Capturing Construction in Photos

To our construction teams, Robin is a familiar face who frequently visits the active construction sites to shoot some candid photos of construction and our hard workers. Little did we  know that Robin not only works to document the construction progress but she gains much deserved national recognition while she is at it. Right here in Sunol Valley, Robin’s photo of the New Irvington Tunnel Project made the Top Ten for the Engineering News Record (ENR) 2015 Year in Construction Photo Contest. This is a prestigious international construction photography competition, and we are extremely proud that Robin’s photo of our own tunnel was a winner!

About Robin

Robin Scheswohl moved to the Bay Area in 2003 from Philadelphia, PA where she studied photography and later worked with corporate and wedding photographers. She’s been with the SFPUC since 2007, working in the Construction Management Bureau and the Engineering Archives. She is responsible for cataloging and preserving thousands of historic images dating back to the 19th century, as well as documenting the Water System Improvement Program (WSIP) construction projects. SFPUC Engineering Archives Photography has curated public exhibits at City Hall, at the San Francisco International Airport, and the SF American Institute of Architects (AIA) Headquarters. The images are used extensively by the SFPUC and appear in books, periodicals, environmental and engineering studies.

Here is Robin filming at the Bay Tunnel, which is the first tunnel constructed under San Francisco Bay.  Congratulations, Robin!

Last of the Pipe Installed at New Irvington Tunnel

The crews have reached a major milestone and installed the last of the pipe for the New Irvington Tunnel.  A 35 ft section of steel pipe was prepped and mortar lined at the surface before being lowered into the Vargas Shaft. This officially completes the entire 3.5 mile water transmission tunnel.  Final steps are being made the next week to disinfect the tunnel and bring it into service to provide a seismically designed connection to provide water to our 2.6 million Bay Area customers. 

The Final Stretch: Mortar Lining completed for the New Irvington Tunnel

This week the construction crews completed the final stages of mortar lining in the tunnel. Mortar lining is one of the final stages of constructing a water tunnel before we bring it into service.  

Our workers used specialized equipment that sprays cement on the pipe’s interior to prevent corrosion of the steel pipe and prepare it for water conveyance. This completes a major milestone for the tunnel. The tunnel is anticipated to be in service by the end of this month and will soon deliver water to our 2.6 million customers. We are definitely getting excited for the final stretch!

Sunol Valley: Getting Prepared – Seismic Upgrade Work Continues

Much has already been done as mentioned in our last post, but more important work lies ahead in Sunol Valley.  Our teams continue critical work to seismically upgrade our infrastructure. As we remember the Loma Prieta earthquake this week, here are some highlights on our ongoing projects:

New Irvington Tunnel Project
The new tunnel will provide a seismically upgraded connection between water supplies from the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Alameda Watershed to Bay Area customers. It will extend 3.5 miles and have an internal diameter of approximately 8.5 feet. Final completion is expected in mid-2015.

Calaveras Dam Replacement Project
Work continues to build a replacement dam that will be seismically safe and restore the Calaveras reservoir to its historic capacity. The reservoir provides half of the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System’s local Bay Area water storage. To date, over 5 million cubic yards of materials have been excavated and major work is being done on the new spillway. Final completion is expected end of 2018. 

San Antonio Backup Pipeline Project

The San Antonio Backup Pipeline (SABPL) project will include several new facilities and improvements in the Sunol Valley to help provide for the reliable movement of Hetch Hetchy water for planned and emergency discharges under future conditions. Completion is expected in March 2015.

We are extremely proud of our hard working teams in Sunol Valley, helping all of us become better prepared for the next earthquake. For more info, please contact us at our 24 hour answer line 866-973-1476.

New Irvington Tunnel Project Open House on June 3rd

Construction on the New Irvington Tunnel is nearing completion! We anticipate commissioning the new tunnel sometime this Fall 2014. The new tunnel will provide a seismically-designed connection between water supplies from the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Alameda Watershed, providing water to our 2.6 million customers. Work still lies ahead, with project completion expected in mid-2015. 

Join us on June 3, 2014 from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm at Mission Coffee House (151 Washington Blvd., Fremont CA). The project team will be present to answer any of your questions and discuss what to expect post-construction for our Groundwater Management Plan participants. 

View from inside a section of the New Irvington Tunnel

The Last Butterfly Valve for New Irvington Tunnel

You know you’re making progress on construction when you start celebrating your ‘lasts.’ Last excavation to be completed. Check!  Last steel liner inserted into the tunnel. Check! Now we have another: the last valve to be installed underground.

And not just ANY valve. This is a valve that is 8 feet in diameter that will eventually divert water from the existing piping connections into the New Irvington Tunnel.  This Butterfly Valve regulates flow within the pipe with a rotating a disc within the pipe. When closed, the disc, or butterfly, completely blocks flow.  When open , as seen in this sample of a butterfly valve from a dam in Japan, the disc rotates one quarter to allow flow to pass by.

And operating this valve is no easy task. If you were to manually crank it closed (or ‘actuate it’, as our operators say), you’d need a whopping 400 revolutions.  Our operators use electric actuators for this very reason, and will be able to operate this valve remotely.

We hope to actuate this valve to bring the New Irvington Tunnel into service this Fall!

New Irvington Team installs final valve

Sample Butterfly Valve
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Lined, Then Sealed, Then Delivered This Fall. The New Irvington Tunnel Reaches Another Milestone

Imagine an 8.5 foot in diameter steel pipe roughly the length of a tractor trailer. Now imagine gently placing it into a 14-foot tube the length of 1½ Golden Gate Bridges? Now weld each of them together from the inside of the installed pipe in less than two months.

Well, that is EXACTLY what we did. This week the New Irvington Tunnel contractor completed the installation of a total of 14,600 feet (2.7 miles) of the welded steel liner into the tunnel. The 50 foot segments were all installed from the Sunol Valley and transported with a customized pipe placer westward into the tunnel. This completes the steel lining for the entire 18,660 foot (3.5 miles) New Irvington Tunnel.

What’s next? More grouting! Our teams will mobilize in March to prepare the tunnel to place cellular grout into the space between the steel liner and the excavated tunnel. This will effectively backfill the space between the tunnel pipe and tunnel wall, sealing it off to prevent water from seeping into or out of the tunnel.

We plan to bring the New Irvington Tunnel into service this fall, when drinking water will officially be transmitted through the new tunnel. Final project completion of the New Irvington Tunnel Project – including above ground restoration - is expected in mid-2015.

The New Irvington Tunnel will provide a seismically designed connection for water supply for 2.6 million bay area customers. 

50 ft segments of steel liner being delivered
Photo credit: Robin Scheswohl

View of steel liner from inside of Alameda West Portal
Photo credit: Robin Scheswohl

Welding work taking place on steel liners
Photo credit: Robin Scheswohl

Milestone Breakthrough for the New Irvington Tunnel

Roadheader breaks through for final hole-through on October 8th

On October 8, 2013 at precisely 9:00 a.m. two crews of miners from the New Irvington Tunnel project met underground with their roadheader digging away at the last final feet of rock.  Miners celebrated the final hole-through excavation of the 18,660 foot tunnel.  The 3.5 mile New Irvington Tunnel will transmit water between the Sunol Valley and Fremont to our 2.6 million Bay Area customers. Work is still not quite done yet, our miners will prepare the new tunnel for installation of 8.5 ft diameter steel pipe, installed in 50-foot sections and welded together inside of the tunnel.  This will be followed by the placement of cellular concrete between the steel pipe and tunnel wall to complete the project in mid-2015. 

 

Hole-Through Challenge Winner: Priya Iyer
With that, we also would like to congratulate our Hole-Through Challenge contestant.... Priya Iyer! Priya selected the winning time and date of the hole-through and will be receiving our prize package.  Congratulations to Priya!

Our hardworking New Irvington Tunnel crew

                                      Tunnel Superintendents Jim Mulkey and Jack Bowling from 

                                      Southland Contracting share a handshake after the hole-through.

New Irvington Tunnel Project Staff celebrates Hole-Through

New Irvington Tunnel Neighbors compete in the Final Tunnel Hole-Through Challenge at Open House

Last week, neighbors of the New Irvington Tunnel project stopped in for a cup of coffee and to hear the latest updates on tunnel progress at Mission Coffee House in Fremont.  Attendees were able to discuss construction progress, see new project photos, handle some rock samples collected from tunneling, and participate in the final "hole-through" challenge. 

 Residents participate in the Tunnel Hole-Through Challenge

We are still anticipating the exciting moment when the miners will meet underground between the tunnel segment from Vargas East to Alameda West Portal.  The winner will be notified to receive their gift basket of local goodies as soon as the day comes.  Thank you to all who have participated in the New Irvington Tunnel Hole-Through Challenge!  

Our final guesses are shown here:

For more project info, please email mle@sfwater.org or call our 24 hour answer line 866-973-1476.

One more week to play! New Irvington Tunnel Challenge

Sometime in the next few weeks, two teams of miners will meet hundreds of feet underground. One is excavating the New Irvington Tunnel eastward from the Vargas Shaft near I-680; the other is working its way west from the Alameda West Portal in Sunol Valley.

When will they meet?

Guess correctly and you could win a wonderful prize pack featuring gift certificates to local businesses!

Need a little help?

As of September 14, 2013, our miners have tunneled 5,044 feet east from Vargas and 8,758 feet west from Alameda West. In ideal ground conditions, crews have tunneled an average of 130 feet per week. When ground conditions are poor they excavate less than 20 feet. We have 405 feet left to go to hole-through as of September 14, 2013.

How to Play

The chart squares shown below correspond to a possible date and timeframe when the tunneling teams will meet. Selections already submitted by contestants are indicated by a “star “.

1. Choose three squares and e-mail your choices to: mle@sfwater.org
2. If your first choice is available, then you will be assigned that square. If the square is unavailable, then the next available choice is assigned. You will receive an email confirmation with your selection.
3. Include the date and time you think the hole-through will take place. Squares will be assigned on a first come, first serve. Only one square is allowed per person
4. Please include your name, phone number and e-mail address so we can contact you if you make the winning selection.
5. Submissions will be accepted through September 29, 2013.  GOOD LUCK!

New Irvington Tunnel Project Background

The SFPUC is constructing a new 3.5 mile long tunnel to transmit water between the Sunol Valley and Fremont. The New Irvington Tunnel has been excavated from four different tunnel headings. The first two headings met each other in June 2012. This second and final ‘hole-through’ will mark the completion of excavation of the entire 18,660 ft tunnel. Following the hole-through, miners will prepare the tunnel for the installation of 8.5 ft diameter steel pipe, installed in 50-foot sections and welded together inside of the tunnel. This is a major milestone as the final project completion is near!

Your Challenge - When will our Tunnels Meet?

Sometime in the next few weeks, two teams of miners will meet hundreds of feet underground. One is excavating the New Irvington Tunnel eastward from the Vargas Shaft near I-680; the other is working its way west from the Alameda West Portal in Sunol Valley.

When will they meet?
Guess correctly and you could win a wonderful prize pack featuring gift certificates to local businesses!

Need a little help?
As of September 14, 2013, our miners have tunneled 5,044 feet east from Vargas and 8,758 feet west from Alameda West. In ideal ground conditions, crews have tunneled an average of 130 feet per week. When ground conditions are poor they excavate less than 20 feet. We have 405 feet left to go to hole-through as of September 14, 2013.

How to Play

The chart squares shown below correspond to a possible date and timeframe when the tunneling teams will meet. Selections already submitted by contestants are indicated by a “star “.

1. Choose three squares and e-mail your choices to: mle@sfwater.org
2. If your first choice is available, then you will be assigned that square. If the square is unavailable, then the next available choice is assigned. You will receive an email confirmation with your selection.
3. Include the date and time you think the hole-through will take place. Squares will be assigned on a first come, first serve. Only one square is allowed per person
4. Please include your name, phone number and e-mail address so we can contact you if you make the winning selection.
5. Submissions will be accepted through September 29, 2013.  GOOD LUCK!

New Irvington Tunnel Project Background

The SFPUC is constructing a new 3.5 mile long tunnel to transmit water between the Sunol Valley and Fremont. The New Irvington Tunnel has been excavated from four different tunnel headings. The first two headings met each other in June 2012. This second and final ‘hole-through’ will mark the completion of excavation of the entire 18,660 ft tunnel. Following the hole-through, miners will prepare the tunnel for the installation of 8.5 ft diameter steel pipe, installed in 50-foot sections and welded together inside of the tunnel. This is a major milestone as the final project completion is near!

Local Cavers and the New Irvington Tunnel

They kindly attended one of our meetings, and we, in turn, attended their’ s. We were delighted to meet members of the National Speleological Society’s San Francisco Bay Chapter (SFBC) at one of our quarterly coffees in Fremont a while back.  Much to our surprise, they saw our New Irvington Tunnel (NIT) blog and became interested in the project. They invited us to speak at one of their future meetings about our man-made ‘cave’. Last week Project Manager David Tsztoo and Geologist Rebecca Fusee made a presentation at the SFBC general meeting and  ‘rocked out’ as it were by talking about the NIT Project and the complex geology it passes through.

The members of the SFBC Grotto sure know a thing or two about cave exploration, geology, conservation and organizing caving trips with fellow cavers. It was a great experience for our team to have the opportunity to share knowledge about tunneling with this group. Beautiful photos and rock samples were shown of the geologic features from the tunnel excavation, consisting of primarily sandstone, siltstone, shale, and chert ranging from Miocene to Cretaceous age (dated at 5 to 144 million years old).  Action photos of our road header equipment used in tunneling were featured during the presentation.  We look forward to more talks about rocks with the SFBC!

To learn more about the National Speleological Society San Francisco Bay Chapter, visit their website at www.sfbcgrotto.org

For more information on the New Irvington Tunnel Project, subscribe to our blog, or call our 24 hour answer line at 866-973-1476 or email mle@sfwater.org

New Irvington Tunnel Project Geologist Rebecca Fusee

shares some rock samples from the tunnel with attendees

L to R: John Tinsley, Tom Mathey, NIT Project Geologist Rebecca Fusee, NIT Project Manager David Tsztoo, Alan Chern, Matt Bowers

 

Update: New Irvington Tunnel Construction Activity at Irvington Portal

Excavation of the New Irvington Tunnel is more than two-thirds complete! The contractor has finished making the last of the necessary connections between the large water pipelines at the Irvington Portal. The contractor will begin ramping down construction activities at a portion of the site. The first step will be the partial demobilization and site restoration on the southern portion of the property.

Starting as early as February 20, 2013, the contractor will begin the process of removing some of the sound barriers at the project site. (See Map Below)

What to Expect
The sound barriers will be removed at the locations depicted in the map. The work involves removal of the panels and digging around the concrete foundation. Workers then remove the foundation and cut or pull the steel beams out. The excavated area would then be backfilled. Noise associated with sound barrier removal will include the operation of heavy equipment, back up alarms and concrete breakup.

Removal Hours
Sound barrier removal can take place Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. We will continue to monitor noise and vibration in this area to ensure full compliance with strict noise and vibration standards set forth in the project’s Environmental Impact Report.

What’s Next?
We are not done at Irvington Portal, yet! Installation and burial of permanent portal facilities and security improvements will continue through 2013 into 2014. Site restoration for the remainder of the project site will commence in 2014.

Questions? 24-Hour Answer Line at 866-973-1476 or email mle@sfwater.org or blauppe@sfwater.org

Areas in yellow highlight sound barriers to be removed,
areas in blue will still remain

 Photo of Sound Barriers



Filling the Void

Last week, crews digging the New Irvington Tunnel excavated an astounding 92 feet in just 3 days. This feat was all the more surprising given that the tunnel was passing through a fault zone where miners excavating the original Irvington Tunnel encountered an enormous amount of groundwater pouring into the tunnel. So much so that it was dangerous for the workers. What was different this time around? Grout.

Crews knew they had entered this zone when they probed 100 feet ahead of their tunnel face and found large amounts of groundwater. Before crews could do any mining forward, they had to inject 66,000 pounds of grout (think liquid cement) into the rock ahead of them to fill cracks and voids in the earth. That’s enough to fill up the water tank pictured below! Grouting fills these voids and keeps groundwater out of the tunnel. It keeps our miners safe and allows tunneling to continue.

Grout is taken by rail to tunnel heading and mixed inside of the tunnel. In November alone, approximately 423,000 lbs. of cement was injected into rock fractures, filling cracks ranging up to 1.5 inches in width.

As of December 4, 2012, over 13,100 feet has been mined. With 5,500 feet to go we expect tunnel expect tunnel excavation to be complete by mid-2014. For those that remember our Road Header Rendezvous Challenge we’ll have another one next year to celebrate NIT’s final hole-through!

Reminder: NIT Project Open House Tomorrow

REMINDER

Please Join Us for Coffee at the

New Irvington Tunnel

Project Open House

Thursday December 6, 2012

4:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Mission Coffee

151 Washington Blvd

Fremont, CA

Please stop by and check in on the progress of the new tunnel.  Our project team is available to answer your questions and listen to your comments.  

Project Update
Over 13,100 feet (out of 18,660) has been tunneled to date.  Workers completed the installation of 102-inch diameter steel pipe at the Irvington Portal that will eventually carry drinking water from the Hetch Hetchy system to 2.6 million Bay Area customers. 

Installation of the waterline connection to the new tunnel at Irvington Portal near Mission Boulevard continues.  We expect the connection fully installed by January 11, 2013.

The New Year will also begin the countdown to the completion of tunneling.  Excavation is scheduled for completion mid-2013.  The steel pipe liner will go into the last sections of the tunnel by the Fall of 2013.

We look forward to seeing you at the open house!

Please call 866-973-1476 or email fzamora@sfwater.org for

more information. You can also visit www.sfwater.org/nit or

www.sfwater.org/sunolvalley for project updates.

Ready for the Rain

The rainy season is here! While we welcome the rain we also have to prepare for it.  Why? If left unchecked, rain water will travel through constructions sites (that uncover large amounts of dirt for their work) and pickup dirt and small rocks and anything else that is on the ground surface along the way.  The runoff then goes into storm drains and flows into the local water system causing harm to the Bay.

At the New Irvington Tunnel Project, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission uses a series of Best Management Practices (BMPs) to minimize the effects of storm water runoff.  Our prevention methods include:

Erosion Control: Planting vegetation is an effective way to stabilize the soil by reducing exposure to erosion.  Stabilization prevents soil particles from detaching and becoming transported in storm water runoff. 

 Erosion control measures in place at the Vargas Shaft

Earth Dikes & Drainage Swales:  Earth dikes are temporary berms of compacted soil and drainage swales with shallow slopped channels. These easily installed measures divert storm water runoff away from soil that is prone to erosion and into controlled areas.

This drainage swale channels storm water away from erosion sensitive areas

Sediment Basins: Control areas such as gravel basins trap and collect sediment from storm water runoff before it enters our local water systems.

A gravel basin at the Irvington Portal

The SFPUC and our contractor, Southland Tutor Perini Joint Venture, work together to make sure stormwater runoff does not make its way into the local water system.  As a team we keep a constant eye to ensure the appropriate measures are in place and are effective. 

New Irvington Tunnel Project Open House

Please Join Us for Coffee at the

New Irvington Tunnel

Project Open House

Thursday December 6, 2012

4:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Mission Coffee

151 Washington Blvd

Fremont, CA

Please stop by and check in on the progress of the new tunnel.  Our project team is available to answer your questions and listen to your comments.  

Project Update
Over 12,593 feet (out of 18,660) has been tunneled to date.  Workers completed the installation of 102-inch diameter steel pipe at the Irvington Portal that will eventually carry drinking water from the Hetch Hetchy system to 2.6 million Bay Area customers. 

Installation of the waterline connection to the new tunnel at Irvington Portal near Mission Boulevard continues.  We expect the connection fully installed by January 11, 2013.

The New Year will also begin the countdown to the completion of tunneling.  Excavation is scheduled for completion mid-2013.  The steel pipe liner will go into the last sections of the tunnel by the Fall of 2013.

We look forward to seeing you at the open house!

Please call 866-973-1476 or email fzamora@sfwater.org for

more information. You can also visit www.sfwater.org/nit or

www.sfwater.org/sunolvalley for project updates.

Then & Now: Tunnel Lining

The existing Irvington Tunnel was built in the early 20th century and can no longer be taken out of service for repairs or maintenance without impacting the water supply to customers. The last time the old tunnel was inspected for maintenance was in 1966. Completion of the New Irvington Tunnel will allow us take the existing tunnel out of service for much needed maintenance. The new tunnel is designed to provide a seismically-strengthened or reinforced connection between water supplies from the Alameda Watershed to Bay Area customers

Here’s a quick look at tunnel construction then and now:

Then: In 1933, the existing Irvington Tunnel was lined with cast-in-place concrete. The average cost of house was $5,750, IT’S-IT Ice Cream was gaining popularity at San Francisco’s Playland-at-the-Beach, and baseball by the Bay was played at Seals Stadium. 

Now:  The New Tunnel will be lined with a total 18,660 feet of welded steel pipe..  After the pipe is installed, the pipe will be lined with cement mortar finish to protect the steel pipe from rusting, so the tunnel will serve drinking water for future generations.

At 102-inches (8.5 feet) in diameter, the pipes are the final liner of the new tunnel, through which the pristine drinking water from the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and our East Bay Watershed will flow to the San Francisco Bay Area.

Just in case you’re curious about how things compare in 2012:  The average price of a home is $295,300, Playland-at-the-Beach is gone but IT’S-IT is found at your local grocer, and the World Series Champion San Francisco Giants play at AT&T Park! 

Check out the previous entries in NIT’s Then & Now series:

Then &Now: Mining Methods

Then & Now: Alameda West Portal

What’s Underground?

Have you ever wondered what’s underground? Throughout construction of the New Irvington Tunnel (NIT) project, we’ve had the rare opportunity to encounter some of the most fascinating and diverse geological features in the world. From faults capable of generating huge earthquakes to ancient rock formations dating back to before man first walked the Earth, the unique geographic setting of the new tunnel leaves plenty to be discovered.

The Bay Area’s San Andreas Fault system featuring the Hayward Fault (middle to bottom right) and Calaveras Fault (bottom right)

The new tunnel is located in a seismically active part of California between the Calaveras and Hayward faults. Between these two major faults are several small faults that cross the path of the tunnel. These faults consist of very short sections of intensely fractured sandstone and fault gouge (fault rock rich in clay, characterized by a mixture of fine grain-like rock fragments). Due to their incohesive nature, these formations are extremely weak, a stark contrast to other materials encountered while digging through this section.

A sample cross section view of the new tunnel alignment. The red markings indicate fault zones that intersect the tunnel.

Briones formation contains fossilized shell fragments (circled in yellow)

During excavation, a majority of the ground encountered is part of the Briones Formation, which includes massive sandstone characterized by coarse, grain-like quartz sandstone and shell fragments. These rocks are extremely old, dating back to the Late Miocene Epoch nearly 12 million years ago! These rocks aren't just old, but they are so strong that drill and blast methods were utilized to mine through the tough ground.

This is only a glimpse of the geology hidden beneath Sunol Valley. So the next time you look down and ask, “What’s underground?”, keep in mind that that there are ancient rocks, ever-shifting faults, and whole lot more going on just underneath your feet. 

Building Tunnels and Building Lives

Robert Shumate put in the work to go underground

In the fall of 2011, Robert Shumate, a recent graduate of Alameda County’s Cypress Mandela Training Center, attended the Miner Tender Preparedness Program. Shortly thereafter, he put his training to the ultimate test at the New Irvington Tunnel project.  Robert quickly excelled and gained the trust of his peers, learning all aspects of working in extremely challenging and potentially dangerous conditions. Robert came to work each day with a positive attitude and a great work ethic, and within a short period of time, he was not only working on a tunneling project, but IN a tunnel. A feat which surpassed the expectations of his training. In addition to providing a stable income for himself and his family, Robert gained unique work skills specific to mining, making him  a “hot” commodity in the industry and open to a wide range of work opportunities across the nation.

Robert’s success is a testament to his hard work.  His opportunity to shine was made possible by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SPFUC) and Southland Tutor Perini’s (STP) commitment to hire locally for the $4.6B Water System Improvement Program (WSIP).   In addition to Robert, half of the New Irvington Tunnel project’s workforce is made up of local residents meeting the goals of the SFPUC’s local hire program.  This means a portion of the ratepayers investment into improving the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System is also putting people to work in communities where our projects are located.

Whether it is local workers or local small business the 

SFPUC and STP are committed to the San Francsico Bay Area

© San Francisco Public Utilities Commission R. Scheswohl

“Southland is enthusiastic about tapping into the Bay Area’s talented and diverse workforce”, said Michael Cash, Regional Manager for Southland Contracting, Inc. “In addition to exceptional people like Robert, we've also provided nearly $10 million in construction contracts to local small businesses.”

The SFPUC is committed to training future members of the Bay Area’s workforce.  The WSIP goal is to have one apprentice worker for every four journeyman workers on each capital improvement   project.  Tunneling is not an apprenticable trade so this contractor made sure to place junior workers in above ground roles and has exceeded this goal with  32 percent of workers in apprentice positions. 

The Job Training Opportunity Program (JTOP) where  Robert gained his training  is a great example of how the SFPUC, contractors, unions, and community-based organizations partner to create opportunities for local residents to receive the skills, training, and support necessary to help them attain successful and sustainable careers in construction.

Robert Shumate (R) stands tall with Tunnel Superintendent Jack Bowling (L)

Photo by S. Bednarz, ©2012 Jacobs Associates, All Rights Reserved

Robert recently reached another major milestone by completing  all apprentice hours required for Journey-level status! He is now one of the elite mining workers in his union and shares a proud heritage with the many other miners before him.  Congratulations to Robert and all of the other JTOP trainees!

For more information visit the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s local hire program page.