SFMTA Board awards tunneling contract, names acting executive director/CEO

At its Board of Directors meeting, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency awarded the Central Subway tunneling contract, the largest construction package for the project, to Barnard Impregilo Healy, the lowest bidder in the amount of $233,584,015. Last week, the United States Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration awarded the agency $20 million in New Starts funds for the 2011 Fiscal Year to keep the project moving forward. The Central Subway has received $95.9 million in federal funding to date. "The Central Subway project is vital to connecting our city to our communities like never before," said San Francisco May Edwin Lee. "The project invests in jobs, in people and in our city with critical infrastructure that will improve transportation for all our residents and families." The tunnel contract will allow for the development of approximately 8,240 feet of concrete guideway tunnels and procure two tunnel boring machines to be used for actual construction. SFMTA Board Chairman Tom Nolan said, "The agency is pleased that the lowest bidder came in under the project engineer's estimates and in these tough economic times, we realize that this project will be a shot in the arm to our local economy sparking economic development, job training and growth and in creating thousands of contracting opportunities for local businesses." In other SFMTA news, it's Board of Directors recently named Debra Johnson as acting executive director/CEO, replacing Nathaniel Ford. Johnson will hold the position until a new placement can be made. Her role is effective as of July 1. "Debra has more than 20 years of experience in the transportation industry and has a vast understanding of how the SFMTA works," said Board Chairman Tom Nolan. "She was the driving force behind the recent labor negotiations and she is trusted throughout the SFMTA and at City Hall as a person of great integrity. We are confident in her ability to move this agency forward during this time of change." Johnson currently serves as the director of administration, taxis and accessible services for the SFMTA.