DC Water 1st Street Tunnel update for today, Friday, 06-17-2016

From: Linda Bernhardt [mailto:Linda.Bernhardt@dcwater.com] Sent: Friday, June 17, 2016 2:44 PM To: Thomas Lindberg <Thomas.Lindberg@dcwater.com> Cc: Linda Bernhardt <Linda.Bernhardt@dcwater.com>; creativepagesllc@aol.com Subject: First Street Tunnel Community Update, June 17, 2016

Greetings First Street Tunnel Stakeholders,

General Overview:   The First Street Tunnel project is 86% complete.  Skanska-Jay Dee’s (SKJD’s) construction activities will continue through the summer of 2016.  

Fourth of July Holiday Schedule:   SKJD will continue with regular work hours, Monday through Friday, from 7 am – 7 pm and on Saturdays, from 9 am – 5 pm, through Saturday, July 2.  No construction activities are scheduled for Sunday, July 3, or Monday, July 4.  Work will resume on Tuesday, July 5.  Please have a safe and enjoyable Fourth of July weekend with family, friends, and neighbors!

The next public meeting will be held on:

Thursday, July 28, 2016

at St. George’s Episcopal Church

160 U Street, NW

Washington, DC  20001

from 7 pm – 8:30 pm

We hope to see you there!

Ongoing and Upcoming Project Activities:

Street Openings:   Thomas Street NW is expected to open in late July.  First Street at V Street will open in late July, the 100 block of V Street west of First Street will open in August, and the Adams Street and Flagler Place intersection will open at the end of August.  DC Water/SKJD will continue to keep First Street closed from Channing Street to Michigan Avenue through July 31.  Beginning August 1, 2016, DC Water will no longer need or have responsibility for that portion of First Street.  However, the future status of this section of First Street is being discussed by other District agencies.

Landscaping and Restoration:   SKJD plans to restore streets and sidewalks in the disturbed areas through August 2016.  As recommended by the Tunnel Forum members, all plantings will occur in the fall of 2016.

System Start-up:   SKJD will be testing and operating the pumping station though July 2016.  After the new system is fully operational, the Bloomingdale/LeDroit Park neighborhoods will have the increased flood control protection promised by the project.  We are planning an event to mark this important milestone – please stay tuned!

Alley Restoration:   The alley west of First Street from Thomas Street to Bryant Street NW has freeze pipes and communication conduit that were needed for the First Street Tunnel project.  Now that the freeze system has been turned off, DC Water is in discussions with DDOT to hopefully transfer the west alley restoration to a DDOT contractor.  The goal is to have the final brick restoration consistent with other alleys that have been restored in the area.  We will keep you posted on this plan.  In the interim, the freeze pipes that are under First Street NW from Channing Street to Bryant Street NW will be removed by SKJD and the disturbed areas restored.

Shuttle Service:   The shuttle service has been replaced with Uber since the shuttle has had so few riders.

Alternative Parking Areas:   The W Street Alternative Parking Area (APA) is now closed.  SKJD will be restoring the area with a basketball court for the Metropolitan High School per DC Water’s agreement with the owners.  If you have an APA tag, continue to use the Bryant Street lot.

FEMS Mural Doors:   If you are a resident with a mural door in front of your home and would like to have the mural door, please contact Linda Bernhardt at Linda.Bernhardt@dcwater.com.  If you have already contacted Linda, no action is required at this time.  SKJD will be removing the construction staging area fencing from Flagler Place, the east end of Adams Street, and along First Street soon. All FEMS mural doors not claimed by abutters will be stored at the Project Site Office located at 2036 First Street NW.

Secant Pile Jackhammering:   SKJD is removing the tops of the secant piles (3 to 5 feet) at the Adams and Flagler Construction Staging Area and at the First and V Streets Construction Staging Area to make room for street and sidewalk restoration.  SKJD will finish at Adams and Flagler the week of June 20, and begin at First and V Streets the same week.  The work at First and V Streets is expected to last one week.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please call the 24/7 Hotline at 1-844-FST-INFO
(1-844-378-4636).  Please continue to check our web site for updated project information (http://dcwater.com/workzones/projects/first_street_tunnel/).

Thank you for your continued patience.

Best Regards,

Tom 

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/