UPDATE: Improvements Continue for California Street Cable Car Line and Roadway: Phase Two includes closure of California Cable Car Line starting in January

BOMA San Francisco Members:

UPDATE - As of December 27, 2010

Phase Two of California Street Cable Car Infrastructure Improvement Project to Start January 3 through Summer 2011

During the months of construction, Muni’s California Cable Car Line will be closed. However, the SFMTA will provide bus shuttle service to substitute for the regular California Cable Car Line daily from 6:30 a.m. until 12:30 a.m. 

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) will continue collaborating with the Department of Public Works (DPW) during Phase Two to replace aging electronic and mechanical components underneath the cable car trackway in order to ensure the safe operation of the cable car system. Work will also include reconstruction of concrete streets between Mason Street and Kearny Avenue and street repaving along 17 blocks of California Street between Van Ness Avenue and Drumm Street. 

Majority of the work started as Phase One such as sidewalk curb repairs, sewer replacement and curb ramp installation will continue into Phase Two.  

OTHER KEY ELEMENTS:

• The construction schedule may change due to weather or unexpected conditions.
• San Francisco’s signature cable cars will still be available to local residents and visitors on the Powell-Mason and Powell-Hyde lines.  However, these two cable car lines will undergo safety improvements during a shutdown of approximately four days for each line in March and April and shutdown of both lines in June 2011. Details to follow.
• The 1 California trolley coach route will remain in service.  
• Construction is scheduled for Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., although night and Sunday work may be necessary. 
• During construction, at least one traffic lane will remain open for traffic in each direction at all times. Traffic controls will be in place; however, expect slow traffic at intersections. 
• Noise and dust will be kept to a minimum.  
• Street parking will be prohibited in and around construction zones. Please be alert to and adhere to No-Parking signs.
• Local businesses are open for business during construction, so please continue to patronize them. 

The SFMTA thanks you for your continued support and patience as they renew your Muni system.  For more information: www.sfmta.com/cablecar or call 311. 

You can also contact any of the following project staff for additional information and assistance:

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency 

Lisa Chow - 415.701.4310/lisa.chow@sfmta.com

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency 

Jay Lu -  415.701.4387/Jay.lu@sfmta.com

Department of Public Works

Alex Murillo - 415.437.7009/alex.m.murillo@sfdpw.org

(se habla español)

NTK Construction, Inc., Contractor

Sammy Kwok-415.760.6765/skwok@ntkconstruction.com

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Original Post

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), which operates the Municipal Railway (Muni), reminds BOMA San Francisco members that Phase Two of the California Cable Car Infrastructure Improvement Project will require the closure of the California Cable Car Line for six months from January to July 2011. The SFMTA and the Department of Public Works (DPW) began Phase One of the project in September 2011. For this project, the SFMTA and DPW will replace aging underground components of the cable car line and repave 17 blocks on California Street between Drumm Street and Van Ness Avenue.

The California Street Infrastructure Improvement Project is a result of years of planning and coordination between City agencies that will:

• Replace necessary electrical and mechanical components to support the safe operation of the cable car system (i.e. conduits, pulley brackets, switches)
• Reconstruct concrete streets
• Repave street
• Perform construction and installation of curb ramps at every intersection (excluding Van Ness Avenue and Stockton and Sabin streets) to comply with the Americans with Disability Act requirements
• Repair sidewalk curbs
• Replace sewer

Phase One of the California Cable Car Infrastructure Project began in September and started work on sidewalk curb repairs, sewer replacement and curb ramps installation along 17 blocks of California Street between Van Ness Avenue and Drumm Street. A moratorium on street excavation and construction on commercial corridors will take place the day after Thanksgiving and into January. This routine moratorium helps minimize construction impacts to businesses and shoppers during the peak shopping season and reduces traffic congestion during this busy time of year.

Phase Two of the project will begin in January and replace aging electronic and mechanical components underneath the cable car trackway to ensure the continued safe operation of the cable car system. Work will also include reconstruction of concrete streets between Mason Street and Kearny Street and street repaving along California Street and any work remaining from Phase One.

Construction is scheduled for Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., although night and Sunday work may be necessary. Noise and dust will be kept to a minimum.  Local businesses will remain open for business during construction.