Construction is set to begin on a new subway tunnel in San Francisco, despite the city still waiting for guaranteed federal funding to come through, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
The city has plans for a new 1.6-mile tunnel for the Central Subway line, which will eventually connect to Chinatown. In total, the $1.6 billion cost for the new tunnel will be financed by a mix of funds from the city, state and federal governments.
The brunt of that cost will be covered by federal funds, with the U.S. government expected to chip in $942 million. While the money has not come through yet, officials at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency are confident enough in the funds being approved to begin work now.
The actual tunnels will not be done in this first phase of construction, which is being undertaken by general contractor Barnard Impregilo Healy. However, construction crews will use an excavator to dig up a "launch box" on Fourth Street where access can be gained to the city's underground. From there, the crews will use major construction equipment - two large tunnel boring machines - to dig the tunnel.
Construction workers have also begun to build headwalls - large panels that will dig 100 feet into the ground - in the Fourth Street area. Traffic will need to be rerouted as the construction crews begin their work - delays and detours will likely persist throughout the entirety of the project.
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