SFMTA’s moves forward with $233.5 million Central Subway contract

Written by jrood

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency said the initial notice to proceed authorization for the Central Subway's largest construction contract, $233.5 million, will be issued this week. Thus far, the project will bring in nearly $90 million to local businesses and create thousands of job opportunities. "The momentum continues to build for San Francisco's Central Subway Project because it will expand transit options in the heart of the city," said Tom Nolan, chairman of the SFMTA Board of Directors. "The city's transportation infrastructure serves as the lifeblood of our expanding industries as well as our vibrant neighborhoods and the residents, visitors and employees that support them." This week the SFMTA will move forward with the first of three NTP authorizations for the tunneling contract, awarded in June. This NTP allows the contractor to proceed with ordering the two tunnel boring machines needed to construct the twin bore tunnels for the underground portion of the Central Subway Project. The contract has three distinct NTP authorizations: NTP 1 ($35M) authorizes procurement of the TBMs, NTP 2 ($36M) authorizes construction of the tunnel launch box and contractor's work area and NTP 3 ($163M) authorizes commencement of tunneling, which includes construction of approximately 8,240-foot long precast concrete segmental lined twin-bored guideway tunnels, construction of five emergency cross passages between bored tunnels and construction of station end walls. A construction approach called "deep tunneling" will be used to construct the Central Subway. Deep tunneling allows most of the work to be done below ground, reducing disruption on the surface by using the TBMs, a technology that has been used extensively throughout the world. The only visible tunneling activity will occur at the portal construction location (4th Street between Bryant and Harrison streets) and at the excavation site (Columbus Avenue at Union Street).

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