near 91st
The work site, from 91st up to 95th, has been swarming with activity over the past few weeks. If I had to guess I would say that they're working extra hard to finish the surface work on the west side of 2nd Avenue so that they can shift their work back to the east side of the avenue.
The road decking on the west side of 2nd Avenue now appears to be complete, from 91st up to 95th -- and most of the work is taking place just beneath the street level, on the west side of the avenue.
The contractors are installing a new 48"(?) water main (a section of this pipe is shown above and below.) They are also working to secure the utility lines to the underside of the decking. This is being done so that the contractors can excavate the Launch Box to it's full depth of 70 some odd feet.
Another section of pipe - made in the USA
A similar section of pipe, standing on end.
91st - looking N
near 91st - looking into the temporary work trench.
Sections of pipe waiting to be installed.
95th, west side - looking E
Here the water main, now wrapped in white insulation, exits the north end of the launch box.
92nd, west side - looking E
A view of the stone drilling machine at work. I believe that it is being used to install so-called mini piles, for the foundation of the launch box.
Another view of the same machine. (Too bad I can't also include the sounds that it makes!)
93rd, NE corner
This drilling rig has been working near this location for over a week now. In the past this rig was used to drill out core samples of the rock below. But now they're just drilling down through the rock, without collecting samples of each core. My guess is that there is a section of bedrock down below that needs to be "softened up."
91st, NW corner - looking N
93rd, NW corner - looking NE
A nice example of the road decking above what will become the launch box for the tunnel boring machine.
95th, near the NW corner - looking S
(If you look very closely and you can see pedestrians crossing 2nd Avenue at 95th street.)
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Here's a listing of the recent additions to the right-hand
column of The Launch Box:
Under Web Links:
"Report on the Economic Benefits of the Second Avenue Subway and East Side Access"
Prepared by the Office of Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney - 2/3/09
Under News Links:
"Subway construction derails 2nd Ave."
Slide show
Crain's New York Business - 1/23/09
"Mike Takes a Big Dig at the 2nd Ave. Subway"
New York Post - 2/20/09
Under Video & Audio Links:
"Subway Aid Falls Off Track"
CUNY - New York City News Service - 3/3/09
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The next meeting of the
Community Board 8 Second Avenue Subway Task Force
has now been scheduled. Here are the details:
When:
Monday, March 23rd
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Where:
310 East 67th St (btw. 1st & 2nd)
New York Blood Center
Auditorium
Agenda:
1. Construction Update
2. Old Business
3. New Business
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The New York Transit Museum has a special exhibition, The Future Beneath Us: Eight Great Projects Under New York,which is now on display the the museum's Gallery Annex at Grand Central Terminal, until July 5, 2009.
Projects explored at the Transit Museum exhibit include the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's four mega projects: Fulton Transit Center, East Side Access, the extension of the 7 subway line, and the Second Avenue Subway.
As an added bonus, the Transit Museum will hold a special series of discussions, moderated by Alex Marshall, Senior Fellow at the Regional Plan Association, in connection with the exhibit.
Key engineers, architects, and urban planners involved in MTA Capital Construction's current mega-projects will explore issues of scope, sustainability, technology and impact.
Here's a listing of the 2nd Avenue Subway related discussions:
Wednesday, March 18th 6 p.m.
TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY TRANSIT:
SECOND AVENUE SUBWAY TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION
North East Balcony, Grand Central Terminal
Panel discussion
William Stead, Senior VP and Program Executive, East Side Access, MTA Capital Construction, moderates a discussion with Tom Peyton, Project Director, Second Avenue Subway, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Judith McClain, Senior Director, Rail Service Planning, New York City Transit, and Christopher Bennett, Project Manager, AECOM, about the engineering and construction challenges of building the city's first new subway line in over 50 years, including working in a dense urban environment and building three new ADA-compliant stations during Phase One of the project.
Tuesday, March 31st 6 p.m.
THE SECOND AVENUE SUBWAY ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORY
North East Balcony, Grand Central Terminal
Judith Kunoff, Chief Architect, New York City Transit, William Wheeler, MTA director of planning, and William Goodrich, program executive, MTA Capital Construction, Second Avenue Subway, discuss Phase I of the city's first major expansion of the subway system in over 50 years.
I spoke with the Transit Museum and they told me that seating for these events will open at 5:15 PM. They suggest that you use the elevators, near track 23, to access seating that will be set up on the North East Balcony for these programs.
Also, here's a listing of the other discussions that are part of this program:
Tuesday, March 10th 6 p.m.
THE EXTENSION OF THE 7 LINE: REZONING, AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AT HUDSON YARDS
North East Balcony, Grand Central Terminal
Shawn Kildare, vice president and program executive, MTA Capital Construction, and Sandy Hornick, deputy executive director, New York City Department of City Planning discuss the MTA's plan to extend the 7 line westward and the intended transformation of Hudson Yards into a mixed-use neighborhood. Perceived as vital to the city's long-term economic growth, the project aims to support the development of housing, office space, commercial and cultural venues, plus parks and open spaces.
Wednesday, April 1st 6 p.m.
CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW TRANS-HUDSON EXPRESS (THE) TUNNEL
Presentation
Science, Industry and Business Library
188 Madison at 34th Street
Tuesday, April 7th 6 p.m.
ENGINEERING EAST SIDE ACCESS
Panel Discussion
North East Balcony, Grand Central Terminal
Tuesday, April 28th 6 p.m.
EAST SIDE ACCESS: LIRR'S CONNECTION TO GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL
North East Balcony, Grand Central Terminal
Alan Paskoff, program manager, East Side Access, MTA Capital Construction, Peter Hopkinson, vice president and principle architect, DMJM HARRIS / AECOM, and Elton Elperin, AECOM USA, Inc., associate vice president and chief architect, East Side Access will discuss architectural elements involved in this project to connect LIRR commuters to Grand Central Terminal.
Thursday, April 30th 6 p.m.
BILLION YEAR ODYSSEY: GEOLOGY AND NY INFRASTRUCTURE
Lecture
New York Transit Museum, Brooklyn
Wednesday, May 6th 6 p.m.
THE GREATEST TUNNEL EVER BUILT
Screening and discussion with filmmaker
New York Transit Museum, Brooklyn
Tuesday, May 12th 6 p.m.
REGIONAL IMPACT OF MTA PROJECTS
Presentation by Elliot G. Sander
MTA Executive Director and CEO
North East Balcony, Grand Central Terminal
Wednesday, May 20th 6 p.m.
WHY SMART GROWTH? COLLABORATION PLANNING FOR LAND USE, TRANSPORTATION AND URBAN DESIGN
Panel Discussion
North East Balcony, Grand Central Terminal
Tuesday, June 2nd 6 p.m.
A HISTORY OF TUNNELING IN NEW YORK CITY
Presentation
Science, Industry and Business Library
188 Madison Avenue at 34th Street
Wednesday, June 17th 6 p.m.
FUTURE CITY: GLOBAL TRANSIT TRENDS FROM WORLD WAR II TO THE PRESENT
Panel Discussion
North East Balcony, Grand Central Terminal
Tuesday, June 9th 6 p.m.
VIRTUAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
Presentation
Science, Industry and Business Library
188 Madison at 34th Street
Additional information on this program can be found by clicking on this link, or by calling the MTA Transit Museum on 718-694-1794.
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And finally, a footnote --
Please accept my apologies for the 2 month gap between postings! I've solved all of the technical issues with my PC now and I expect to return to regular postings, just as soon as the weather warms up a bit.
