Next Stop: Warm Springs

On Wednesday, June 26, the SFPUC partnered with BART and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) to show Fremont city councilmembers and local media three infrastructure improvement projects in Fremont's Warm Springs business district.

These construction projects are located within a 1-mile radius and are sandwiched between the I-680 and I-880 on Mission Blvd. They are part of regional water and transportation programs with a combined budget nearing $8 billion!

WSIP Director Julie Labonte welcomed the Fremont city council and reporters and 

announced that the WSIP and its 80+ projects are nearly 75% complete.

The event was designed to attract not only city council, but also reporters from multi-lingual and ethnic news sources. The event helped to reach commuters and residents of all cultural backgrounds throughout this diverse community. This summer kicked off major construction activities for all three projects that could cause delays for commuters who live in the area.

Fremont City Council committed nearly three hours out of their work days and participated in the event to understand the complexity of the construction projects and the lifelong benefits it would bring to their region.

"When agencies work together, the public wins," said WSIP Director Julie Labonte. "By coordinating our infrastructure improvements to enhance the economic vitality of the area now, we will minimize disruptions to Bay Area residents and visitors in the long run."

Radio, TV and print reporters participated in the tour to learn more 

about the infrastructure investments in the Warm Springs area. 

According to the South Fremont/Warm Springs Redevelopment Plan, within 25 years the Warm Springs business district is expected to grow employment by 48%. Due to excellent planning, this economic growth will be supported by the BART extension program, nearby VTA road improvements to Mission Blvd/Warren Ave and the seismic improvements to the Hetch Hetchy Water System that the SFPUC is undertaking within the Hayward Earthquake Fault at the I-680/Mission Blvd interchange.

Seismic Upgrade of BDPL 3&4 Project Manager Bryan Dessaure explained 

how the new pipeline design would ensure Fremont and our 2.6 million 

customers would have a reliable water supply following an earthquake. 

Construction Update: Ongoing Night Work at I-680 for Sliplining of Water Pipeline

Starting the week of June 17, the contractor will begin periodic overnight quality assurance monitoring work at the interchange of Mission Blvd. and I-680. This monitoring work is quiet and non-disruptive, and will only take place along Mission Blvd. in the I-680 interchange. At this time, this work will not be near homes and will not disrupt traffic. Approximately three to five crew members will be accessing this work area in the SFPUC right of way around the I-680 and Mission Blvd. interchange.

Since the project is located above the Hayward Earthquake Fault, it is important for the contractor to ensure the jobsite and the newly installed pipeline meets safety and quality requirements before the start of the following work day. The newly installed pipeline will be replaced using the "sliplining" method.

What is sliplining?
Sliplining allows a new pipe segment to be threaded into pre-existing tunnels and pipelines located below I-680 and the I-680 on-ramp. This will ensure traffic continues to flow on I-680 and the ramps. This work and monitoring will continue until the Spring of 2014.

Construction Update: Mission Blvd. Lane Shift

A lane shift on Mission Blvd. east of I-680 in Fremont will take place after rush hour on Thursday, June 6

In order to prepare for water pipeline installation work under Mission Blvd, workers will be shifting all four lanes of Mission Blvd. near I-680 this Thursday.

East- and westbound traffic will be shifted slightly to the north so that workers can drill piles and lay a bridge. Beneath this bridge, workers will then be able to install a water pipeline within a protective concrete box while traffic of Mission Blvd. continues uninterrupted.

The lane shift activity will take place without closures during a low-traffic period on Thursday in the late morning or early afternoon. 

Yellow lines represent the original lanes of Mission Blvd.

Blue lines represent the current alignment of Mission Blvd.

Red lines represent the alignment of Mission Blvd. starting 6/6/13

Recap: Joint Community Meeting with SFPUC, VTA & BART

Last week, Warm Springs residents had a chance to learn and ask questions when the SPFUC co-presented at a joint community meeting with VTA and BART. More than 50 residents attended to hear about three innovative infrastructure improvement projects near Mission Blvd., and many took interest in the details of the Seismic Upgrade BDPL3&4 project.

If you missed the meeting, below are some of the questions which were asked:

1. What are the project benefits?
   The purpose of the Seismic Upgrade BDPL3&4 project is to ensure that our 2.6 million Bay Area customers will have a reliable water supply following an earthquake. Since this project is located on top of the Hayward Earthquake Fault, the repair, replacement and seismic upgrades taking place are designed to provide a reliable and high-quality water supply that will ensure water for drinking and firefighting during an emergency.
   
   
2. How old is this pipeline and the Hetch Hetchy Water System?
   Much of the Hetch Hetchy Water System was built in the early 20th century, and critical components have reached the end of their useful life and are vulnerable to earthquakes. The BDPL3&4 pipelines are crucial to servicing our East Bay customers, and are a critical connection to the major pipelines that will carry water to the Peninsula.
   
   
3. Will the Seismic Upgrade BDPL3&4 Project require any disruptions of water service in Fremont?
   No. The project is designed to replace lengths of pipe while still delivering water to the region through other pipes in the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System.
   
   
4. What is the lifespan of this pipeline, and what sort of earthquake is the pipeline designed to survive?
   Our pipes are designed with a lifespan of 50 years.  The new Bay Division Pipeline No. 3, referred to as “3x,” is engineered to withstand a fault movement of up to 6.5 feet, which will protect it against major earthquakes the likes of which have affected the Hayward Fault in recorded history.
   
   
5. What are shutoff stations, and why are they important to the project? 
   Two shutoff stations were installed in 2007 on either end of the pipeline upgrade project. These stations allow the SFPUC to control the flow of water between the pipelines and shut off water leakage should a pipe break occur at the Hayward Earthquake Fault.

 

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.