Construction progresses on the Belmont Gravity Pipeline (BGP) along Shoreway Road in Belmont and San Carlos. SVCW’s contractor partner, Shea Parsons Joint Venture (SPJV), and SPJV’s subcontractor Power Engineering Construction (PEC), are set to complete Phase 4 of the construction work this month. PEC has completed construction of Jacking Shaft 3 (JS-3) and have reopened Shoreway Road to two-way traffic. With the conclusion of microtunneling between Jacking Shaft 4 (JS-4) to Receiving Shaft 4 (RS-4), Vadnais Trenchless has removed the microtunnel boring machine (MTBM) and is in the process of performing maintenance on the MTBM before they begin the next tunnel drive. Once this is achieved, Vadnais will mobilize and set up equipment to begin microtunneling from JS-4 to RS-3. Throughout all of the microtunneling operations, SPJV and PEC continue to ensure a high level of coordination with the SVCW public outreach team and neighboring businesses to limit impacts to traffic and construction noise.
At the Redwood City Pump Station (RCPS), SPJV continues structural work at the pump station wet well and screening structure. SPJV has completed construction of the second lift walls for the screening facility, and has begun preparations for the second lift walls for the wet wells on the west side. Current activities include installing steel rebar for the walls, to impart higher tensile strength to the concrete. This will be followed by pouring of concrete within formwork which is temporarily set to hold the concrete in place and allow it to take the desired shape. The poured concrete will be monitored while it cures for the time sufficient to meet design strength requirements.
SPJV continues to proceed with structural and electrical work at the Menlo Park Pump Station (MPPS). At the B-side wet well and pump room, SPJV completed installation of suction pipes for each pump, and are installing the pump station discharge piping. Additional improvements at the wet well include installation of wet well water level sensors and transmitters. Replacement of foul air ducts in the MPPS structure is completed, and SPJV has applied final touchups to the wet well and influent channel coatings. With the installation of new air relief valves (ARVs) and vacuum relief valves (VRVs) at the existing Segment 1 Force Main between the MPPS and the RCPS, PEC has completed civil construction work as well as site restoration and cleanup outside of the MPPS structure. The replacement of existing equipment at MPPS involves consistent coordination between the contractor and SVCW’s Operations and Maintenance team, to minimize the need for pump station shutdowns during construction, which can be time consuming and costly.