BART is moving forward with a track replacement project near the Orinda Station, which will require five weekend track shutdowns between the Lafayette and Rockridge stations.
Preliminary work is already underway on the effort to replace critical track components that in many cases date back to when BART first started service on its main Contra Costa line in 1973.
The shutdown weekends are May 9-10, May 23-25 (Memorial Day weekend), June 6-7, June 20-21, and July 4-5.
Free buses will replace trains on those weekends and riders should expect delays of 20-25 minutes.
BART closely examined the possibility of moving up the track shutdown weekends to minimize impacts to the public. However, it was determined this wasn’t possible because BART couldn’t acquire needed materials for the project ahead of schedule. BART is prioritizing the safety of its workers and contractors by following social distancing guidelines for all critical infrastructure projects that are allowed to proceed under state and regional stay-at-home orders.
The work will require temporary, late night and early morning lane closures of Highway 24 in Orinda to make way for construction equipment. Periodic overnight lane closures in Orinda begin in mid-April. These overnight lane closures will involve no more than two lanes and are expected to have minimal impact on Highway 24 drivers. Unlike similar work completed last year in Lafayette, this project will not require weekend daytime lane closures on Highway 24.
BART crews will work around-the-clock on shutdown weekends to replace critical railway components. Project highlights include:
- Replacing four track switches that are at the end of their useful lives. These are large track components that can measure up to 200 feet in length and allow trains to move from line to line.
- Installing approximately 3,000 feet of new rail.
- Replacing approximately 300 badly worn wooden ties with longer-lasting, concrete ones.
- Replacing 600 to 800 tons of rock ballast, which is essential for stabilizing the rail.
Many of the components being replaced are more than 40 years-old and have reached the end of their design life.
7 comments
With life having come to a literal halt in the Bay Area, why not do this construction today?
Per the article, they couldn’t acquire the needed materials for the project ahead of schedule
Chuckie, have you worked in railroad? Or any large civil construction? A lot of very complex operations need to come together to make something like this happen. Materials/logistics, crane contractors, labor, etc. These projects are planned for over a year and so moving them up a couple weeks is practically impossible. Especially in times like this.
Two words,
Power
Lines
Hahahaha, thanks for that reminder.
What a spectacle that was
Number of years ago heavy lift mobile crane moved, at my work, without lowering enough and contacted 13.8 kV lines. He ended up buying allot of new tires.
An with Youtube . . . . . never seems to go away.
Will bet this time job plans, bosses, workers and Safety folks will be taking additional care.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F9LlcT-rzk
Here come the Bart haters. Blah blah, taxes, blah blah, dirty, blah blah pensions, blah blah…
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