Full Speed Ahead
A message from SFMTA Director of Transportation Edward D. Reiskin
Major transformations benefitting some of the densest neighborhoods in San Francisco are well underway. Heavy construction is now in full-swing along the entire project alignment; extending from 4th and King in the South of Market (SoMa) neighborhood, through Union Square, to Chinatown and beyond.
Tunneling operations have yielded a host of significant milestones. For the past year, both tunnel boring machines (TBMs) mined their way under 4th Street in SoMa and successfully passed beneath the BART and Muni tunnels of the Market Street subway. After turning north to follow Stockton Street, the machines continued tunneling into Chinatown and North Beach at the retrieval shaft where they have ended their journey in June. Each TBM completed 8500 feet of tunnel. Both TBMs are scheduled to be removed from the retrieval shaft in the coming months. In addition, a portal underneath the I-80 Freeway on 4th Street between Harrison and Bryant will be constructed shortly. You can read more about station construction and mining of the two tunnels below.
Work commenced at the three underground station locations and additionally at the surface track area near 4th and Brannan since January. Crews are constructing underground walls at the underground station locations and preparing each site for major excavation work. I thank the businesses, residents, shoppers, and commuters in these areas for their patience while this vital light rail extension is being built. These new stations will aide travel in Chinatown, Union Square, and SoMa by providing a key north-south link in our vast public transportation network.
I would also like to extend a welcome to the six newest members of the Central Subway Community Advisory Group (CAG). The CAG was assembled during the Project’s initial stages and continues to meet on a quarterly basis. More information on the CAG can be found here.
Thanks for your support of the Central Subway. I look forward to continued improvements in our city’s transportation network. --------------------------------------------------------------
Hole-Through with Mom Chung
and Big Alma
Since launching both tunnel boring machines (TBMs) in June and November of last year, the twin TBMs, Mom Chung and Big Alma have passed a number of key milestones. Both TBMs tunneled beneath SoMa, Union Square, Chinatown and North Beach. The TBMs excavated and constructed the 1.5 mile-long tunnels at an average pace of 40 feet per day and will be retrieved in North Beach at the site of the former Pagoda Palace Theatre on Powell Street. Over the next few months, both Big Alma and Mom Chung will be dismantled and removed from the tunnels to be reused in tunneling efforts in other cities around the world.
Mom Chung broke through on June 2nd and Big Alma was close behind where she reached the retrieval shaft on June 11th. 
The cutterheads of both tunnel boring machine Big Alma and Mom Chung can be seen during the June 16 hole-through celebration event. 
SFMTA Director Edward D. Reiskin speaks at the TBM hole-through event on June 16. Behind him from L to R: SF Supervisor David Chiu, SF Supervisor Scott Wiener, SF Mayor Edwin M. Lee, SFMTA Board President Tom Nolan, and Central Subway Project Director John Funghi. --------------------------------------------------------------
Construction Updates
We continue to make significant progress in building the Central Subway; our contractor Tutor Perini started preparatory construction to build the Central Subway’s stations. In Chinatown, the contractor relocated utilities and constructed underground walls. They are in the process of constructing slurry wall along the perimeter of the station.
In Union Square, the contractor closed three blocks of Stockton Street between Ellis and Post to vehicular traffic. This allows for construction of the future Union Square/Market Street Station. In South of Market, the contractor demolished the gas station at 4th and Folsom and began potholing for utilities. Workers are constructing slurry walls in preparation for station construction.
For weekly construction updates, please visit Central Subway blog,
centralsubwayblog.com, or sign up at:
http://www.centralsubwaysf.com/content/construction-updates-0 
Work at the future Union Square/Market Street Stationsite, on Stockton between Ellis and Post. --------------------------------------------------------------
SFAC Station Artwork
The San Francisco Arts Commission’s Public Art Program is managing the integration of a diverse and exciting permanent public art collection into the three Central Subway stations. As in past newsletters, we are introducing the artists who were selected through a competitive public process to create artwork for this new transit line. We will continue to highlight the Central Subway public art program artists in future newsletters, so please stay tuned.
For the Union Square/Market Street Station, acclaimed multi-media artists Jim Campbell and Werner Klotz joined forces to create a dramatic suspended “ribbon†of stainless steel discs winding through the overhead struts above the train platform. The highly polished discs will vary in size and will reflect light and ambient movement throughout the platform level. The sculpture is approximately 250 feet in length and will appear as though it is undulating through the space due to variations in its width, which expands and contracts between four and eight feet. The reflective aspect of the sculpture is activated as transit riders and trains move underneath, creating an infinite pattern of light, colors and shapes.
Proposed artwork for Union Square/Market Street Station, courtesy of the San Francisco Arts Commission. --------------------------------------------------------------
CCC Murals in Chinatown
The Chinese Cultural Center has created two murals located on Wentworth Alley in Chinatown.The temporary art program is conducted by the San Francisco Arts Commission, in partnership with the SFMTA. This program sponsors one temporary art project per year. Each project is selected either through a competitive application process with local arts organizations, or community organizations with an arts program.
The selected artist for this year was Justin Hoover. As the lead artist, he teamed up with the Gold Mountain Society (an association of Chinese poets and artists), along with local youth, to created two impressive murals in the alleyway. This piece of artwork describes the history of Chinese involvement in building the transcontinental railroad, through to building the Central Subway. The murals were created using spray and acrylic paint.
One of two murals commissioned by the CCC and SFMTA on Wentworth Alley in Chinatown. --------------------------------------------------------------
Welcome to our Newest CAG Members
In The Central Subway Project Community Advisory Group (CAG), an advisory body, was assembled during the Project’s initial stages. It’s objective is to engage with the local communities and to receive input and feedback at key stages of the project.
The CAG is made up of representatives from neighborhoods along the path of the Third Street Light Rail Project.The CAG meets quarterly on the third Thursday of every February, May, August and November.
In December 2013, the Director of Transportation, Edward D. Reiskin appointed 6 new Community Advisory Group (CAG) members: Stephen Brett, Ivor Bradley, Bruce Agid, James Reilly, Amy Chung and Mike O’Connor.
“Welcome and thank you for taking the time to support the Central Subway Project,†said Central Subway Program Director John Funghi. “We would like to convey our acknowledgements to all of the past and present CAG members for their invaluable input and continuing support throughout the years and during the different phases of the Project – together we still have much to do. We are looking forward to working with all of you for another successful year in 2014.“
For more information on the CAG and the newest members, please visit:
http://www.centralsubwaysf.com/content/community-advisory-group
Left to Right: Stephen Brett, Amy Chung, James Reilly, Ivor Bradley, and Mike O’Connor.
This document is published by the SFMTA and the City and County of San Francisco as a service to individuals and agencies interested in the Central Subway Project. Funding for the Central Subway is made possible through funds provided by the Federal Transit Administration, the State of California, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the San Francisco County Transportation Authority.