This expansion is WETA’s largest project to date and is central
to a region-wide ferry system buildout being undertaken
by the Authority. The project’s location along San Francisco’s
Embarcadero presents a number of logistical challenges, including
the requirement to maintain operations at WETA’s existing downtown
ferry gates, avoiding impacts to pedestrian and vehicle traffic
along the San Francisco waterfront and complying with an array of
environmental regulatory requirements.
When the project started, PEC president David Mik said the
company was prepared to meet the construction milestones and
project constraints in the timeframes required.
“This expansion is integral to further developing and defining
San Francisco’s public infrastructure for the future, and PEC is
excited to be part of it,” he said.
Eliminating delays
When completed in January 2020, the expanded downtown ferry
terminal will have four gates that will be able to accept up to
eight ferry boats. It will also have expanded queuing areas, and an
expansive over-water promenade and plaza designed to serve as
both a central meeting place and an emergency response facility in
the event of a regional disaster. It is expected that the ferry terminal’s
rider capacity will triple.
To eliminate any delays for tourists, pedestrians, joggers,
cyclists, mass transit vehicles and cars, PEC agreed with WETA
to complete the project without public impact. This commitment
includes maintaining current ferry service at a ferry gate located
within the construction footprint. The ferry gate is one of WETA’s
busiest with more than 130 arrivals and departures each day.
PEC has also sequenced construction around the need to protect
marine wildlife. To accomplish this, all in-water construction
occurred during a short six-month window, in which vulnerable
species were less likely to be affected.
“We are now around 75 percent complete with the project,” said
Jeff Van Meter, PEC project manager. “Phase 1 began in April 2017
and included the majority of the pile driving – 153 piles. With pile
driving, we have driven 177 of the total 200 piles for the project.
The sizes include 24-inch, 30-inch and 36-inch steel piles. And, 167
of those piles are for the reinforced concrete deck we are building,
while the other 33 are for the guide and fender piles on the
new floats.”
Van Meter says the biggest pile driving challenge to date has
been working around the active ferry terminal.
“We have limited space on the project and are constantly
maneuvering the barges into different positions to complete the
work without affecting the normal ferry operations.”
He says the majority of the piles have been driven using the D.B.
Alameda, which is PEC’s 100- ton Clyde 24 Derrick barge.
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
The lagoon full of
24-inch and 36-inch
diameter steel pipe
pile will become the
17,000-square-foot
granite plaza with
amphitheater seating
Pile drivers Jason Pleasants and Arturo Ramirez drive a pilot spud to
clear rip rap and concrete debris prior to driving final production piles
64 | EDITION 5 2019 www.piledrivers.org
/www.piledrivers.org
