DC Water 1st Street Tunnel update

From: Vickey.Wilcher@dcwater.com
To: Vickey.Wilcher@dcwater.com; Thomas.Lindberg@dcwater.com
Subject: FST Community Update
Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2015 20:08:50 +0000

Greetings First Street Tunnel (FST) Stakeholder,

Please see below for important project related information:

1. Construction Update:  Heavy construction activity is underway at all four Construction Staging Areas in the Bloomingdale neighborhood. We plan to work on Monday, October 12, Columbus Day and on Saturdays as needed.  Beginning in October, we will need to place a large sewer pipe across First Street at Thomas Street NW.  We will have one lane of traffic open in this area at all times for six to eight weeks.  Flaggers will be in place to direct traffic.  The new pipe (force main) in is required to transport stored tunnel flow into the existing sewer system.  We are pleased to report that the project is 64% complete. Although, we still must recover days in the work schedule, you can check the current project schedule at this link: (https://www.dcwater.com/workzones/projects/first_street_tunnel/attachments/Division_FST_Geographic_Schedule.pdf).  We feel confident in the day to day progress being made and want to thank Bloomingdale residents for your continued cooperation.
2. Aerial Photos:  Recently, a few members of the Project Team flew over the area on a helicopter, the resulting in some interesting aerial photos. Check our web site: https://www.dcwater.com/workzones/projects/first_street_tunnel/aerial.cfm Can you find your house?
3. TBM Activity: Lucy resumed mining activity underground the week of September 21^st—Lucy will proceed under First Street near Channing Street and down to Bryant Street NW in the next couple of weeks.  We will post the weekly progress of Lucy on our web site: https://www.dcwater.com/workzones/projects/first_street_tunnel/attachments/mining_process.pdf. In addition, we will flyer First Street with a door hanger so direct abutters are aware of the progress of the tunnel boring machine. The TBM will move underground below First Street from Channing Street to Rhode Island Ave. NW over the next few months. The mining of the entire length of the tunnel should be complete by the end of 2015.
4. Adams Street and Flagler Place Construction Staging Area-the FEMS Doorway Murals are being installed, the first set of doors were installed this month, the second set of doors will be installed in mid-October and the final set in early November. You can see the images on our web site: https://www.dcwater.com/workzones/projects/first_street_tunnel/perception.cfm
5. Bloomingdale Civic Association House Tour: On Saturday, October 17, 2015 DC Water is pleased to participate and will open our First Street Tunnel site office at 2036 First Street NW for interested visitors. Please plan to stop by and speak with members of the Project Team. For more information about the Bloomingdale House Tour, please visit: http://bloomingdaleneighborhood.blogspot.com/2015/09/bloomingdale-house-tour-art-show.html
6. Next Public Meeting: Please join us at the next Tunnel Forum community meeting on October 22^nd at 7PM. The meetings are held at St. George’s Episcopal Church, 160 U Street NW. Please note that there will be no Tunnel Forum meetings in November and December.  Tunnel Forum meetings will resume in 2016, the first meeting will be held on Thursday, January 21. We will alert you regarding any changes in date, time or location in advance of future meetings.
7. Would you like to see the project up close? If so, please save the date and set aside about 2-2.5 hours to see the project. DC Water and SKJD are proud to host a FST Hard Hat Tour for FST community stakeholders on Saturday, October 24, 2015.

About the Hard Hat Tour:

You will have the opportunity to see first-hand the main mining shaft, the tunnel boring machine (Lucy), visit other construction areas and speak to the senior construction staff. The purpose of Community Hard Hat Day is to allow the FST Team to provide the community an opportunity to learn more about this important environmental project.

For your convenience, three separate tours will be offered: 9:00 am; 12:00 noon and 2:30 pm. If you wish to participate, please set aside two to two and one half hours on that day. All tours will begin at the main mining shaft site at 2507 First Street, NW, in the SKJD construction trailer, located at the far end of the site, along the McMillian Sand Filter silos; and will begin with a brief safety training since participants will be required to adhere to project safety protocol. 

Parking is available at the lot across from the main mining shaft site adjacent to the Army Corps of Engineers entrance or at the Bryant Street lot, corner of 2nd and Bryant Street NW. 

   

Please note that participants for each time slot will be accepted on a first-come-first-serve basis.  Keep an eye out for the Hard Hat invitation and reserve your place, the official invite will be sent out by DC Water soon!

As always, please don’t forget to avail yourselves of the 24 Hour FST Hotline—1-844-FST-INFO [1-844-378-4636]—if you have any questions or concerns about the project.

We appreciate your participation and support in this very important project

Sincere Regards,

The FST Outreach Team

Tom Lindberg, DCCR First Street Tunnel - Public Outreach | DC Clean Rivers Project | DC Water | 5000 Overlook Avenue, SW | Washington, DC 20032 | t (202) 787-4738 | f (202) 787-4478 | Email: thomas.lindberg@dcwater.com | FST web page: http://dcwater.com/workzones/projects/first_street_tunnel/

Vickey M. Wilcher | Public Outreach Officer | DC Clean Rivers Project | DC Water

|Vickey.Wilcher@dcwater.com | (202) 787-4717