6/2/10
Courtesy of JSL
This is an aerial shot of the vertical elevator superstructure, which is also known as the
muck tower, that has been setup between 92nd and 93rd streets on Second Avenue.
Rock from the TBM mining operation will be transported (via a conveyor belt) to the top of the tower. The rock will then be dumped onto another conveyor belt (shown on the left) that will move the rock to a hopper. (the square object on the left in the image).
The rock will then be dumped (by the truck load) into a waiting truck under the hopper.
This photograph (and the two others from JSL below) was taken from an apartment on the NW corner of The Waterford, a residential building located at 300 East 93rd Street.
near the SW corner of East 93rd - looking E
This is a side view of the vertical elevator superstructure.
The structure was partially covered with plywood sheets over the past few weeks. I would guess that this was done to prevent stray pieces of rock from falling onto the passing traffic.
The hopper, shown on the left, can be clearly seen in this shot.
6/2/10
Courtesy of JSL
In this close-up shot you can see workers on the top of the muck tower working on the assembly of the mechanism.
7:35 a.m. - 6/2/10
Courtesy of JSL
Left-click on the image to view a 1,600 x 281 pixel version of the photo, or you can find a high-resolution (4,647 x 815 pixel) version on this link to my Flickr page.
This incredible stitched image allows you to view the entire TBM launch box work site on 2nd Avenue - from 91st to 95th streets.
The corners of the launch box has been highlighted in blue in the image above. (In case you were wondering, the dimensions of the launch box are 815' (L) x 56' (W) x 63' (Deep).
The glory hole on the left [just south of East 92nd Street] is in front of Delizia's Pizzeria. All of the TBM parts were lowered into the launch box through this hole.
The vertical elevator superstructure can be seen in the middle of the image and the so-called
Hog House (where the sand hogs can change and shower) is located just north of East 93rd Street.
East 93rd - looking SW
There is a small garden on the SE corner of East 93rd Street and 2nd Avenue. The vertical elevator superstructure can be seen through the trees.
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This sign has been posted on the fence that surrounds the construction yard that is located on the the SW corner of East 96th Street and 2nd Avenue.
East 97th Street - NE corner - looking SW
There's a lot of work taking place now on the site of the old Century Lumber Yard. Workers at this location are currently working to improve the soil conditions at this location using a technique know as soil grouting.
Ancillary Building No. 2 for the 96th Street station will eventually be built at this location.
btw. East 95th and 96th streets - looking S
(east side of the avenue)
Workers here continue the labor intensive process of relocating utility lines.
97th Street - NE corner - looking SW
This section of new pipe is for a replacement gas main or gas service line. It is sitting here because it is being worked on by a welder.
This is a close-up shot of one of the retroreflector targets, which are also know as prisms. (You can now find these targets on almost all of the buildings that abut the Second Avenue subway construction zones.) These targets allow the contractors to monitor the stability of the building in real-time.
Further information on how retroreflectors are used on this project can be found on my earlier posting "Retroreflectors Everywhere".
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East 92nd - NE corner
All of the glory holes, including this one, were covered when I took this picture since no work was taking place on this day. The holes are covered to eliminate the possibility that anyone or anything could fall through the holes when the work site is unattended.
btw. 91st and 92nd streets
A box full of
cutter disks (for the TBM) wait to be lowered down into the hold. The TBM will go through a lot of these disks as it digs through 12,836 linear feet of
Manhattan Schist.
East 91st Street - looking N
btw. East 92nd & 93rd streets
The white box shown in this image contains a check-in/check-in system for everyone who enters the work area below - as required by
OSHA Regulation 1926.800(c).
When a worker enters the launch box he/she must turn over the tag that hangs by their name on the board so that it shows the red side of the tag.
When they leave the underground work area they must turn their tag over again, so it shows the green side of the tag.
near the SW corner of East 94th & 2nd
At this location (the former location of Rainbow Hardware and the future location of entrance No. 1 of the 96th Street station) the MTA has posted architectural renderings of the new Second Avenue subway stations. (I walk by this location on most days, on the way to work, and quite often I see people who have stopped to studying the plans.)
The drawing on the right was prepared by 1st grade students of P.S. 290.
93rd Street - SE corner - looking N
The lot across the street here, which is
1800 Second Avenue, is the future location of Ancillary Building No. 1 for the 96th Street station.
The lot, which had been the home for a number of temporary S3 Tunnel Constructors project offices, has recently been cleared.
btw. 93rd & 94th - looking E
Four of the offices that were located on the lot of 93rd & 2nd have now been moved to a location on 2nd Avenue just north of the Bagel Express shop.
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East 69th Street - looking N
This is a view of the 69th Street shaft location. Workers here are using controlled blasting to open a shaft down through the bedrock to the future 72nd Street station.
East 70th Street - near the SE corner - looking W
This is an example of a clean and tidy work area.
East 83rd Street - SE corner - looking E
In this image you can see a vast assortment of utility lines that are in the process of being relocated. The lines are being moved in preparation for the future construction of the 86th Street station.
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(left-click on the image for a view that is readable.)
Source:
MTACC Quarterly Report to the FTA - 1Q2010 - p.17
This is a copy of the latest "Schedule and Proposed Schedule" for the project. The chart was included as part of the MTA Capital Construction's
Second Avenue Subway Quarterly Report Report to the FTA - for 1Q2010.
The report shows, as detailed below, that the forecasted completion date for the 3 active contracts have slipped.
Contract 1: Launch box, tunnels and shafts
Completion Date (F):
11/2011 (per 1Q2010 report to the FTA)
8/2011 (4Q2009 report)
7/2011 (3Q2009 report)
Contract C5A: 86th Street Open Cuts & Utilities
Completion Date (F):
8/2011 (per 1Q2010 report to the FTA)
4/2011 (4Q2009 report)
1/2011 (3Q2009 report)
Contract C2A - 96th Street Site Work & Heavy Civil
Completion Data (F):
7/2013 (per 1Q2010 report to the FTA)
4/2013 (4Q2009 report)
2/2013 (3Q2009 report)
The report includes the following text regarding the delays:
"The IPS [Integrated Project Schedule] is undergoing changes to mitigate potential delays incurred from Contract 1, TBM Tunneling, and Contract 5A, 86th St Station Utility Relocations, which occurred during this quarter. Mitigation measures include incorporation of proposed contract changes that extends the west tunnel TBM Drive from the 72nd Street Station North Cross-over to 65th Street, reducing the drill and blast mining scope by the C4B 72nd Street Station Cavern Contract; transfer of the C1 contract’s tunnel concrete lining scope to the C5B 86th Station Mining and Lining Contract; and modifications to 86th Street Station Ancillary #2 Structure. The proposed changes are under review and will be implemented during the 2nd quarter of 2010."
The report also states that the MTA's forcasted Revenue Service Date for Phase I of the Second Avenue subway is still December 30, 2016.
The MTA must also be concerned by the fact that $13,140,352 of the $16,851,250 contingency budget for Contract 1. This amounts to 78% of the Contract 1 contingency budget, with well over a year of work left on this contract.
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Here's a listing of the recent additions
to the right-hand column of The Launch Box
Quarterly Report Report to the FTA
Second Avenue Subway, Phase 1 - 1Q2010
MTA Capital Construction
Responses to CB 8 Questions - March 2010.pdf (8 pages)
Responses to questions submitted by the public at the
Community Board 8 Second Avenue Subway Task Force Meeting
March 2010
Under Notices & Posters:
6/5/10
Under Businesses that have closed:
E-Plus Japanese & Asian Fusion
Closed mid-May 2010
(after being open for just one month)
The sign on the door, which is dated 5/16/10, says that they have closed for renovations - but there is no indication that any renovation work is taking place at this location.
