Central Subway Construction Update 11/1/13

Construction Update

November 2-11, 2013

During the next 10 days, tunneling and tunneling preparatory work will continue in SoMa, Union Square and North Beach. Work to prepare for station construction is continuing in Chinatown and northern SoMa. In southern SoMa, preparatory construction is planned to start the week of Nov. 11 (details below).

This section provides overviews of current and upcoming construction impacts in each neighborhood. For full descriptions, scroll down or click on the links. We also post construction, traffic detour and Muni impact information on our project Google Map.

Southern SoMa (Harrison to King/Berry):

New: We plan to begin potholing for utilities the week of November 11, on 4th Street between Bryant and Berry. This involves drilling small holes and trenches in the street to confirm the locations of existing utility lines. Potholing will start on 4th Street between Bryant and Brannan, on the east side of the street. Work hours will usually be Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. More details are in the Southern SoMa section.
Continuing: 4th Street between Harrison and Bryant may fully close some evenings and weekends. Two lanes of traffic will remain open at all other times. On Bryant Street at 5th Street, the left lane and several parking spaces will remain closed. One lane of the I-80 off ramp at 4th and Bryant may be closed at night to allow for utility work.
Upcoming: Starting in 2014, additional construction will begin on 4th Street south of Bryant. Work includes relocation of a sewer line and a storm drain, construction of light-rail tracks and construction of an above-ground train station at 4th and Brannan streets. Impacts will vary during different phases of construction and on different blocks. We will provide more information soon, and in a community meeting on November 7.

Northern SoMa (Market to Harrison):

New: Starting Monday, November 4, 4th Street between Market and Stevenson will be reduced to two traffic lanes so we can improve the ground as the tunnel boring machines pass below. The work zone will be on the east side of the street, in front of Ross. The temporary taxi stand that was in place in the previous phase of work will be reestablished.
Continuing: The two right lanes are now closed on 4th Street between Howard and Folsom. South of Clementina, the sidewalk on the west side of the street is closed. To ensure safety, pedestrians should use the sidewalk on the other side of the street and cross the street at 4th and Howard. On 4th Street between Folsom and Harrison, the parking lane and one lane of traffic on the east side of the street will remain closed to allow for ground improvement work.
Upcoming: After completing preparatory work, we will begin building the Yerba Buena/Moscone Station.

Union Square:

New: We have completed construction of underground walls on Stockton Street and will be restoring the roadway over the next weeks. We expect to reopen Stockton Street the week of November 11.
Continuing: Stockton Street between Geary and Ellis will remain closed to vehicle traffic next week. Ellis Street between Stockton and Powell will remain closed to westbound traffic.
Upcoming: Construction of the Union Square/Market Street Station is starting next year. We will provide more information soon.

Chinatown:

New: Next week, water line work will be in progress in the intersection of Washington and Stockton. Traffic will be routed around the work zone.
Tentative: Washington Street between Stockton and Trenton may close to vehicles and pedestrians late next week (details below).
Continuing: We are demolishing the building at 933-949 Stockton Street and performing utility work on Stockton at Washington. Expect parking impacts around construction zones. One lane of Washington Street will remain closed just west of Stockton Street.
Upcoming: Washington Street between Stockton and Trenton will close to vehicles and pedestrians during the first phase of Chinatown Station construction. This closure is expected to last approximately one year. This closure is planned to start in November and is tentatively planned for late next week.

North Beach:

New: In the Bank of America parking lot at 1455 Stockton, crews will begin constructing a shaft 20 feet in diameter and 27 feet deep, for use to improve ground conditions when the TBMs pass beneath Columbus Avenue. This work starts Monday, November 4, and will last for about six months. The parking lot will be closed but the banking drive-thru will remain open. Work hours are Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. We do not anticipate impacts to transit, roadways or pedestrian walkways as a result of this work.
Continuing: At the Pagoda, construction hours will usually be Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., though later work hours (until 7 p.m.) and Saturday work may be required. Parking and walkways may be impacted in front of the Pagoda Palace property.
Utility work will continue at and near the intersection of Columbus Ave and Union Street. This work will complete the utility relocation started last year. More details are included in the North Beach section and in this flier.
Upcoming: The tunnel boring machines arrive in North Beach in spring 2014. After tunneling beneath Columbus Avenue, they will arrive at the old Pagoda Palace site for removal from the area.

We appreciate your patience and support while we build this essential upgrade to San Francisco's public transportation system.

-The Central Subway Team
This machine delivers concrete tunnel segments into the tunnel. Southern SoMa

4th Street from Harrison to King/Berry

On 4th Street between Harrison and Bryant streets, the contractor has constructed a major excavation known as a launch box at the site where the Central Subway tunnel begins. After assembly of tunnel boring machines (TBM) underground, tunneling is underway.

On 4th Street between Bryant and King streets, we plan to begin potholing for utilities the week of November 11. Potholing involves drilling small holes and trenches in the street to confirm the locations of existing utility lines.

Planned construction (Harrison to Bryant):

Construct tunnel for southbound trains (TBM Mom Chung)
Launch TBM Big Alma
Construct tunnel for northbound trains (TBM Big Alma)

Traffic and pedestrian impacts (Harrison to Bryant):

The two lanes on the east side of the street (left lanes for southbound traffic) will remain open to vehicle traffic except as described below.
The block may close to traffic from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. on weeknights and all day Saturday and Sunday.
The sidewalk on the west side of the block will remain closed; the sidewalk on the east side of the block will remain open.
On Bryant Street at 5th Street, the left lane and several parking spaces will be closed.

Planned construction (south of Bryant):

Potholing is planned to start on 4th Street between Bryant and Brannan the week of November 11
Construction will take place within a few small construction zones marked by cones. Construction zones will move daily as work proceeds.
Work hours are Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Traffic and pedestrian impacts (south of Bryant):

Temporary bus stop relocations may be required. We will post notification at impacted stops
Temporary partial lane closures will be in effect on 4th Street in the vicinity of construction zones
Parking may be impacted in the vicinity of construction zones. The contractor will post 72-hour notification as required.

4th Street from above
The entrance to the Yerba Buena/Moscone Station will be located here, on 4th and Folsom.
Northern SoMa

4th Street from Market to Harrison

On 4th Street between Market and Stevenson, we are improving ground conditions while the tunnel boring machines pass beneath the roadway.

On 4th Street between Mission and Howard, the contractor is installing instruments to monitor utilities while the tunnel boring machines pass beneath the roadway.

On 4th Street between Howard and Folsom, preparatory work to construct the Yerba Buena/Moscone Station is now in progress at the corner of 4th and Folsom. Station construction will start soon.

On 4th Street between Folsom and Harrison, the contractor will perform ground improvements while the tunnel boring machines pass beneath the roadway.
Planned construction (Market to Stevenson):

Set up and test ground improvement equipment

Traffic and pedestrian impacts (Market to Stevenson):

Two lanes of traffic will remain open on the west side of the street, with the work zone on the east side of the street (near Ross)
The taxi stand will be relocated to Market Street just south of Stevenson.

Planned construction (Mission to Howard):

Install instruments to monitor utilities. Work may occur at night.

Traffic and pedestrian impacts (Mission to Howard):

One lane between Mission and Howard may be closed

Planned construction (Howard to Folsom):

Remove underground tanks
Test soil conditions
Drill to verify ground conditions
Install test elements for underground wall construction
Work hours are Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Traffic and pedestrian impacts (Howard to Folsom):

The two right lanes of 4th Street will remain closed to traffic
Clementina between 4th and 5th is closed to thru traffic. Please use this block for local access only.
The sidewalk on the west side of 4th Street between Clementina and Folsom will be closed. To ensure pedestrian safety, please use the sidewalk on the east side of the street and cross at 4th and Howard.
Big trucks will enter and exit the 4th and Folsom site during work hours. Flaggers will be on site to facilitate truck entry and exit.

Planned construction (Folsom to Harrison):

Inject grout underground to improve ground conditions

Traffic and pedestrian impacts (Folsom to Harrison):

The parking lane and one lane of traffic on the eastern side of the street (in front of Whole Foods) will be closed

Construction on Stockton Street
This week we removed this machine from Stockton Street. The underground walls here are now done, and temporary site restoration is in progress. The road will reopen in time for the holidays. Union Square

Stockton Street from Market to Post

On Stockton Street between Geary and Ellis streets, the contractor has installed below-ground walls called headwalls at the site of the future Union Square/Market Street Station. Ground improvement is underway on Ellis Street between Stockton and Powell streets.

Planned construction:

Stockton between Ellis and O'Farrell: The current phase of construction is complete on this block. Site restoration is currently in progress.
Stockton between O'Farrell and Geary: The current phase of construction is complete on this block. Site restoration is commencing.
Ellis between Stockton and Powell: The current phase of construction is complete on this block. No work is planned for the next 10 days.
On Stockton Street, the contractor will work from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays.

Traffic, transit and pedestrian impacts:

Stockton Street between Geary and Ellis is closed to all vehicles except emergency vehicles
Ellis Street between Stockton and the Ellis-O'Farrell Garage (between Stockton and Powell) is closed to westbound traffic
The 38/38L Geary may experience delays around Union Square
Sidewalks on Stockton Street between Ellis and Geary will remain open, but they may be narrowed to facilitate construction

More information about construction at this site is available in this construction notice and this press release. Photo of Chinatown Station property
Demolition of 933-949 Stockton Street continues. With the above-ground building now just about gone, crews are working to demolish the basement. Chinatown

Stockton Street from Sacramento to Broadway

To prepare to build the Chinatown Station, contractor Tutor Perini is demolishing the existing building at 933-949 Stockton Street. In addition, preparatory construction is now underway on Stockton Street.

Planned construction:

Demolish 933-949 Stockton Street. The contractor may work within the site on Saturday, Nov. 2.
Perform water line work at the intersection of Stockton and Washington
Complete covered walkway near Chinatown Station site

Traffic, transit and pedestrian impacts:

Several parking spaces may be closed near the intersection of Stockton and Washington, on both streets, and in the vicinity of construction zones
One lane of Washington Street will be closed just west of Stockton Street
The sidewalks on Stockton and Washington streets in front of 933-949 Stockton may remain closed
Tentative: Washington Street between Stockton and Trenton may close to vehicles and pedestrians as soon as late next week. This closure will last approximately one year as we perform utility work and construct an underground station wall here.

Photo of inside of Pagoda theater
In North Beach, the tunnel boring machines will be retrieved at this site next year. North Beach

Powell Street from Union to Columbus

On private property at 1731-1741 Powell Street, the contractor will construct a walled excavation known as a retrieval shaft at the site where tunneling will end. The two tunnel boring machines will be removed from the ground at this location. Demolition of the Pagoda Palace is now complete.

Near the intersection of Columbus Avenue and Union Street, the contractor is completing utility work that was started last year. More information is available in this flier.

Planned construction (Pagoda):

Construct retrieval shaft (subsurface walls)
At this point, construction hours will usually be Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., though later work hours (until 7 p.m.) and Saturday work may be necessary at times.

Traffic, transit and pedestrian impacts (Pagoda):

Several parking spaces may be closed in front of the property.
The sidewalk in front of the property may be closed. A temporary walkway will be in place around the construction zone when the sidewalk is closed.

Planned construction (Columbus and Union):

Excavate and demolish manholes on Columbus between Union and Filbert
Construction hours on Columbus are Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Traffic, transit and pedestrian impacts (Columbus and Union):

On Columbus between Union and Filbert, the left lane for northbound traffic will be closed during construction hours
The northbound bus stop on Columbus at Union will remain open, but it will be temporarily relocated about 100 feet to the north during construction hours.

Planned construction (1455 Stockton):

Set up construction zone
Pothole for utilities
Commence construction of subsurface walls
Work hours are Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Traffic, transit and pedestrian impacts (1455 Stockton):

No impacts to traffic, transit or pedestrian walkways are anticipated
The parking lot at 1455 Stockton will close on Monday, November 4

Central Subway Construction Fast Facts

Project Alignment: 4th Street between Berry and Market streets; Stockton Street between Market Street and Columbus Avenue; Powell Street between Union Street and Columbus Avenue; Columbus Avenue between Powell and Filbert streets.

Transit Reroutes: The southbound 8X/8AX/8BX Bayshore Express, 30 Stockton, 45 Union/Stockton and 91 Owl Muni bus routes have been rerouted to accommodate construction in Union Square and SoMa. These reroutes will remain in effect throughout the duration of Central Subway construction. More information is available online here.

Contact Us: Should you have questions about construction or the Central Subway Project, don't hesitate to contact our team. You can reach us at central.subway@sfmta.com or by phone at 415-701-4371.

For More Information: The Central Subway team posts frequent project updates on a variety of social media outlets. To find out more about the project and construction progress, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Flickr, and check out our blog.

Construction schedules are subject to change.