Project Photo Gallery
Browse real directional boring projects completed by Trinity Boring Solutions across Oklahoma. From river crossings under the Arkansas River to highway underbores, fiber optic installations, water main replacements, and large-diameter gas line crossings. Real work. Real equipment. Real crews.
Get a Free Quote (405) 409-7423Oklahoma Directional Boring Projects. From Small Site Utilities to Major River Crossings.
Trinity Boring Solutions has been putting pipe in the ground across Oklahoma for decades. Our project portfolio spans the full range of underground utility work: residential site utilities, commercial development boring, municipal water and sewer main installation, gas pipeline crossings, fiber optic conduit installation, and major river and highway crossings. The photos and project descriptions on this page represent a cross-section of what we do every day across the state.
Every project in our gallery was completed by Trinity Boring Solutions crews using our own Vermeer and Ditch Witch HDD rigs. We do not broker work to other contractors. When you hire Trinity Boring Solutions, our equipment and our people show up. That consistency is what makes our completed projects look the way they do: tight, precise, and built to last.
Ditch Witch JT922 HDD Rig. Oklahoma Pipeline Crossing.
The Ditch Witch JT922 is one of our primary HDD rigs for mid-range bore projects in Oklahoma. Capable of generating 92,000 lbs of pullback force, the JT922 handles product pipe diameters up to 20 inches and bore lengths exceeding 1,500 feet in suitable soil conditions. This rig is ODOT-approved and regularly permitted for highway underbores and utility corridor crossings across the Oklahoma City metro and surrounding areas.
Water Line Installation. Drill Bit and Fire Hydrant Tie-In.
Municipal water line projects require precision from pilot bore to final tie-in. This project shows the drill bit used on a water main crossing installation that connected to an existing fire hydrant stub-out. The pilot bore established the precise bore path before a back-reamer pulled HDPE pipe into position. Water line bores typically run at 4 to 6 feet minimum depth below existing infrastructure, with additional depth specified when crossing other utilities or beneath roadways.
Urban Bore Work. Crew and Equipment in Concrete Environment.
Not all boring work happens in open fields. Trinity Boring Solutions regularly performs urban boring in tight environments surrounded by existing concrete, pavement, and structures. Our crews are trained for restricted-access work sites where equipment staging space is limited and bore entry and exit pits must be positioned precisely. This type of work demands careful utility clearance and bore path design to navigate the congested underground environment typical of Oklahoma’s developed commercial corridors.
Entry Pit Excavation with H-Beam Shoring.
Proper bore entry pit construction is critical for HDD project safety and accuracy. This photo shows a mini excavator completing entry pit excavation alongside H-beam trench shoring. OSHA requires adequate protective systems for excavations deeper than 5 feet in most soil conditions. Our crews use appropriate shoring, sloping, or shielding on every pit we dig. Entry pit depth and angle determine the initial bore path trajectory, making precision excavation a direct quality factor for the bore itself.
HDD Drill Head and Locating System. Precision Steering Underground.
The drill head is the heart of every HDD bore. Our drill heads carry locating transmitters that allow our walkover locating equipment to track the bit’s position, depth, and orientation in real time from the surface. The operator monitors this data continuously and adjusts the bore path using the drill head’s asymmetric face to steer around obstacles and maintain the specified depth profile. Our drill heads are maintained and calibrated regularly to ensure accurate location data on every bore.
Exit Pit Work. Utility Verification and Pipe Staging.
The exit pit at the pullback end of a bore is where the product pipe emerges after being pulled back through the bore hole. This photo shows Trinity Boring Solutions crew members working in an exit pit with multiple existing utilities visible. Proper identification and exposure of existing utilities near the bore exit point is a safety and quality requirement. Our crews hand-expose utilities as needed before boring near them, following the potholing practices required by ODOT and our Okie811 commitments.
Project Types We Complete Across Oklahoma.
River Crossings and Major Water Body Crossings
Trinity Boring Solutions has completed directional bore crossings beneath the Arkansas River, the North Canadian River, Lake Hefner, and various other water bodies across Oklahoma. River crossings are among the most technically demanding HDD projects because they require extended bore lengths, precise depth control to maintain adequate cover beneath the riverbed, and careful drilling fluid management to prevent inadvertent returns into the water body.
A typical Arkansas River crossing for a 12-inch HDPE water main might require a bore length of 1,200 to 2,000 feet depending on bank conditions and pipe entry/exit point selection. Depth beneath the riverbed is specified by the relevant regulatory agencies and utility owners, typically 20 feet or more below the lowest scour elevation. Our Vermeer and Ditch Witch rigs have the thrust and torque capacity to complete these long bores with consistent drill pipe connections and reliable downhole tool performance throughout the operation.
Highway and Interstate Underbores
Highway underbores are a core part of our Oklahoma work. Every time a utility must cross a state highway, US route, or interstate, a boring contractor must obtain an ODOT highway boring permit and execute the bore to ODOT specifications. Trinity Boring Solutions holds current ODOT certification and performs highway underbores regularly for gas utilities, fiber broadband providers, water authorities, and electric cooperatives.
ODOT highway bore specifications require minimum depths beneath the road base (typically 4 feet minimum, with greater depths for interstates), casing pipe for certain crossings, and bore path documentation confirming the installed pipe meets depth requirements. Our crews carry the required ODOT documentation on every highway boring job and submit as-built data to the permitting office upon project completion.
Fiber Optic Conduit Installation
Oklahoma’s expanding broadband infrastructure requires tens of thousands of linear feet of fiber optic conduit installation every year. Trinity Boring Solutions installs 1-inch, 1.25-inch, 2-inch, and 4-inch HDPE conduit for fiber optic cable via directional bore across residential neighborhoods, commercial corridors, and rural routes throughout the state. Fiber boring requires precise depth control and smooth bore paths to prevent conduit damage and ensure cable can be pulled through without resistance.
Our crews use electronic locating on fiber conduit installations to document the bore path for future utility locates. Proper as-built documentation is important for fiber conduit because it allows locate technicians to accurately mark the conduit location when future excavation is planned in the area. We provide GPS bore path data when requested by fiber network operators.
Water Main Installation and Replacement
Municipal water utilities across Oklahoma use directional boring to install and replace water mains without the street damage and traffic disruption of open-cut trenching. Trinity Boring Solutions installs water mains ranging from 4-inch service lines to 16-inch transmission mains via HDD. Water main bore projects require careful planning of entry and exit pit locations, pipe staging areas, and connection points with existing distribution infrastructure.
HDPE pipe is the material of choice for HDD water main installation because its fused joints create a continuous, leak-free product string that pulls through the bore hole without weak points. We fuse HDPE water main pipe to the specifications of AWWA C906 and pull it back using properly sized swivels and pulling heads that distribute load evenly across the pipe wall. Pressure testing after installation confirms the line’s integrity before it is placed in service.
Gas Pipeline Installation
Natural gas utilities in Oklahoma install and relocate distribution and transmission lines using HDD when crossing roads, waterways, and other obstacles. Trinity Boring Solutions installs gas pipeline via directional bore for both regulated utilities and commercial customers. Gas line bores follow specific requirements from the pipeline operators and from PHMSA regulations governing pipeline installation methods and documentation.
Polyethylene gas pipe for distribution lines is installed with the same fused joint technique used for water mains, creating a monolithic pipe that tolerates the stresses of pullback without joint separation. For transmission line crossings, steel pipe in HDPE carrier pipe or direct-bore steel may be specified. Our crews are experienced with both plastic and steel pipe installation and understand the regulatory requirements for each product type.
Electric and Telecommunications Conduit
Electric utilities and telecommunications companies use directional boring to install PVC and HDPE conduit for power cables, control cables, and telecommunications infrastructure. Trinity Boring Solutions installs conduit banks of multiple 4-inch or 6-inch PVC conduits beneath roads and in utility corridors for electric utilities, municipalities, and private developers. These installations often require bore diameters of 12 inches or more to accommodate the conduit bundle size.
Conduit bank installations are staged differently from single-pipe bores. We assemble the conduit bundle at the exit pit, attach a pulling head that holds all conduits together, and pull the bundle back through the bore hole in a single operation. Proper drilling fluid management during pullback is critical to ensure the large conduit bundle does not bind or collapse the bore hole before the conduit reaches its final position.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Our Oklahoma Boring Projects
Common questions about directional boring project types, equipment, and capabilities in Oklahoma.
What types of boring projects does Trinity Boring Solutions complete in Oklahoma? +
Trinity Boring Solutions completes a full range of directional boring and horizontal directional drilling projects in Oklahoma, including river and water body crossings, highway underbores, fiber optic conduit installation, municipal water and sewer main installation, natural gas pipeline crossings, electric and telecommunications conduit installation, and residential and commercial site utility boring. We work for municipalities, utility companies, general contractors, and private developers across the state.
What HDD equipment does Trinity Boring Solutions use on Oklahoma projects? +
Our fleet includes Vermeer and Ditch Witch HDD rigs covering a range of bore sizes and lengths. We operate the Ditch Witch JT922 for mid-range bores requiring up to 92,000 lbs of pullback force, along with smaller rigs for residential and light commercial fiber and utility work. Our equipment is regularly maintained, inspected, and ODOT-approved for highway boring work. We also operate support equipment including mixing tanks for drilling fluid, mini excavators for pit work, and hydro-vac units for utility potholing.
How deep can Trinity Boring Solutions bore in Oklahoma? +
Our HDD rigs can achieve bore depths of 30 to 50 feet or more depending on soil conditions and equipment configuration. Standard utility bores run at 4 to 8 feet depth. Highway underbores typically require 4 to 6 feet of cover beneath the road base. River crossings are specified at much greater depths, often 15 to 30 feet below the riverbed scour elevation. The practical maximum depth for any bore depends on the locating technology being used, soil conditions, and the bore length required.
What pipe materials can be installed by directional boring in Oklahoma? +
Trinity Boring Solutions installs HDPE pipe (high-density polyethylene) for water mains, gas distribution lines, and conduit applications. We install PVC conduit for electric and telecommunications work. For certain structural applications and larger-diameter crossings, we install steel pipe, either as the product pipe itself or as a casing through which a carrier pipe is inserted. HDPE is the most common material for HDD installation because its flexibility and fused joints make it ideal for pulling through curved bore paths.
Can Trinity Boring Solutions complete river crossings in Oklahoma? +
Yes. Trinity Boring Solutions has completed directional bore crossings under the Arkansas River, North Canadian River, and other Oklahoma water bodies. River crossings are technically demanding HDD projects requiring extended bore lengths, precise depth control to maintain adequate cover beneath the riverbed scour elevation, and careful drilling fluid management to prevent inadvertent returns into the river. We carry the insurance, equipment, and technical capability to handle these projects and coordinate with Army Corps of Engineers and ODEQ permitting as required.
How long does a typical directional boring project take in Oklahoma? +
Project duration varies significantly based on bore length, diameter, soil conditions, and permit timeline. A standard residential or commercial utility bore of 100 to 300 feet can often be completed in a single day once permits are in place. A highway underbore with multiple pipe sizes may take two to three days for the boring work alone plus permit processing time. A river crossing of 1,000 to 2,000 feet may require a week or more for the bore itself, not including preconstruction permitting. We provide project-specific timelines during the bidding process.
What makes directional boring better than open-cut trenching for Oklahoma utility installation? +
Directional boring avoids the road cuts, surface disturbance, and traffic disruption that open-cut trenching requires. When crossing a highway or street, boring eliminates the need for lane closures, road cuts, pavement replacement, and extended traffic control. For river and wetland crossings, boring avoids in-stream disturbance that would require complex permitting under Section 404, avoiding potential project delays of months or years. Boring is also faster and less expensive than open-cut for crossings of obstacles that cannot be easily trenched across.
Does Trinity Boring Solutions provide as-built documentation after boring projects? +
Yes. Trinity Boring Solutions provides bore path documentation including depth readings and bore path location information on request. For ODOT highway boring projects, as-built documentation is a permit requirement and is submitted to ODOT upon project completion. For fiber optic installations, we can provide GPS bore path data that allows utility locators to accurately mark the conduit for future excavation. Accurate as-built documentation supports long-term utility management and is especially important in areas with dense underground infrastructure.
Where does Trinity Boring Solutions work in Oklahoma? +
Trinity Boring Solutions serves the entire state of Oklahoma. Our base in Yukon, OK positions us centrally for Oklahoma City metro projects, but we regularly mobilize to Tulsa, Lawton, Enid, Stillwater, Norman, Edmond, Broken Arrow, and surrounding areas. For large-scale projects in western, eastern, or southern Oklahoma, we mobilize our full crew and equipment to the project site. There is no minimum project size requirement to call us for a quote.
How do I get a quote for a directional boring project in Oklahoma? +
Contact Trinity Boring Solutions by phone at (405) 409-7423 or by email at [email protected]. Provide the project location, the crossing length and obstacle to be bored under, the pipe size and material, and any existing utility information you have. We will review the project details and provide a quote based on our assessment of the scope. For projects with existing engineering drawings or bore path designs, send those documents along for faster quote preparation.
Ready to Start Your Oklahoma Boring Project?
Trinity Boring Solutions handles river crossings, highway underbores, fiber installs, water and gas lines, and everything in between. Real crews. Real equipment. Real results. Call today for a free project quote.
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Gallery — Project Photos
