Ole Singstad
Ole Knutsen Singstad | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Lensvik farm, Rissa Municipality, Norway |
| Died | December 8, 1969 (aged 87) New York City, United States |
| Occupation | Civil engineer |
| Known for | Designing submerged vehicular tunnels in New York City including the Holland Tunnel ventilation system, Lincoln Tunnel, Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel, and Queens–Midtown Tunnel |
Ole Knutsen Singstad (June 29, 1882 – December 8, 1969) was a civil engineer of Norwegian-American heritage, distinguished for his pioneering work in designing submerged vehicular tunnels in New York City. He engineered the ventilation system for the Holland Tunnel, which set a benchmark for automotive tunnel air circulation, and he innovated the immersed tube technique utilizing prefabricated segments for tunnel construction.
Singstad’s portfolio also includes the design of the Lincoln Tunnel, Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel, and Queens–Midtown Tunnel. By the year 1950, his involvement in underwater tunnel projects surpassed that of any other engineer combined. However, in 1946, following the Triborough Bridge Authority’s takeover of New York tunnel projects under Robert Moses, Singstad was marginalized as Moses prioritized bridge construction over tunnels.
Early life
Originating from Singstad farm in Lensvik within Rissa Municipality (currently part of Orkland), Norway, Singstad was the seventh child among nine siblings born to Knut Jacobsen Singstad and Anne Mikkelsdatter Auset Singstad. He attended grammar school in Ålesund in 1898 and pursued studies at Trondheim Technical School between 1901 and 1905, where he served as student body president. Motivated by his sister Marie, a midwife by profession, he sought higher education before emigrating to the United States in 1905. He acquired U.S. citizenship in 1911.
Early work
Singstad initiated his professional journey with the Central Railroad of New Jersey. In 1907, he contributed to railroad and bridge projects for the Virginian Railway located in Norfolk, Virginia. Upon returning to New York City, he engaged in tunneling efforts beneath the Hudson River for the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad during 1909–1910 and supervised subway and rail tunnel constructions under Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the East River. During this timeframe, he collaborated with Clifford Holland on assignments commissioned by New York’s Public Service Commission.
Between 1917 and 1918, Singstad was employed by the Chile Exploration Company. From 1918 to 1919, he led rapid-transit system design projects for Philadelphia at Barclay, Parsons, and Klapp (now part of WSP USA), while also preparing initial plans for a vehicular tunnel beneath the Delaware River.
New York City tunnels
Singstad gained acclaim for his contributions to New York City's submerged road tunnels and for creating the ventilation system that made extended underwater tunnels feasible—first applied in the Holland Tunnel beneath the Hudson River. Beginning work under chief engineer Clifford Milburn Holland in 1915, Singstad completed construction of the Holland Tunnel after Holland's death in 1924 and subsequent passing of Milton H. Freeman in 1925.
He went on to design the Lincoln Tunnel as well as both the Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel and Queens–Midtown Tunnel, acting as chief engineer of the New York City Tunnel Authority during development of the latter two. In this capacity, Singstad encountered opposition from Robert Moses, who championed bridge projects and sought to consolidate authority by diminishing competing agencies:
In 1946, following consolidation of the Tunnel Authority into the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority (TBTA), Singstad was removed from his position. The partially completed Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel was finished under TBTA chief engineer Ralph Smillie, largely adhering to Singstad’s original plans. However, alterations introduced by Smillie resulted in leakage problems that compelled TBTA to revert to Singstad’s original specifications. Singstad contended that Smillie’s dismissal of his experimental caulking led to excessive leaks; Smillie countered by blaming Singstad’s caulking technique itself for the issues.
Additional Projects
Singstad was instrumental in the engineering and construction of submerged vehicular tunnels across the globe.
Between 1930 and 1933, he oversaw the planning and building of the Waasland tunnel beneath the Schelde River in Antwerp. Despite sabotage during the conflicts of 1940 and 1944, the tunnel was restored, with repairs after the latter incident taking several years to complete.
- He provided expertise on the Posey Tube, recognized as the world's second vehicular tunnel, where he incorporated his ventilation system design originally developed for the Holland Tunnel.
- He contributed ventilation system advice for the Detroit–Windsor Tunnel, engineered by Norwegian-American Søren Anton Thoresen.
- Collaborating with Thoresen, Singstad was responsible for designing the lining, shield, ventilation, and mechanical systems of the Waasland tunnel.
- In 1945, he established Singstad and Kehart Consulting Engineers, a firm with 50 to 60 engineers that finalized the design of The Big Walker Mountain Tunnel in Virginia.
- His company Singstad and Baillie engineered the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel, which opened in 1957.
Singstad’s tunnel designs also extended to projects in Argentina, Canada, Cuba, and Venezuela.
Holland Tunnel Ventilation System
During an era when underwater tunnels primarily served electric trains with minimal ventilation requirements, Singstad introduced a transverse ventilation system tailored for motor vehicle tunnels to mitigate dangerous carbon monoxide emissions from gasoline-powered engines. This breakthrough was essential for safely accommodating heavy automobile traffic in the Holland Tunnel.
Although some experts such as Thomas Edison doubted its feasibility, Singstad partnered with Yale University, University of Illinois, and the U.S. Bureau of Mines to develop and rigorously evaluate his ventilation approach. A 400-foot test tunnel constructed at Bruceton, Pennsylvania replicated traffic conditions to ensure air quality safety. Additionally, a 300-foot ventilation duct built by the University of Illinois allowed detailed airflow analysis.
By October 1921, Singstad demonstrated that longitudinal ventilation would demand unfeasibly large air volumes, whereas a transverse system employing plenums above and below the roadway efficiently delivered fresh air and removed exhaust gases at intervals.
More than 2,000 tests confirmed this system’s effectiveness and cost-efficiency. When the tunnel opened in 1927, carbon monoxide concentrations averaged just 0.69 parts per 10,000—significantly below hazardous thresholds—and were reportedly lower than typical urban street levels. The public widely praised the tunnel’s air quality as superior to many city environments.
Use of Prefabricated Tunnel Segments
For the construction of the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel between 1955 and 1957, Singstad introduced a cost-effective technique suitable for tunneling through river mud. Rather than relying on conventional hydraulic shields or pressurized caissons, which risked decompression sickness among divers, he enhanced a sunk-tube method originally developed by Olaf Hoff for tunnels beneath the Detroit River and Harlem River.
This method entailed excavating a large trench along the riverbed and then lowering prefabricated tunnel sections—each approximately long and weighing around 23,000 tons—suspended by cables from barges. The segments were ballasted with water to control their descent before being precisely aligned underwater. Divers then bolted them together before draining and covering them with sediment. This approach proved efficient and was later employed in significant infrastructure projects such as the Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel.
Personal life
Ole Singstad was married to Else Johansen (1890–1964), and together they had two children: Rita (1918–1975) and Paul (1925–1976).
Throughout his life, he made five trips back to Norway, including visits in 1923, 1930, during the Schelde tunnel project in 1933, again in 1953, and finally in 1967 at the age of 85 while still engaged in consulting work. Due to World War II, he was unable to attend his mother’s centennial celebration in 1943. An enthusiastic fisherman, Singstad passed away on December 8, 1969, living at a residence on Fifth Avenue in New York City. His final resting place is Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn.
Honors and awards
Singstad was awarded honorary doctorates by the Stevens Institute of Technology, New York Polytechnic Institute, St. Olaf College, and the College of Engineering, Newark.
In 1941, he held the position of president for the American Council of Engineering Companies. Together with Søren Anton Thoresen, he was decorated with gold medals and recognized by King Albert I of Belgium for their efforts on the Waasland tunnel. A wooden statue honoring him stands at Lensvik Samfunnshus, and his achievements were celebrated during a 2008 lecture at the Museum of Modern Art.
His accolades include being named Officer of the Order of the Crown of Belgium (1933), receiving the Ridder order First Class (1939), obtaining the Medal of Honor from the American Society of Engineers (1956), and being appointed Commander of the Order of Merit (Chile) (1960). Remarkably, at age 48, he was granted an award from the Royal Norwegian Academy of Science Society that is usually reserved for senior members.
Sources
- Saga in Steel and Concrete accessible in parts at: Norway-L archives 2003-04 Norway-L archives 2003-05