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 pull up the green turf of the 2016 Winter Walk, following the end of the holiday work moratorium. Central Subway | Project Advancement
January 6 through January 15, 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
Utility installation and upgrade work at the 4th and Brannan intersection. 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.
Vehicular access to 4th from Welsh Street will be temporarily detoured, due to sewer construction activity at that intersection. Some lanes on 4th between Harrison and Bryant may be temporarily closed due to a concrete pour at the tunnel portal structure starting on January 11. Night work is ongoing on 4th Street between Bryant and King Streets, between 8:00 PM and 5:00 AM. Utility installation and upgrade work continues along 4th Street between Bryant and King, and regular day shift hours are from 7am to 4pm. 
A worker cuts a section of water pipe at 4th and Brannan, where utility work is ongoing. 
Sewer installation work at 4th and Welsh. A detour for access to 4th from Welsh is temporarily in effect. Overview
- Night work between King and Bryant
- Sewer improvement work
- Utility installation
- Sewer manhole installation
- Relocation of communication lines
Details
What: Night utility work 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 work
What: Pavement renovation
Time: 7 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
When: Monday to Saturday
Where: 4th Street between King and Brannan
What: Installation of manhole structure, duct bank, utility installation
Time: 7 a.m. - 4 p.m.
When Monday to Friday
Where: 4th Street at Brannan
What: Relocation of communications lines
Time: 7 p.m. - 5 a.m.
When: Monday to Friday
Where: 4th Street at Brannan
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
- Vehicular access to 4th from Welsh Street has been temporarily detoured.
- Some lanes on 4th between Harrison and Bryant may be temporarily closed during a January 11 tunnel portal structure concrete pour.
- Partial lane closures on 4th Street between Townsend and King streets.
- Detours will be in place. The crosswalk may be disrupted. Alternative pedestrian walkways will be in place.
- Parking will be unavailable in the work area on both sides of 4th Street.
- Two lanes of traffic open on the west side of 4th Street.
- Traffic impacts are in effect 24 hours a day.
- Muni Impact
- No scheduled impacts at this time.
Workers have built stairwells and other interior walls in the upper levels of the station box. 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.
Excavation of the Yerba Buena/Moscone Station underneath 4th Street between Folsom and Clementina continues. The current traffic configuration from north of the station to Howard Street will remain, but may change in the coming weeks. Excavation and installation of temporary bracing continues at the station platform level.
Workers apply concrete to a wall footer during invert construction prepartion work. 
A section of steel pipe is raised from the floor of the headhouse. Overview
- Excavation of the headhouse and station box and installation of temporary bracing
- Roadway and sidewalk restoration on 4th south of Howard
Details
What: Excavation of the headhouse and station box and installation of temporary bracing
Time: 7a.m - 7p.m.
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: 7a.m.- 4p.m.
When: Monday to Friday
Where: 4th Street between Howard Street and Folsom Street What to expect
- Clementina Street is closed at 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
- Muni Impact
- No scheduled impacts at this time
- No scheduled impacts at this time
Material removed from station box excavation is brought to the Ellis Street access shaft for loading onto trucks waiting at the surface. 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.
O'Farrell Street at Stockton may be narrowed to one lane at night to allow for the removal of excavated materials. The installation of waterproofing and concrete at the southeast corner of the Union Square Garage continues. There will be an increase in vehicles and activities at this location as work ramps up. Station excavation and installation of temporary bracing is ongoing under Stockton Street as well as on O'Farrell. The contractor has begun to transition the surface of Stockton between Geary and O'Farrell to an active work zone, following the end of the 2016 holiday work moratorium.
A large excavator lifts excavated material at the Ellis Street access shaft for hauling offsite. 
A widened sidewalk will greet pedestrians and shoppers following the end of the Winter Walk. Overview
- Partial backfill work at the Ellis and Stockton intersection
- Potential nighttime closure of Ellis and Stockton pedestrian crossing
- Station excavation and installation of temporary bracing
Details
What: Potential nighttime closure of Ellis and Stockton pedestrian crossing
Time: 10p.m. to 7a.m.
When: 7 days a week
Where: North side of the Ellis/Stockton intersection
*For all activities, construction hours may be 24 hours a day, Monday to Saturday, Sunday work may be required What to expect
- Pedestrian access to Stockton Street between Geary and Ellis is now limited to sidewalks, as work as resumed following the end of the 2016 work moratorium
- Sidewalk access may be limited at times
- Parking and Traffic Impact
- Stockton Street between Ellis Street and Geary Street is closed to vehicular traffic
- Muni Impact
- No scheduled impacts at this time.
Workers tend to a shotcrete spraying machine during platform cavern excavation work. 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 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. The contractor completed barrel vault installation mid-November and then began breakout and excavation of the platform cavern side drifts.
Multiple excavations are taking place simultaneously to hollow out and construct the future platform cavern. 
A worker helps grade the bottom of the main access shaft. 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
- PG&E may be performing night work from 7pm to 6am at Washington and Stockton, Monday through Saturday.
- 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
- 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 and check out our blog.
Construction schedules are subject to change.