South Shaft Activity

There will be new activity at the South Shaft Site beginning Wednesday morning.

The contractor will be installing shoring for the excavations necessary to install a new pipeline. Strict vibration criteria and monitoring will be followed throughout the process, so the construction management team does not expect much noise.

Just wanted to let you know because you may see some changes on the work site. Of course, let us know if you have questions or concerns.

SFPUC and Shank/Balfour Beatty Sponsor Pipeline Confined Space Rescue Training on Peninsula

This Spring, representatives from several Peninsula fire agencies participated in a rescue training exercise within a vault and pipeline being constructed by Shank/Balfour Beatty, the contractor on the New Crystal Springs Bypass Tunnel project in San Mateo.

The training exercise simulated a medical emergency in which a pipeline worker suffered a heart attack while painting a 60-inch diameter butterfly valve within the pipeline. None of the firefighters had ever been inside any of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission's (SFPUC) pipelines or vaults.

Firefighters arrived on site, were briefed by the contractor’s liaison, and then performed a permit-required confined space entry. Medics provide initial treatment to the “victim” adjacent to the valve, then packaged and transitioned the victim through a 24-inch diameter manhole into the vault. Due to limited overhead clearance, the “victim” was again transitioned and hoisted through a hatch in the roof deck where he was treated by the medical team and prepared for air transport. The training exercise was completed in about 2 hours.

Carl Kustin, Lead Instructor for trainers Lea & Associates, said “The SFPUC and Shank/Balfour Beatty provided a once in a lifetime opportunity for firefighters to train in an environment where SFPUC employees and contractors work every day. We hope there’s NEVER a need for our services, but when that time comes, the firefighters in this class are much better prepared to quickly access an injured pipeline worker. This was an exceptional training day!”

Representatives from the following agencies participated in the training: San Mateo Fire Department, South San Francisco Fire Department, Burlingame Fire Department, Central (San Mateo) County Fire, Mountain View Fire Department, South (San Mateo) County Fire, Menlo Park Fire District, San Jose Fire Department, SF General Hospital, and the California Urban Search & Rescue Task Force 3 (Menlo Park).

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!