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Central Subway Construction Update 10/23/15

Thank you for your interest in the Central Subway Project, which is a significant project in the history of San Francisco's public transportation network. This project is the first underground line to link the north and south corridors of the city, and will provide a direct connection to major retail, sporting and cultural venues while efficiently transporting people to jobs, educational opportunities and other amenities throughout San Francisco.

This is an exciting time as the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency's | Central Subway team works to construct a vital transportation link that, when open in 2019, will improve connectivity for the city. A new AWSS is being installed on 4th Street between Freelon and Welsch Central Subway | Project Advancement

October 23 - November 3, 2015

This notice provides a construction update and a look ahead for what to expect in the areas where we are building four new stations along the alignment. You’ll find information about work activities, traffic and transportation impacts taking place over the next two weeks at SoMa, Yerba Buena|Moscone, Union Square and Chinatown.

Construction schedules, bus routes, and stop locations are subject to change due to unforeseen conditions. Signs will be posted at affected stops to advise of service changes.

Our thanks goes out to the businesses, residents, shoppers, commuters, and all those who are touched by the Project, for their continued engagement as we work to extend the city's public transportation system.

The Central Subway Team

A worker keeps the site clean while sewar pipe is installed in the trench Surface Station, Trackwork and Systems The second phase of trackwork and transit signal priority upgrades has been scheduled for Veteran's Day Weekend, 10p.m. Friday November 6 through Saturday night, November 14.  This will be a 24 hour operation.    For more information, see this notice and map. The first phase of this project was completed over Labor Day Weekend.  The completion of this project will be a major milesstone in the construction of the Central Subway.

For the work along 4th Street between Bryant and King streets, a surface station will be built between Bryant and Brannan Streets. The construction team is working on upgrading utilities and trackwork on 4th Street between the portal at Bryant Street and the connection with the existing system at King Street.

The Bryant and 4th Street 47 Van Ness bus stop will be relocated 250 feet off the intersection through Sunday, November 1. The following bus lines are affected:  8 Bayshore, 8 AX Bayshore Express, 8 BX Bayshore Express, 47 Van Ness. 

Installation of a 36" force main sewer  at 4th and Townsend is scheduled for weeknight evenings, Monday, October 26 through Thursday, November 5.  Hours of operation for each night are  8p.m. to 5a.m. The bus stop at the southwest corner of 4th and Townsend will be relocated 100 feet to the west during working hours.  Construction will be noisy the first night (Monday, October 26) when the street pavement is cut.

Current activities include utilities relocation, Muni manhole, duct bank, water line work from the water department, auxiliary water supply system tunnel prep work, and sewer structure modification work. Trench shields mark here work to install a new sewar line is being done on 4th Street, south of Townsend
  New sewer and water pipes are being installed on the east side of 4th between Townsend and King4th Street
  Overview

  • Installation of Muni manhole and duct bank
  • Utility installation
  • Installation of high pressure water line
  • Interior tunnel preparation
  • Installation of 36" force main sewer

Details

What: Installation of Muni manhole, duct bank, utility installation
Time: 7a.m. - 4p.m.
When: Monday to Friday
Where: Brannan Street between 4th Street and 5th, Street, Townsend Street to King Street

What:  Low pressure water line/AWSS
Time:  7a.m. - 4p.m.
When:  Monday to Friday
Where:  4th Street and Welsh Street

What:  Tunnel interior preparation work
Time:  7a.m. - 4p.m.
When:  Monday to Friday
Where:  Tunnel portal north of the 4th and Bryant intersection

What:  Installation of 36" force main sewer
Time:  8p.m. - 5a.m.
When:  Monday to Friday
Where:  4th Street and Townsend Street

  What to expect

  • Work may involve saw-cutting, potholing and jack-hammering on the roadway and sidewalk
  • Sidewalk access may be limited
  • Access will remain open for pedestrians and businesses
  • Muni Service Impact
  •  4th Street and Bryant Street bus stop relocated 250 feet off intersection affecting 8 Bayshore, 8 AX    Bayshore Express, 8 BX Bayshore Express and 47 Van Ness buslines
  • 4th and Townsend bus stop relocated 100 feet affecting 47 Van Ness busline
  • Parking will be unavailable along the work area
  • Parking and Traffic Impact
    • Parking will be unavailable along the work area
    • Eastbound lane on Bryant  Street closed  
    • Westbound lane on King Street closed during working  hours
    • Northbound lane on 4th Street closed during working hours
    • One lane of traffic closed on Townsend during evening hours

Excavation equipment is stationed while the installation of temporary steel supports is underway Yerba Buena | Moscone Station

4th Street from Howard to Folsom

Work along 4th Street between Howard Street and Folsom Street consists of construction of the underground Yerba Buena | Moscone Station. The cut and cover method known as a "top-down" or "bottom-up" approach involves construction of a box frame structure within a trench excavation that is subsequently backfilled.

Current activities include utility relocation and excavation.

Please note that Howard Street between 3rd Street and 4th Street will be closed through 5p.m. Saturday October 31 due to the Oracle OpenWorld event.  Reroutes are in place to assist traffic flow in the area.

A view of the Yerba Buena | Moscone headhouse from the south corner of the work site Welders prepare temporary supports for the installation of whalers which will reinforce the station box interior Overview

  • Installation of utilities
  • Excavation

Details

What: Installation of Utilities
Time: 9a.m. - 5p.m
When: Monday to Friday
Where: 4th Street and Folsom Street

What: Excavation
Time:  7a.m.-7p.m.
When:  Monday to Friday
Where: Howard  Street to Folsom Street
  What to expect

  • Clementina Street is closed at 4th Street
  • The sidewalk on the west side of 4th Street is closed
  • Parking and Traffic Impact
    • One lane of traffic open on the east side of 4th Street

PVC conduits hang from steel supports during concourse roof deck installation Union Square | Market Street Station

For the duration of the project, you'll see work along Stockton Street between Ellis Street and Post Street. The construction of an underground Union Square|Market Street Station uses the cut and cover method known as a "top-down" or "bottom-up" approach involves construction of a box frame structure within a trench excavation that is subsequently backfilled.

Current activities include roof deck installation, demolition of the northwest corner of the Union Square Garage, utility relocation and compensation

Single-lane traffic continues through early November on Geary at Stockton for pile installation.

Inside the Union Square Garage, a new ramp is being built for automobiles A site inspector confers with a rebar specialist inside the southeast corner of the Union Square Parking Garage, where work to refit this section with a new vehicle ramp is underway Overview

  • Installation of roof deck
  • Utility relocation and support
  • Excavation
  • Partial demolition and remodeling of Union Square Garage
  • Rebar installation

Details

What: Roof deck, utility, excavation, rebar installation and partial demolition of Union Square Garage
Time: 7a.m.-11p.m.
When: Monday to Saturday
Where: Ellis Street to Post Street
* Construction hours may be 24 hours a day, Monday to Saturday, Sunday work may be required What to expect

  • Local deliveries may access Maiden Lane from Post Street
  • Sidewalk access may be limited at times
  • Muni Service Impact
    • The bus stop for the 38 Geary Route on Geary Boulevard at Stockton Street is discontinued until further notice. Board bus on Geary Boulevard at Powell Street.
  • Parking and Traffic Impact
    • Ellis Street is closed to through traffic between Stockton and mid-block until early November
    • Stockton Street between Ellis Street and Post Street is closed to vehicular traffic 

Segments of steel I-beams just from the slurry walls of the station headhouse Chinatown Station The construction of an underground Chinatown Station uses the sequential excavation method (SEM) along Washington Street and Stockton Street. The SEM provides a high degree of flexibility during construction and makes it possible to control virtually all kinds of ground conditions, thereby greatly reducing the risks of construction. This method of tunnel construction is used worldwide for small to large openings in a variety of ground types ranging from rock to soil.

Sprayed concrete (shotcrete) and other supporting elements immediately after exposure, followed by installation of additional steel and shotcrete support elements until a safe stable opening is created will be used.

Current activities include utility relocation, excavation of the headhouse, and trenching and connection of dewatering wells. 
  A view inside the Chinatown station headhouse, with some temporary steel supports overhead This drill rig is used to help waterproof the station headhouse by improving the surrounding soil with a mix of concrete like grout Overview

  • Excavation of station site
  • Connection of dewatering wells
  • Installation of temp bracing

Details

What: Excavation of station site
Time: 7a.m.- 7p.m.
When: Monday to Saturday
Where: Stockton Street and Washington Street

What:  Connection of dewatering wells
Time:  7a.m -5p.m.
When: Monday to Friday
Where: Stockton Street, Sacramento Street to Jackson Street

What:  Installation of temp bracing
Time:  7a.m -5p.m.
When: Monday to Friday
Where: Stockton Street

  What to expect

  • Sidewalk access may be limited at times
  • Parking and Traffic Impact
    • Detours will be in place between the hours of 9p.m.and 5a.m. during dewatering wells installation
    • Parking will be unavailable during PG&E work
    • Washington Street:
      • remains closed between Stockton and Trenton streets
      • is converted into a two-way street between Powell Street and the construction zone

Connecting People. Connecting Communities.

Contact Us: If you have questions about construction or the Central Subway Project you can email us at central.subway@sfmta.com or call us 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, or Flickr, and check out our blog.

Construction schedules are subject to change.