You're Invited: South Fremont Construction and Community Public Meeting

South Fremont Construction and Community Public Meeting

Thursday, May 23, 2013

6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

South Bay Community Church, Multi-Purpose Room

47385 Warm Springs Boulevard, Fremont

The water pipeline project at Mission Blvd. and I-680 is one of three major construction projects laying the foundations for Fremont's new "Innovation District."

We encourage residents and business owners to join the City of Fremont, VTA, BART, CalTrans and SFPUC on Thursday evening to learn about the lifelong benefits and short term inconveniences that are associated with our projects.

Traffic-related detours and temporary lane/road/on-ramp closures will affect the widely used I-680, I-880 and Mission Blvd. commuter arteries over the next year. At the meeting you can learn more and ask questions about all three projects.

1. The Seismic Upgrade of Bay Division Pipeline Nos. 3&4 at Hayward Fault 
   The major upgrade of two regional water delivery pipelines that cross the Hayward Fault involves ongoing work activities through the end of 2014.
2. VTA Mission/Warren Area Improvements Project
   A 12-month Warren Avenue road closure between Kato Road and Mission Falls Court is scheduled to begin Monday, June 17, 2013. The closure will allow construction crews to trench Warren Avenue under the future BART system and build bridges for both BART and the Union Pacific Railroad.
3. BART Warm Springs Extension Project
   Work will include lane closures on South Grimmer Boulevard between Warm Springs Boulevard and Lopes Court to accommodate BART track way overpass.

Construction Update: Pile-driving Work Underway in Preparation for Water Pipeline Installation

If you use Mission Blvd. in Warm Springs or drive by our work area on the I-680, you might have noticed the arrival of some new, tall machines. These machines aren't bulldozers or excavators. Instead they’re being used to help drill holes for cement pillars in the earth – called secant piles – along the pathway of the new BDPL3 water pipeline.

The purpose of this secant pile work is to ensure that our regional water delivery pipelines are protected during an earthquake in the following ways:

1. The secant piles will serve as the pipeline’s first line of defense against earthquakes. Their existence around the newly installed BDPL3 pipeline will lessen the impact of soil movement on the pipeline’s own seismically-designed casing and joints. 
2. Secondly, these piles are necessary to serve as foundations for the temporary raised bridges which will soon replace the I-680 on-ramps and allow construction workers to access pipelines underneath Mission Blvd.
3. Finally, the piles act as barriers to shore up soil on either side of the project area, ensuring workplace safety during the project’s next phases.

To see more images by SFPUC photographer Robin Scheswohl of the secant pile drilling, watch our video below:

Preparing the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System for the Next Earthquake

The of month April commemorates the 107th anniversary of the devastating 1906 earthquake on the San Andreas Fault. Watch this video to see how we are preparing for the next emergency:

Follow the project @I680H2OPipeWork

Maintaining access to drinking water in an emergency is a community-wide effort. Learn how to do your part with the emergency preparedness tips below: 

Keep a 3-day water supply just in case

Watch this video to learn more.

If your stored water supply runs out, you can treat your tap water

Watch this video to learn more.

Locate the water shutoff valve to your building or residence before an emergency

Watch this video to learn more. 

For more information and to view our videos, visit sfwater.org/BePrepared or www.sf72.org. 

I-680 On-ramp Adjustment Planned for Tuesday Afternoon at Mission Boulevard

On the afternoon of Tuesday, April 23 crews will divert traffic to a new on-ramp to I-680. Work will take place between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.

On Tuesday, drivers using the westbound Mission to northbound I-680 on-ramp will begin being directed onto a newly-laid temporary ramp at the shoulder of the current ramp. The diversion of traffic from the current on-ramp onto the new on-ramp will not require any traffic closures.

The temporary ramp will allow workers to access lengths of water pipeline that lay beneath the busy highway interchange. Preparations for the new ramp have already begun and paving the new ramp is scheduled for Monday.

 Red line shows current on-ramp

Blue line shows new temporary on-ramp

If you have questions or concerns, please call our 24-hour answering service at 866-973-1476.  

Tweet Us Your Emergency Preparedness Tips!

The April 18, 1906 earthquake ranks as one of the most significant earthquakes of all time. Beginning at 5:12 a.m., with the epicenter located near San Francisco, the shocks were felt as far north as Oregon and as far south as Los Angeles.

As the earthquake anniversary looms, it presents the opportunity to begin a dialogue with your family and community about emergency preparedness in your home or workplace.

This April, we are providing you an incentive to become better prepared as it relates to water. We want you to share a photo of your water-related emergency preparedness tips. Tweet us @WSIPInTheNews or email us at wsip@sfwater.org now until April 30, and let us know what you're doing to be a local water hero by demonstrating (via photo) or sharing your own tips.

Bay Area residents, social media influencers and city agencies who participate will receive a pen and certificate.

We will retweet your tips and publicly tweet you this certificate. All partnering city departments, Twitter fans and residents will receive this certificate and pen by tweeting us your tip or showing how your city, home or office is a local hero.

Project Update: Pedestrian Signs Installed With Temporary Sidewalk

New signage along Mission Blvd. is now set up to help direct pedestrians who pass the Seismic Upgrade project on their daily errands and jogs.

On the south side of Mission Blvd., a temporary sidewalk has been installed between a northbound traffic off-ramp and the I-680 overpass. This path curves around a segment of the construction site and is lined with orange safety fencing.

Pedestrians should use the curved walkway, and not walk on the street or enter the work site between the orange fencing and the road. This temporary sidewalk will be in place until the end of construction in late 2014.

See images of the new signs (top right), the correct walking path leading to the left (bottom right) and a map outlining the walking path in blue (below).

Pedestrians must use the sidewalks marked in blue. 

Sidewalks marked in red and unmarked stretches of road 

are currently closed to pedestrians.

Be A Local Water Hero This April!

In the event of an earthquake, will you have enough drinking water?

The 107th anniversary of the devastating 1906 earthquake is coming up on Thursday, April 18th. 

This April, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) encourages all Bay Area residents and business leaders to take the time to discuss plans, supplies and ideas with your family and community to ready your home or office for an emergency or catastrophic event.

Be a Local Hero Contest!

This April, we want to know your tips for emergency preparedness and any precautions you and your family or office have taken to be prepared for an earthquake or natural disaster.

Tweet us @WSIPInTheNews between April 8 and 12, and let us know what you're doing to be a local water hero by demonstrating (via photo) or sharing your own tips. Participants will receive a pen and certificate. 

We'll retweet some of your tips during the week of April 15, but are encouraging your participation all month long. All cities and residents are eligible for a certificate by tweeting us your tip or showing how your city, home or office is a local hero. 

View Our Short Informational Videos on Emergency Preparedness As It Relates To Water: 

Keep a 3-day water supply just in case

View this video to learn more.

If your supply runs out, you can treat your tap water

View this video to learn more.

Locate the water shutoff valve to your building or residence before an emergency

View this video to learn more. 

For more information and to view our videos, visit sfwater.org/BePrepared or www.sf72.org.