DC Water 1st Street Tunnel community update, Jan 23, 2016

Sent: Thursday, January 21, 2016 2:51 PM Cc: Thomas Lindberg <Thomas.Lindberg@dcwater.com> Subject: First Street Tunnel Community Update, January 21, 2016

Greetings First Street Tunnel Stakeholders,

We have some important items that are occurring before or just following our next Tunnel Forum meeting.

Upcoming Weekend, Snow Removal:  The First Street Tunnel team is preparing for the impending snow event.  As a continuation of the snow removal coordination that occurred with the DC Department of Publics Works (DPW) last winter, we will be following the same procedures and protocols.  The contractor, SKJD, is responsible for clearing snow from the work areas within the Construction Staging Areas (CSAs); plus they are responsible for snow removal on roads and sidewalks surrounding the CSAs.  DPW is responsible for snow removal on Bloomingdale streets; homeowners are responsible for snow removal on their own sidewalks.  SKJD plans to work tomorrow, Friday, January 22, at least the first shift, and is prepared with staff and equipment for the snow.  Please be advised that given the large amount of snow predicted from Friday into Saturday, snow removal will not begin until it is efficient to do so.  Snow removal around the CSAs will probably not begin until Sunday morning. 

Restricted Parking on Thomas and Second Streets:  On Friday, January 29, SKJD will be demobilizing a crane from the Thomas Street (pumping station) Construction Staging Area.  To disassemble and transport the crane from the Thomas Street CSA, parking will be restricted on Thomas and Second Streets, starting at 7 am on Friday, January 29, 2016 through 5 pm on Saturday, January 30, 2016, including Friday overnight.  The sketch shows the limits of restricted parking in pink shading.  During this time, residents who live and park within the area shown are welcome to use the Bryant Street Alternative Parking Area (APA) located on the west side of Second Street between Bryant Street and W Street beginning Thursday, January 28 at 3 pm.  Shuttle service from the Bryant Street APA to residents’ homes will be available.  You need not apply for an APA tag to use the Bryant Street lot and shuttle service on these days only.  Disassembly of the crane is weather dependent.  Should inclement weather prevent the disassembly, this effort will be rescheduled for another date. 

Upcoming Construction Activities at Adams Street and Flagler Place:  SKJD has completed the first 80 feet of excavation and temporary support of the Adams Street adit tunnel.  The crews are now working to install the permanent concrete lining over this 80-foot length.  Following the completion of the concrete lining, the remaining 220 feet of adit tunnel will be constructed using a “micro” tunnel boring machine (MTBM).  The MTBM will interface with the new First Street Tunnel under the corner of First Street and Adams Street.  At the end of January, SKJD will bring in support gear for the MTBM assembly, with some equipment that is approximately 16 feet tall.  Residents can expect to see and hear significant changes to the Construction Staging Area until this MTBM operation is completed in March.  In addition to ongoing adit construction, there are additional concrete placements for the diversion chamber in Flagler Place.  This will involve concrete delivery trucks and other equipment, using Flagler Place.  Some of these pours will impact parking on Flagler Place.  A schematic is included that indicates placement of new stationary equipment in the gray area.  The areas in pink will be used for trucks, cranes, workers, and FEMS access. 

Alternative Parking Area Closing:  On Tuesday, March 31, 2016, the Alternative Parking Area located at 143 W Street will close.  For those of you who have parking tags for the 143 W Street lot, your tag will transfer to the Bryant Street Alternative Parking Area.  You need not take any action, other than to park at the Bryant Street lot effective April 1, 2016.  Please make sure your license plate number and registration are current and are on file with us by contacting shuttle services on the 24/7 Hotline.  Shuttle service from the Bryant Street APA to residents’ homes will be available. 

Next Tunnel Forum Meeting:  The next Tunnel Forum meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 28, 2016 at 7 pm at St. George’s Episcopal Church at 160 U Street, NW.  We have a lot to talk about at this meeting.  Due to continuing construction and other important updates, we will be post­poning our talk about restoration of disturbed areas at this time.  This topic will be discussed at future meetings.  Please join us!

Please continue to check our web site for updated project information (http://dcwater.com/workzones/projects/first_street_tunnel/).  And, as always, feel free to contact us directly if you have any questions.  If you have a concern or complaint about ongoing construction, please call the 24/7 Hotline at 1-844-FST-INFO (1-844-378-4636). 

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/