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Central Subway Construction Update 7/11/14

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Construction Update

July 12 - July 21, 2014


During the next 10 days, Central Subway work will continue at sites in SoMa, Union Square, Chinatown and North Beach. This section contains brief updates about what is happening in each neighborhood. For more detailed information, scroll down or click on the links below. We also post construction, traffic detour and Muni impact information on our project Google Map.

Southern SoMa (Harrison to King/Berry): Potholing for utilities will continue next week on 4th Street between Bryant and King. Hydrant relocation work to occur at 4th and Bryant. On Brannan between 4th and 5th Streets, sidewalk construction to occur. Temporary walkways are in place around the construction zones.

Northern SoMa (Market to Harrison): At 4th and Folsom, work to build the Yerba Buena/Moscone Station continues. This includes construction of the station walls within the work site and water line replacement at the intersection of 4th and Folsom.

Union Square: To allow for construction of the Union Square/Market Street Station, Stockton Street between Ellis and Geary is closed to vehicular traffic. Work is underway for pile installation to construct the station walls. For the month of July, Stockton Street between Post and Geary will be closed to vehicular traffic. Please use alternate routes and follow construction signs.

Until July 30, the bus stop at Geary and Stockton will be temporarily discontinued. Please board bus at Geary and Powell. Service at this stop may be resumed Thursday, July 31 at 5 a.m.

Starting Friday night, July 11 until July 28, pile installation will take place at the southwest intersection of Stockton and O'Farrell Streets. One lane of travel will be open. Expect delays and please use alternative routes.

Chinatown: The contractor has started station wall construction within the future station site and on the adjacent section of Washington Street. Work to replace high pressure water pipeline and install new fire hydrant on Washington is ongoing. Installation of observation wells at the corner of Washington and Stockton Streets may take place July 17 and July 18 from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m.

North Beach: Work will continue at 1731-1741 Powell. Sustainable Streets is constructing bulbs on Columbus Avenue between Filbert and Union Streets, and widening the sidewalk on both sides of the street for this block. Street restoration work is expected to be completed by the 3rd Quarter of 2014. More information is available in this notice.

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

-The Central Subway Team A worker steam cleans equipment removed from the 4th Street TBM launch box.
A worker steam cleans equipment removed from the 4th Street TBM launch box.
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 tunnels began. Underground operations are based here.

On 4th Street between Bryant and King Streets, potholing for utilities is now underway. Potholing involves drilling small holes and trenches in the street to confirm the locations of existing utility lines.

Planned construction (Harrison to Bryant):

  • Remove utilities and continue cleanup of southbound and northbound tunnels.
  • Hydrant relocation at 4th and Bryant.

Traffic and pedestrian impacts (Harrison to Bryant):

  • The two lanes on the east side of 4th 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 (Bryant to King):

  • Potholing underway. Work will take place on 4th Street within construction zones marked by cones.
  • Work may involve jack-hammering and cutting holes in the road. Please expect an increase in noise.
  • Work hours will be Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Continued installation of AT&T duct bank on the east side of 4th Street between Welsh and Bluxome.
  • On Brannan between 4th and 5th Streets, sidewalk construction to occur on the north side of the sidewalk.
  • On 5th Street between Brannan and Townsend Streets, sidewalk construction to occur on the west side of the sidewalk.
  • On Townsend Street between 4th and 5th Streets, sidewalk construction to occur on the south side of the sidewalk.

Traffic and pedestrian impacts (Bryant to King):

  • Temporary partial lane closures will be in effect on 4th Street in the vicinity of the construction zone.
  • Parking will be impacted in the vicinity of the construction zone. The contractor will post 72-hour notification as required.
  • Sidewalks may be impacted. The contractor will maintain a safe path of travel at all times.
  • The contractor will maintain access to all businesses during business hours.


Looking inside one of many steel rebar cages used to reinforce underground station walls. These cages are<br /> lowered into excavated shafts and concrete is poured.
Looking inside one of many steel rebar cages used to reinforce underground station walls. These cages are lowered into excavated shafts and concrete is poured.
Northern SoMa

4th Street from Market to Harrison

On 4th Street between Howard and Folsom, work to construct the Yerba Buena/Moscone Station is now in progress. The construction of underground station walls and replacement of a water main is ongoing. Night work is expected from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Planned construction (Howard to Folsom)

  • Continue underground station wall construction.
  • Continue replacing water line at intersection of Folsom and 4th.

Traffic and pedestrian impacts (Howard to Folsom)

  • Clementina between 4th and 5th Streets is closed to thru traffic. Please use this block for local access.
  • The sidewalk on the west side of 4th Street between Clementina and Folsom will be closed. To ensure pedestrian safety, please cross at 4th and Howard and use the sidewalk on the east side of 4th Street to access Folsom.
  • Trucks will enter and exit the 4th and Folsom site during work hours. Flaggers will be on site to facilitate truck entry and exit.
  • Lanes closures will be in place along Folsom Street for the water line replacement work.

Workers at the Union/Market Street location lower a long, steel I-beam into an excavated shaft which will be<br /> part of the new station walls.
Workers at the Union/Market Street location lower a long, steel I-beam into an excavated shaft which will be part of the new station walls.
Union Square

Stockton Street from Ellis to Post


On Stockton Street between Ellis and Post, contractor Tutor Perini is building the Union Square/Market Street Station. Construction is in progress with the roadway closed to vehicular traffic on Stockton between Ellis and Post.

On Ellis Street between Stockton and Powell Streets, crews will continue with pile installation to construct station wall.

Planned construction (Stockton Street from Ellis to Post)

  • Construction hours will be 24 hours Monday to Saturday, Sunday work may be required.
  • Continue pile installation to construct station walls.
  • Continue obstruction removal and pile installation on Stockton between Geary and Post.
  • Starting Friday night, July 11 until July 28, pile installation will take place at the southwest intersection of Stockton and O'Farrell Streets.

Planned construction (Ellis Street)

  • Pile installation.

Traffic, transit and pedestrian impacts: 

  • Stockton Street between Ellis and Post is closed to vehicular traffic.
  • Sidewalks will remain open, but they will be narrowed.
  • Ellis Street between Stockton and the Ellis-O'Farrell Garage (between Stockton and Powell) will remain closed to westbound traffic.
  • The bus stop at Geary and Stockton will be temporarily closed until July 30. Please board bus at Geary and Powell. Service at this stop may be resumed Thursday, July 31 at 5 a.m.
  • At the intersection of Stockton and O'Farrell expect traffic to merge to one lane from July 11 at 10 p.m. through July 28.

On Washington Street east of Stockton, workers have temporarily closed a lane to upgrade a high-pressure water<br /> line.
On Washington Street east of Stockton, workers have temporarily closed a lane to upgrade a high-pressure water line.
Chinatown

Stockton Street from Sacramento to Jackson


On Stockton Street from Sacramento to Jackson, construction of Chinatown Station is now underway within the property lines and nearby on Washington Street.

Planned construction:

  • Construct station walls.
  • Construction hours are Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
  • Rebar delivery will be made between the hours of 4 a.m. to 6 a.m.
  • Replace high pressure water pipeline and install new fire hydrant on Washington between Stockton and Spofford Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Concrete will be poured for the slurry wall. Work will end before 12 a.m.
  • Installation of observation wells at corner of Washington and Stockton Streets may take place July 17 and July 18 from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Traffic, transit and pedestrian impacts:

  • Washington Street between Stockton and Trenton will remain closed to vehicles and pedestrians.
  • Washington Street between Powell and the construction zone has been converted into a two-way street.
  • To ensure safety, please obey all traffic and pedestrian signs in the area.
  • The parking lanes along Clay Street adjacent to Stockton Street may be closed during construction hours.
  • Both parking lanes along Washington Street between Waverly and Stockton will be closed while fire hydrant work is being conducted.

Crews are busy disassembling and removing one of the TBMs piece by piece at the North Beach retrieval<br /> shaft.
Crews are busy disassembling and removing one of the TBMs piece by piece at the North Beach retrieval shaft.
North Beach

Powell Street from Union to Columbus


On private property at 1731-1741 Powell Street, the contractor will be removing both TBMs from this site.The contractor is on schedule to complete the major work at this site in the 4th quarter of 2014. With minor restoration activities to follow, the site will be vacated early January 2015.

Sustainable Streets is constructing transit bulbs on Columbus Avenue between Filbert and Union Streets, and widening the sidewalk on both sides of the street for this block. Street restoration work expected to be completed by the 3rd Quarter of 2014. More information is available in this notice.

Planned construction (1731-1741 Powell)

  • Construction hours are 24 hours Monday to Friday with weekend and evening work required at times.
  • To facilitate removal of the tunnel boring machines, work to transport the oversize equipment through the night will be required on a case-by-case basis.

Traffic, transit and pedestrian impacts (1731-1741 Powell):

  • Several parking spaces may be closed in front of the property and in the vicinity of Columbus Avenue and Union Streets.
  • During the evening closure, sidewalk and parking may be impacted on either side of Powell Street.

Planned construction (Columbus and Union):

  • Sustainable Streets is constructing transit bulbs on Columbus Avenue between Filbert and Union Streets, and widening the sidewalk on both sides of the street for this block.
  • Transit bulb work on the east side of Columbus Avenue between Union and Filbert has started and will continue for approximately 3 weeks.
  • Street restoration work is expected to be completed by the 3rd Quarter of 2014. More information is available in this notice.

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

  • Sidewalk and bus-stop closures will be in place to accommodate the above work. Signage will be posted in these areas to direct pedestrians to the nearest alternate route.

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.