Crews to begin Preliminary Potholing in Daly City on Monday

The San Andreas Pipeline No.3 Installation project has began full construction in San Francisco's Merced Manor neighborhood. In preparing for full construction to commence next year in Daly City. Mountain Cascade, Inc. contractor working for the SFPUC will begin potholing on Wilshire Avenue in mid November.

The preliminary stages of potholing of the construction project will consist of crews verifying the existing placement of pipelines and other utilities in the following locations:

Wilshire Avenue to Sheffield Drive 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sheffield Drive to John Daly Boulevard 7a.m. - 5p.m.
John Daly Boulevard to Poncetta Drive 7a.m. - 5p.m.

Potholing is expected to be completed by December 2009.

For continuing updates on this project, please visit www.sfwater.org/sanandreas3

Work Lights on Site

As the days get shorter, work crews are starting to use work lights late in the afternoon at the South Shaft site.

With the end of Daylight Savings Time this weekend, work crews will need to turn on work lights earlier starting on Monday, November 2nd.

The work lights face downward to prevent light from shining into neighborhood homes. If you have any concerns, contact us via this blog or at 650-212-0165.

Don't forget to turn your clocks back on Sunday, November 1st! Happy Halloween!

Safe Roadways: Two Tips for Safety Near our Worksites

Trucks Entering/Exiting on Polhemus Road
With tunnel boring beginning at the South Shaft soon, the contractor expects a slight increase in truck traffic entering and exiting the site on Polhemus Road. The project is committed to safety and will remind all truck drivers to use caution when driving, entering and exiting on Polhemus Road. Please watch for these trucks entering and exiting the site during work hours. For the safety of everyone, please follow the posted speed limit on Polhemus Road.

10 MPH Speed Limit on Crystal Springs Road
Please also remember the 10 mile per hour speed limit on Crystal Springs Road near the intersection of Polhemus at the site of our North Shaft. The section is 10 mph to ensure safety for bicycle riders, pedestrians, cars and the work teams at the site. Please follow the posted speed limit at all times. Thank you.

Views from the Tunnel

Here are some very recent photos of the inside of the tunnel at the South Shaft. Tunnel boring has not yet started. Crews are continuing to assemble machinery in preparation for tunnel boring.

The first photo is a shot of the Tunnel Boring Machine trailing gear inside the starter tunnel.

The second photo is a view looking upward from inside the South Shaft.

The third photo shows the inside of the tunnel.

TBM Successfully Lowered into South Shaft on Sept 30th

Great news! The Tunnel Boring Machine was successfully lowered into the South Shaft at about 7:30am on September 30th! In October, it will begin boring the New Crystal Springs Bypass Tunnel under Polhemus Road.

Special thanks to the many skilled workers and staff, and especially crane operator Lawrence Cary, who worked calm and steady to lower the TBM 155 feet down into the shaft.



We appreciate our neighbor who delivered the great photographs! See photo number two.

Update! TBM Lowering on Wednesday, Sept 30th!

The massive Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) is scheduled to be lowered into the South Shaft starting around 7am on Wednesday, September 30th. The process could take several hours, depending on conditions at the site. Be sure to watch from your homes and send us any photos you take!

We will post photos and possibly video in the next week! The TBM and other equipment will be placed in the shaft over the next week. In October, they will begin boring the New Crystal Springs Bypass Tunnel under Polhemus Road.

Please Respect Safety: The project team has noticed golf balls at the South Shaft site. Please respect safety and do not hit golf balls onto the site as they have the potential to severely injure workers and staff and cause severe damage to equipment.

TBM Lowering into South Shaft on Sept 29 or 30th

The Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) will be lowered into the South Shaft next week - on either Sept 29th or 30th, depending on conditions at the site.

The TBM will be used to bore the New Crystal Springs Bypass Tunnel under Polhemus Road. The amazing machine will eat through rock and other materials to bore the 4,200 foot long tunnel.

Watch this blog for the updated date and time the TBM will be lowered.

Neighbors - we would love to see photos you take from your homes during the TBM lowering! Please contact us via the blog and we will upload photos.