Light Traffic Allows Caltrans to Expedite 101 Alemany Project
Caltrans staffers love a challenge. They don’t dread difficult projects. But if there were a project worth dreading, it would be the 101 Alemany Project in San Francisco. Transportation Plan and Traffic Operations mulled over the plans, searching for ways to accommodate traffic on San Francisco busiest freeway while the concrete deck was being replaced. They looked for alternate routes, mass transit options, or perhaps a slow week in San Francisco’s schedule with fewer events and less traffic. There wasn’t such a time.
Until there was. When shelter in place ordinances were enacted to battle the coronavirus, traffic volumes took a nosedive. Finally, a ripe time for the project! But it would require fast action.
The contract had already been awarded to Myers & Sons, and like most contractors, Myers had ongoing contracts that needed its resources and workforce. Accelerating the project would mean revising the schedule and plans, and renegotiating the contract with Myers. Construction materials need ample lead times. In this case, wood was in short supply, and the project needed a lot of it. The project team worked long hours searching for the wood necessary to build the forms to support the freshly-poured concrete.
It takes a great deal of expertise, effort, and flexibility to revise and negotiate a new plan. But the motorists who travel Highway 101 in San Francisco are all the better for it.
Speaking of flexibility, Pedro Quintana, a Caltrans Information Officer, had been on the job just three months when he was pulled from other duties to help with the Alemany Project. Here’s his take on the effort. – Editor
By Pedro Quintana
Caltrans Bay Area had initially planned to replace a 70-year-old bridge deck on Highway 101 in San Francisco above Alemany Circle in July 2020.
The project called for the removal of 800-feet of deteriorated bridge deck and replacing it with fresh concrete. Simple enough. But over 240,000 motorists use that section of freeway every day, and there weren't a lot of places for them to go. City streets were chock-full of cars, and the alternative freeway, I-280, was running beyond capacity. BART trains were pulling ten cars and couldn’t pull any more.
But when shelter-in-place orders reduced Bay Area traffic counts by an incredible 40 to 60 percent, the district saw an opportunity to jump start the critical infrastructure project.
Caltrans accelerated the Alemany project from July 2020 to April 2020, taking advantage of the reduced traffic and undoubtedly saving motorists from severe traffic congestion in the future.
The $37 million project was financed with SB-1 dollars, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017.
Myers & Sons, the prime contractor, was ready to go, and pre-construction work began in mid-April. Myers is an old hand at accelerating projects. It was C. C. Meyers, an earlier iteration of Myers & Sons, that rebuilt portions of the MacArthur Maze in record time after a fireball from a gasoline tanker melted two connector ramps.
The Alemany construction crews worked around the clock, demolishing and rebuilding the northbound and southbound deck in four phases.
Caltrans strategically scheduled ramp and lane closures on Alemany Circle and Highway 101 and even shifted southbound traffic onto the newly built northbound deck.
Caltrans District 4 Director Tony Tavares called the Alemany project a symbol of success for the district, Bay Area motorists, and San Francisco residents who live near the project.
“We worked with a contractor who was very innovative. We were able to take that 18 working-day contract and condense it into nine days,” Tavares said. “That’s pretty amazing.”
Director of Caltrans Toks Omishakin and District 4 Director Tavares recognized the importance of the project and toured the construction site together.
Caltrans engineer Bill Casey said their visit was vital in giving moral support to employees working during the pandemic.“Whenever you can get the tops guys in, it’s really a huge benefit that energizes the staff to work harder,” Casey said.
The CHP and San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority played crucial roles keeping traffic flowing through the detours.
While the construction was underway, Caltrans Bay Area adopted the Centers for Disease Control guidelines to combat COVID-19 by requiring employees to practice social distancing, wear face masks, and wash their hands frequently.
A medical station was set up to take the temperatures of construction workers before entering the job site.
“The temperature checks and monitoring weren’t big deals because they are actually benefits when you work in close proximity" said the medical attendant. "You want to do your best to make sure someone’s not sick,”
Caltrans Bay Area knew that for the Alemany project to be successful, the district would need to create a message that would resonate with San Francisco residents.
Caltrans External Affairs organized several outreach meetings beforehand in the community. Representatives from the Project Management, Construction, and Engineering teams also attended to assist with the resident’s questions and concerns.
A project website was created, sharing critical information and updates with media outlets, residents, and local agencies.
Finally, Public Information Officers produced daily videos via Twitter to further increase the project’s community engagement.
“I would consider this is a very successful project. It’s not just us in construction. I would say it’s everybody’s effort in getting it done,” Jose David, Caltrans engineer said.