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. Workers have begun prelimirary track placement on 4th Street between King and Townsend. Central Subway | Project Advancement
November 17 through November 26, 2017
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 go 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
With rails in place along the first block of 4th street past King, workers are preparing to construct track foundation infrastructure. Surface Station, Trackwork and Systems Work along 4th Street between Bryant Street and King Street includes construction of a surface station between Bryant Street and Brannan Street. The construction team is upgrading utilities and trackwork on 4th Street between the tunnel portal at Bryant Street and the connection with the existing light rail system at King Street.
Water line work is underway on 4th Street at the intersections of Bryant and Brannan, and night work is ongoing between 8:00 PM and 5:00 AM. Some lane closures may also occur at night. Regular day shift hours are from 7am to 4pm. Workers are excavating previously-built portions of foundation piles as part of preparation work for the 4th and Brannan surface station platform. Workers install temporary gaskets during initial track placement work along 4th Street north of King. Overview
- Utility upgrade and relocation
- Night work on 4th between King and Bryant
- Street and sidewalk restoration
Details
What: Night utility work on 4th between King and Bryant
Time: 8 p.m. - 5:00 a.m.
When: Monday to Saturday
Where: 4th Street between King and Bryant
What: Utility installation and street restoration work
What: Street and sidewalk restoration
Time: 7 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
When: Monday to Saturday
Where: 4th Street between King and Welsh
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
- Parking and Traffic Impact
- Partial lane closures on 4th Street between Townsend and King streets.
- Parking will be unavailable in the work area on both sides of 4th Street.
- Two lanes of traffic open on 4th Street, one on the east side and one on the west.
- Traffic impacts are in effect 24 hours a day.
- Muni Impact
- Bus stops for the 47 bus inbound have been relocated to 4th and Bryant and 4th and Townsend.
Workers have removed all scaffolding and concrete forms from the concourse floor slab of the station headhouse. 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 involves construction of a box frame structure within a trench excavation that is subsequently backfilled.
Sewer replacement work continues at night at 4th and Howard streets until Thanksgiving. Work hours are 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. The current traffic configuration from north of the station to Howard Street will remain, but may change in the coming weeks. Two through lanes are in place southbound 4th Street. Westbound traffic on Howard Street will be impacted.
Rebar cages and concrete forms for interior walls are going up inside the station headhouse. Workers have begun constructing interior walls at the south end of the station platform. Overview
- Sewer replacement work at 4th and Howard
- Installation of headhouse and station interior elements
- Roadway and sidewalk restoration on 4th south of Howard
Details
What: Sewer replacement work
Time: 7am - 3pm
When: Monday to Friday
Where: 4th and Howard Street intersection.
What: Installation of headhouse and station interior elements
Time: 7am - 7pm
When: Monday to Friday
Where: 4th Street between Howard Street and Folsom Street
What: Roadway restoration on the west side of 4th Street south of Howard
Time: 7am - 4pm
When: Monday to Friday
Where: 4th Street between Howard Street and Folsom Street
What: Curb installation work
Time: 7am - 7pm
When: Monday to Saturday
Where: Clementina between 4th and 5th What to expect
- Clementina Street is closed for traffic and pedestrians through to 4th Street
- The sidewalk on the west side of 4th Street is closed south of Howard
- Parking and Traffic Impact
- Two lanes of traffic open on the east side of 4th Street, may be reduced to one lane at night between 9 pm and 5 am Monday through Friday.
- Muni Impact
- No scheduled impacts at this time
- No scheduled impacts at this time
The green turf carpet of the 2017 Winter Walk is being rolled out along Stockton. Union Square | Market Street Station
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 and involves construction of a box frame structure within a trench excavation that is subsequently backfilled. Some work continues at night along Stockton Street between Ellis Street and Post Street.
Ellis Street may be closed between Powell and Stockton to vehicular traffic for utility and roadway restoration work from 9 pm to 5 am 7 days a week. One travel lane is currently being maintained at all times on the south side of Ellis, and this work may impact sidewalk access around the work area. The installation of waterproofing, structural steel, and concrete at the southeast corner of the Union Square Garage continues. There will be a continued presence of vehicles and equipment as work at this location continues. Station excavation and installation of structural steel bracing is ongoing under Stockton Street as well as on O'Farrell.
A welder attaches steel brackets to permanent reinforcing inside the station box, while an associate keeps things cool. Electrical conduits are being installed in trenches ahead of grading for the 2017 Winter Walk along Stockton between Ellis and Geary. Overview
- Utility work at the Ellis and Stockton intersection
- Utility work at the Geary and Stockton intersection
- Station excavation and installation of temporary bracing
- Union Square Garage plaza level concrete and structural installation
- Union Square Garage plaza temporary bracing installation
- Partial closure of Ellis between Powell and Stockton
Details
What: Partial closure of Ellis for roadway restoration work
Time: 7 am to 8 pm.
When: 7 days a week
Where: Ellis Street between Powell and Stockton
For all activities, construction hours may be 24 hours a day, Monday to Saturday, Sunday work may be required What to expect
- Sidewalk access may be limited at times
- Parking and Traffic Impact
- Ellis may be closed to vehicular traffic at night between 9 pm and 5 am 7 days a week for utility upgrade and roadway restoration work
- Stockton Street between Ellis Street and Geary Street is closed to vehicular traffic
- Muni Impact
- No scheduled impacts at this time.
Crew members come and go from the top heading of the south cavern, where excavation is ongoing. Chinatown Station The construction of 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 are applied and installed promptly after exposing ground, which provides a safe and stable opening.
Current activities include excavation of the north and south platform caverns. A pedestrian walkway is open on the north side of Washington connecting Trenton and Stockton.
Pieces of the temporary shotcrete walls removed from the north station platform cavern are broken down near the headhouse portal. A surveyor checks readings for ground movement during excavation of the top heading inside the south platform cavern. Overview
- Excavation of station headhouse
- Excavation of the north and south platform caverns
Details
What: Station site excavation
Time: 24 hours
When: Monday to Saturday
Where: Stockton Street and Washington Street What to expect
- Sidewalk access may be limited at times
- Parking and Traffic Impact
- No parking on both sides of Stockton Street between Washington Street and Jackson Street
- One lane of traffic on both sides of Stockton Street between Washington Street and Jackson Street
- Washington Street:
- remains closed between Stockton Street and Trenton Street, except to pedestrians
- is converted into a two-way street between Powell Street and the construction zone
- Muni Impact
- No scheduled impacts at this time.
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 leave a message 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.
Construction schedules are subject to change.