TRANSBAY JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY ANNOUNCES NIGHTTIME STREET CLOSURE TO REMOVE FREMONT STREET TEMPORARY SHORING

 San Francisco, CA – The Transbay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA) today announced that starting Sunday, April 21, 2019 the temporary shoring system on Fremont Street will be removed. The overnight work will take place Sundays through Fridays for the next four weeks between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., requiring a one-block closure between Howard and Mission streets. Work is limited to nighttime only to minimize impacts to the public. The street will be reopened in time for morning commute.

 The entire repair and reinforcement project is on track to be complete by June 1, 2019.

 “Completing repairs at the Fremont Street location is a major milestone, moving us closer to reopening the center to the public,” said Mark Zabaneh, executive director of the Transbay Joint Powers Authority. “At the same time, we are fully cooperating with an independent review of the transit center and await their findings before announcing a reopening date.”

 Crews will remove the temporary shoring system that was installed as the TJPA repaired two beams on the third-level bus deck. Repairs at the Fremont Street location will be complete by this weekend. The month-long night street closures are required to remove shoring, restore lights, restore fire and life safety systems and ceiling panels, and reestablish Muni overhead lines.

All lanes will be restored to their original configuration. Work to remove a temporary shoring system on First Street will begin in early May.

All repair work on Fremont Street will be complete and inspected before the shoring is removed. The repair was approved by an independent panel.

The TJPA, owner and operator of the Salesforce Transit Center, temporarily closed the facility in September 2018 as a precaution after workers discovered fissures in two steel beams on the bus deck above Fremont Street. Before reopening, the TJPA must:

  • Repair the beams
  • Reinforce a similarly designed area at First Street (although no issues were found at this location, it will be reinforced because of its similar design and load conditions)
  • Conduct an exhaustive review of the facility
  • Complete a facility-wide life and safety reinspection program with city and state oversight
  • Fully cooperate with an independent review by the regional Metropolitan Transportation Commission

Building-wide independent reviews and monitoring continue at the transit center. To date, no additional fissures or issues have been found.

A reopening date for the transit center will be announced after the independent review is complete.

Transit agencies continue bus service at the temporary terminal at Howard and Main streets. Commuters may contact their bus operator or call 511 for transit information.