Join us for Coffee on May 20th - tomorrow!

Join us for a Community Coffee at Starbucks on May 20th

Please join us for coffee and casual discussion on Thursday, May 20th from 9:30am to 11am at Starbucks Coffee in Crystal Springs Village, located at 100 De Anza Blvd, #111, San Mateo.

Chat with the project team, ask questions and learn more about this project. Free coffee! Yippee!

Stormwater pollution prevention and erosion control on the New Crystal Springs Bypass Tunnel Project

photos of top layer, showing erosion control blanket

Last Saturday and early this week the contractor installed some very visible Best Management Practices (BMPs) for stormwater pollution prevention and erosion control in the muck disposal area on the upper terrace of the South Shaft Site. This erosion control blanket helps prevent stormwater pollution and will also help with dust control as summer approaches. Eventually the blankets will be replaced by topsoil and revegetation.

New Crystal Springs Bypass Tunnel - What to Expect the Next 6 Months

What Neighbors Can Expect the Next Six Months at the New Crystal Springs Bypass Tunnel site:

Removal of TBM components from the South Shaft site.
Installation and welding of steel pipe in the tunnel and South Shaft.
Construction of near-surface vaults, pipelines and miscellaneous equipment at South Shaft site and off of Polhemus Road.
Final grading of muck disposal area at the South Shaft site.
Re-vegetation of muck disposal area with native plant seed mixes prior to the Fall rainy season. Temporary dust control measures will be implemented.

If you ever have questions, you can call our toll-free, 24 hour phone at 866-973-1476.

Tunnel Excavation is Complete!!

At 9am on March 24th, 2010, the tunnel boring machine (TBM) reached the North Shaft site and excavation of the New Crystal Springs Bypass Tunnel is now complete!!

A new steel pipe will soon be installed inside the 4,200 foot long tunnel to provide a critical link in the Hetch Hetchy water system.

The new pipeline will also help to ensure water delivery after a major earthquake.

TBM Expected to Reach North Shaft Within Hours!

The Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) excavating the New Crystal Springs Bypass Tunnel is expected to reach the North Shaft site in a matter of hours!

The project team expects the TBM could finish as early as tomorrow, March 24th.

Watch this blog for updates!

Tunnel Boring Machine to Reach North Shaft Very Soon!

The Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) boring the New Crystal Springs Bypass Tunnel is expected to reach the North Shaft site very soon!

The project team expects the TBM to finish boring next week - most likely on or around the 25th of March.

The TBM is boring a 4,200 foot long tunnel for a critical water pipeline that will help ensure water delivery after a major earthquake.

We will keep you updated on the tunnel completion and next steps in this important project.

SFPUC Labor Relations Efforts Paying Off During Economic Downturn

New Crystal Springs Bypass Tunnel contractor Shank/Balfour Beatty has 27% of its workforce hours in apprenticeship, exceeding the California Division of Apprenticeship Standards requirement of 20%, according to the WSIP Labor Relations Office. The contractor is also providing tunneling equipment on loan to the Northern California Laborers Apprenticeship Program for use in training programs, reports Ardis Graham, Project Labor Agreement Administrator.

The New Crystal Springs Bypass Tunnel is one of SFPUC’s water system improvement projects, and is covered under the WSIP’s Project Labor Agreement (PLA).

For crane and equipment apprentice Simon Streeter and welding apprentice Justin Stephens, the PLA’s initiatives have resulted in opportunities to learn new, transferable skills through the Tunnel project. “We’re learning from guys with many years of experience. They look out for us. It is great to be employed in a good paying job where I learn something new each day,” said Streeter. Both men are residents in the WSIP service area.

Photos: Simon Streeter (top) and Justin Stephens (bottom).