Uncategorized | 511 Contra Costa - Part 3

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Caldecott Tunnel Trivia Question #1

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It’s Caldecott Fourth Bore Trivia Time!

The Fourth Bore project is breaking new ground every day. Keep up by testing your Caldecott knowledge and you might learn something new. And use your Internet sleuthing skills, for Peet’s sake!
The Nitty Gritty Details:

  1. New trivia questions will be posted bi-weekly
  2. One lucky winner will receive a $10 Peet’s Coffee gift card compliments of 511 Contra Costa (Winners will be randomly selected from all correct respondents)
  3. Answers can be found on the project website at www.caldecott-tunnel.org
  4. Please submit answers by Thursday, October 20th, 2011

This week’s question…

The topheading from both the east and the west is being excavated now,  and that work will be followed by the bench, or bottom portion.
Q: Why is the top section of the tunnel being excavated first?
Thanks for entering! We’re now onto Question #2.

Bike to Work Day: Thursday May 12, 2011

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17th Annual Bike to Work Day – May 12, 2011.


Come help celebrate National Bike Month and California Bike Commute Week in May with Bike to Work Day.   Bike to Work Day is a promotional event to encourage non-bike riders to try commuting by bicycle. Bike to Work Day in the San Francisco Bay Area is primarily funded by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission with the help of financial donations from event sponsors and volunteers.
There were over 100 energizer stations throughout the bay region where cyclists can stop by for refreshments and promotional items.511 Contra Costa has supported cyclists and Energizer Station hosts throughout  Contra Costa County since 2001 using  Bay Area Air Quality Management District funds and the Contra Costa Transportation Authority’s half-cent sales tax for transportation funds.
Want to participate in BTWD, but not sure what to do? Check out our blog post, Bike to Work Day: Are you ready?

Contra Costa Bike Commuter of the Year

Brentwood’s Al Lim was the 2011 Contra Costa County  Bike Commuter of the Year. Read how Al’s determination, humility and dedication to bicycling inspires his friends, family and coworkers. More >>

Contra Costa Team Bike Challenge Winners

Congratulations to EBMUD for winning the top Contra Costa 2011 Team Bike Challenge for BTWD.
Hydrologic Cyclers
276 pts / 2,083.4 miles
East Bay Municipal Utility District
Contra Costa

Energizer Stations and Bike Maps

The Bike to Work Day website has google maps of energizer stations all over the bay area. Click here for a map of Contra Costa County energizer stations. A list of all energizer station region maps is available here.
Need help with your route? Check out our selection of free paper and on-line bike maps.

Bike to Work Day Materials

Download the BTWD flyer, employer tool-kit information, and Team Bike Challenge information.

Bike to Work Day Photos

The 511CC flickr stream is chock full of Bike to Work Day photos from years past. Check out the  Bike to Work Day photo archives  here. We are also compiling an archive of older Bike to Work Day photos, which you can check out here.
Submit your photos and/or videos of Bike to Work Day to enter for a chance to win $25 Peet’s Coffee & Tea! Submissions must be sent by May 18, 2011 5pm PST to be eligible for the prize drawing. Send your photos and/or videos via Twitter or email them to submissions@511contracosta.org.

BTWD in Contra Costa Made Possible by Our Local Partners

Thanks to the following public agencies and companies who are sponsoring Energizer Stations.

Caldecott Fourth Bore Progress Update

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According to the graphic depicting progress on tunneling, work crews have excavated more than 300 meters. The graphic shows mining of the topheading at the eastern and western portals of the tunnel.
Breaking through a three-foot thick concrete retaining wall, tunneling crews began excavation on the western side in mid-March, as work on the eastern side continued to make headway. Excavation of the Orinda Formation has been completed and tunneling through the Claremont Foundation is well underway.
Tunneling from the west presents new challenges. The less stable rock formation requires the installation of structural reinforcements at shorter intervals than on the eastern side.

Source:
Caldecott-tunnel.org
 

Closure Updates

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The Caldecott Lane on-ramp to Westbound Route 24 and the connector ramp between Westbound Route 24 and Northbound Route 13 will be closed at 9:00PM Wednesday night, January, 12. The ramps will be open before the morning commute.
Caltrans is washing Caldecott Bore Number 3 (the Northern bore) this week. Closures are scheduled from 9:30PM – 4:30AM for the following days:  Tuesday 1/11 and Wednesday 1/12/2011.
 
Source:

West Portal Update

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The installation of pipe canopy on the west portal will be going on until mid January, 2011. The pipe canopy will support the earth above the tunnel during the first 190 feet of excavation.
The next step will be tunnel excavation of the west portal. The tunneling machinery at the West Portal will be smaller, but more versatile than at the East Portal. For more details about the West Portal tunneling excavation check out www.caldecott-tunnel.org.
Source:

Gifts to Splurge On

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Though our previous posts have mostly been about affordable gifts to give your commuter friends and family, this list is for indulging yourself. From a city-slick bicycle to the latest 2-way convertible tablet, these gifts will be sure to bring a smile to your face as well as prepare you for a stylish new year (not to mention impress your cubicle mates).

Coated Canvas Backpack

  • $129.95
  • Heavy-duty cotton canvas with a water resistant coating.
  • Fits up to a 17″ laptop
  • Faux-fur lined notebook compartment
  • Padded back panels
  • Modern, minimalist design

(Photo Credit: incase)

Linus Roadster Classic

  • $409
  • Beautiful, sleek and simple.

(Photo Credit: Linus Bikes)

Marshall Major Headphones

  • $99
  • For the stylish commuter who wants to look good while rockin’ out to The Black Keys on the bus to work.
  • The headband is made out of the same vinyl used in Marshall amplifiers.

(Photo Credit: Marshall Major Headphones)

Amazon Kindle

  • $189 (3G + wireless) or $139 (wireless)
  • Because sometimes you just don’t want to haul giant heavy Russian novels around on the bus.
  • 7.5″ x 4.8″ x 0.335″
  • Battery Life: 1 month

(Photo Credit: Amazon.com)

Dell Inspiraron Duo

  • $550
  • The iPad is great, but nothing beats an actual keyboard for the commuter who wants to get real work done while sitting on the bus or the train.
  • Switch from touch to type with just a flip.
  • View horizontally or vertically.

(Photo Credit: Dell)

Ari Marcopoulos Camera Bag

  • $199.95
  • 18.9″ x 11″ x 6.7″
  • Compatibiliy: iPad, SLR, DSLR
  • Heavy-duty canvas with water-repellent coating
  • Interior pockets for documents and other bits and pieces

(Photo Credit: incase)

DODOcase iPad and Kindle Cases

  • $60
  • Handmade in San Francisco
  • Looks like a Moleskin notepad, but for your iPad!
  • It’s pretty.

(Photo Credit: DODOcase)

Holiday Gift Ideas for the Driving Commuter

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While last time we posted holiday gift ideas for your bicyclist friend, this time we’ve come up with some presents to give to the driving commuter. For the girl that’s perennially late for work, here are a couple options for on-the-go thermoses and coffee mugs. Friends who constantly complain about the music played on the radio can be given cassette adapters and auxiliary cables for their MP3 players. And last but not least, the ever handy-dandy GPS for your uncle who still drives his old 1993 Camry and is always late to Christmas dinner because he’s lost.
Happy Shopping!
mug
1. Thermos Nissan Tea Tumbler with Infuser

  • $19.99
  • 12 ounces
  • Keeps coffee and tea hot for hours. Mug comes with a removable mesh tea leaf infuser so you can steep your tea while you’re out and about.
  • The only drawback is that the cap is screw-on so you need both hands in order to drink from it.

(photo credit: Philip Friedman)
french press mug
2. Bodum Travel Press with or Without Rubber Grip

  • $12.95
  • 16 ounces
  • It’s a French press! It’s a travel mug! It’s a French press travel mug! This awesome mug… I mean French press, let’s you brew coffee while you’re on the go. No more waiting for the coffee to be ‘ready’ before you can rush out the door, now you can just dump the grounds in, pour the water, and BAM! get into the car. Also very handy for brewing fresh coffee at work or anywhere there’s hot water.
  • A plastic flap on the lid pops open, allowing for easy, one-handed sipping.

(photo credit: Philip Friedman)

3. Oxo Good Grips LiquiSeal Travel Mug

  • $19.99
  • 14 ounces
  • Good standard coffee mug for the morning commute. Three silicone seals insure no spills and vacuum insulation guarantees to keep temperature up to seven hours.
  • One-handed activation also good for drivers.

(photo credit: Oxo)
ipod adpater

4. Monster iCarPlay Cassette 800 for iPhone and iPod

  • $24.95
  • Don’t like the songs on the radio? Me neither. Play your own music on your iPhone or iPod through your car stereo cassette player!
  • 3-foot cord and spring-loaded cassette head
  • Dual Balanced conductors deliver more natural audio

(photo credit: Apple.com)

5. Monster iCable 800 for iPhone and iPod

  • $19.95
  • iPhone, iPod or other media player gets a direct wired connection to your car’s audio system so your music is free of static and FM interference.
  • Great for cars with auxiliary input

(photo credit: Apple.com)

iphone charger

6. AT&T 32520att Black with USB Port Car Charger For iPhone

  • $9.99
  • Charger & Adapter for iPhone & iPhone 3G/3GS
  • Because it sucks to run out of batteries.

(photo credit: AT&T)
garmin
7. Garmin GPS

  • $114.99
  • Map detail, driving directions, photos
  • Search addresses, popular destinations

(photo credit: Garmin)

Holiday Gifts for the Bicyclist on Your List ($20 or less)

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1. SpokeLit:

$7.99

An LED that’s attached between the bicycle spokes and creates cool ‘circles’ of light as the wheel rolls. This bright light also serves to keep the bicyclist safe by making him or her more visible. You can set the SpokeLit to ‘glow’ or ‘flash,’ depending on how much attention you want to bring to yourself (and how starstruck you want your fellow bikers to be). This nifty device comes in red, blue, green, disc-O, amber. Shock and weather resistant.

2. Knog (Frog Single Rear LED):

$6.95

If you don’t want something as flashy at the SpokeLit, get one of these little frog-like LEDs are small bits of color that spice up your ride, clipping on to just about anywhere on you bike. The bright light flashes for up to 160 hours.

3. Tito Ahmels Bicycle Seat Covers:

$10

Because only this way can your bicycle seat turn into a cow head. With horns.
These animal head bicycle seat covers are waterproof, keeping your saddle clean and dry when you park outside. The only concern is that they’re so awesome they might not still be on your saddle when you get back. The seat covers come in bear, cow, dog, fox, and goat designs.

4. Pryme BMX Helmet:

$20

These no-nonsese helmets are usually worn by skateboarders, but who says bicyclists can’t wear them too? They’re very sensible and normal-looking (none of those alien-shaped green squiggly lined bicycle helmets) so just suck it up and wear a helmet, they really don’t look that bad and they keep you safe! That’s lookin’ at you, hipsters.


5. Urban Gaiter (Leg Gaiters):
$20
Similar to the gaiters that hikers or skiers wear, these ‘Urban Gaiters’ from Cyclelogical are designed to keep grease off your cuff and pant leg (no more flipping your cuff up!). This gaiter even has an inner pocket to stash money, cell phones, or keys.

6. Reflective Chopspokes:
$7
These reflectors cover your spokes and give you extra visibility at night.
Check back every day for more great gift ideas!
Photo Credit: SpokeLit, Mike’s Bikes, greenergrassdesign, Amazon, Cyclelogic (in order of appearance)

Music for the Morning Commute

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ipod
Have a slick set-up like this guy.

Most people find their morning commute to be tedious and tiring–just another morning stuck in traffic and trying to beat the rush.
But you can make your commute into a daily pump-up for work by just doing one thing: playing some good music.
No more morning talk shows where the radio hosts are more often annoying than funny, and definitely not informative. Instead, make a playlist on your iPod, iPhone, Zune, or other schnazzy gadget (if you’re old-school, burn a CD or record a cassette. Wait, do people still do that? Yes. Me.) of new popular songs or old goodies and sing your way to work.
You can make a new playlist every 2 or 3 weeks, or even just compile a giant list of songs and set it on ‘shuffle’ so that you’re always pleasantly surprised at the excellent song choice. Good job DJ.
I guarantee you’ll arrive with a smile on your face and a bounce in your step.
Here are some of some of the tunes playing on my commute:

  1. Jesus, Etc. – Wilco
  2. Bleeding Love – Leona Lewis
  3. Big Pimpin – Jay-Z
  4. Sweet Song – Blur
  5. Don’t Turn Away – Peking Laundry
  6. Scenic World – Beirut
  7. Sunday Morning – k-os
  8. Wake Up – Arcade Fire
  9. You Make My Dreams – Hall & Oates
  10. Sway – Heartless Bastards
  11. Skinny Love – Bon Iver
  12. 3 Rounds and a Sound – Blind Pilot
  13. Stop This Train – John Mayer
  14. Family Business – Kanye West
  15. Hip-Hop Saved My Life – Lupe Fiasco

Don’t like my selections? That’s cool. What would your top 10 song picks be?


Photo Credit: webjones

Origin of the Wheel

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THE HISTORY OF TRANSPORTATION: Part 1

Starting this week, we’ll be featuring a blog post every week about the history of transportation. Why? Because transportation is cool.
Let’s start off with the most basic aspect of modern transportation–the wheel. What is a wheel? According to Dictionary.com, it is: “A circular frame or disk arranged to revolve on an axis, ason or in vehicles or machinery.” According to popular vernacular, aka UrbanDictionary.com, it is: “Trying to, or the act of picking up a girl.”
For the purposes of this blog–transportation–we’ll be sticking with the more technical definition and leave UrbanDictionary for another day.
So the wheel is basically the backbone upon which basically all modern forms of transportation have been built. Bicycles and cars obviously run on wheels, planes need wheels for lift-off and landing, rocket ships need wheels to move to their launching pads. In fact, the heavier the object it seems, the more wheels become necessary to move it.
The earliest dated depiction of a wheeled contraption is from a clay pot found in Poland, dated 3500–3350 BC, after which it spread from Central Europe across Eurasia. Chariots continued the popularization of wheeled vehicles once the spoked wheel was invented, which replaced the simpler wooden wheel and axle. Undoubtedly, the use of wheels in vehicles increased after smooth roads became more prevalent.
The wheel and axle makes work easier by shifting the weight of the object being moved from the wheel to the axle, so that it is balanced and maintained on the axle. The operator therefore endures less stress because the weight is distributed evenly. (If you have a better description or want to explain the physics in more detail, don’t hesitate to comment on this post!)
In the Middle Ages, people apparently had much better imaginations than we do, and the wheel was used as a form of capital punishment. The condemned were tied onto the wheel and beaten with a club or cudgel, the gaps in the wheel were to allow the cudgel to break through. In France, the victims were stretched on a cartwheel and their limbs were broken on an iron bar as the wheel revolved.
Other early uses for wheels include children’s toys, spinning pottery, waterwheels, and agriculture.
The wheel has also come to represent many symbols in different cultures and religions:

  • The Gauls, a Celtic tribe in the French-speaking region of Europe, used the symbol (a circle divided into six equal parts) as an attribute of the Taranis, the god of thunder. It was called the sun wheel.
  • Tibetans’ world wheel use the symbol of a circle divided into six equal parts with circle in its center with the outer rim divided into 12 parts. The inner circle band is divided into a light and dark halves.
  • The wheel of the year, a circle divided into eight equal parts, a Wiccan symbol that supposedly contains the key practices of Wicca: the four directions, the four elements, the cycle of life, and the Wiccan calendar of holy days.
  • Alchemists used the six-part circle to stand for malachite, an emerald-green mineral (which contained copper).
  • The wheel was used by the medieval goddess Fortuna who spun it at random to change the fate of hapless individuals. Her spinning of the wheel symbolized Fate’s capricious nature.
  • Tarot decks contain a wheel of fortune card modeled after the concept of the goddess Fortuna. The card’s interpretations are:
  1. Turning point; Opportunities; Possibilities
  2. Destiny; Fate; Superior Forces; Movement
  3. Development; Activity; Surprises; Expansion
  4. Sudden Events; Speed; New Developments; Life Cycles
  5. Interpretation; Sudden Change; Discention; Approachability

Photo Credits: Rickydavid

Bicycle Safety: Riding in the Rain and at Night

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There are endless benefits to commuting on two wheels: exercise, endorphins, energy-efficiency, self-fulfilment, etc. Most people love their morning ride for the fresh air and great views, but sooner or later everyone finds that they have to start riding at night, or worse, through the rain. Scary as it may be, knowledge, equipment, and skill make it a lot easier to be confident.
NIGHT RIDING
Lights: In addition to helping light your way, bike lights are necessary so that other people (namely, car drivers) can see you against the glare of automobile headlights. All state laws mandate a headlight at night, so just get one. (A white headlight identifies the fronts of all vehicles.)
What are my options?
1. Small battery lights: Best for riding under streetlights.
2. Generator systems: Bright enough for lighting dark roads. Good for long-distance touring, but most lights will turn off when you’re not riding which is inconvenient for stop-and-go city commutes. (Some generators have battery backup that keeps them lighted when you stop.)
3. High-powered battery systems: Brightest light but also most expensive and generally heavier than other lights. Good for dark roads or trails.
TIP: Carry spare bulbs/batteries for your lights.
Reflectors: Rear reflector and pedal reflectors are especially important for night riding. They signal drivers behind you and work even if your main lights go out.
TIP :  Flash your headlight at drivers to catch their attention and make eye contact. This is important to get the attention of drivers pulling out of a side street.
RIDING THROUGH RAIN
Equipment:
1. Bicyclist’s Rain Cape: Similar to a poncho, but tailored for the bicyclist’s riding position. It has loops at the front to hook over your thumbs or the brake levers. A waist strap holds down the back of the cape. Brightly colored capes make you more visible to drivers. The rain cape is better than regular raincoats or ponchos because they allow ventilation.

2. Fenders: You’ll need a pair to use with your rain cape. They keep dirty water and mud from flying up under the cape.
3. Dry Rim Brakes: Steel rims  are difficult in the rain–stopping distances may be increased by 10 times. Apply the brakes in advance, well before you need to stop.
TIP: Relubricate your bike chain after riding in the rain to help prevent it from rust.
Photo Credits: blhphotography, Wha’ppen, d. FUKA



Keep Your Bike Safe

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One of the peskiest things about owning a bicycle is the potential that it might get stolen.
Sure you’ve got your U-Lock, your Combination Lock, your Unbreakable-Uncuttable-Unstealable-Bike-Chain-Lock… but there’s always the fear that one day you find that your bike is gone (poof!). Or equally as frightening–that you’ll find the sad skeleton of a bike with its wheels stolen, leaving you to haul the poor thing home. What to do?
Awesomely, just use public bicycle services. There are public bicycle lockers (keyed and electronic) and BART bike stations that you can use to make sure your environmentally friendly two-wheeler stays safe. If you want to keep your bicycle close at hand while you’re working, apply for workplace bike lockers (Contra Costa County only).

LOCKERS:
1. Keyed lockers: Single-use and require a rental agreement. Contact (510) 464-7133 for locker availability and download the application/rental agreement.
2. Electronic lockers: Shared use. First-come, first-serve. They provide secure bike parking and increased bicycle storage capacity at BART stations.
(Currently, electronic lockers are available at these BART stations: Ashby, Dublin/Pleasanton, El Cerrito Plaza, Lake Merritt, MacArthur, North Berkeley, Pleasant Hill, Rockridge, San Leandro, and West Oakland.)
But how do I use an electronic locker?
It’s basically on-demand bike parking. Buy a smart card (online or at a vendor), insert card into slot next to locker, follow instructions on screen. Simple! It’s like street parking for cars, but a lot easier. When you come back for your bike, your smart card also opens the door.
How much does it cost?
3-cents an hour (3-cents an hour?!), which is automatically deducted from your smart card after putting time in the meter. Unused time and value are automatically refunded back to the card.
Nice.
(More info on electronic lockers…)

Just another day on the job.

BART BIKE STATIONS:
Valet parking like you’ve never seen it before…
1. Fruitvale BART Station: 3301 E. 12th St, Oakland. This location is the second largest bike station in the nation! There’s a full-service bike repair shop right on hand, and you get free bike storage.
2. Downtown Berkeley BART Station: 2208 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley. Conveniently located next to an ice cream shop.
3. Embarcadero BART Station: 298 Market St, SF. Located on the concourse level of the Embarcadero BART Station in downtown San Francisco directly below Market Street near the Davis Street entrance.
Worksite Lockers (Locker Project)
Request an application to install a locker at your worksite.
Additional Links
Bike Rules
BART Schedules
Bicycle Task Force
Photo Credits: mclcbooks, US National Archives

The Street Smarts "Be Reel!" 2010-2011 Video Contest is Underway!

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Attention all aspiring directors, producers, and screenwriters! Now is your chance to show your friends, family, and classmates your awesome video-making abilities.
The Street Smarts “Be Reel!” Video Contest, which takes place each spring and fall, wants middle school students (grades 6-8) in San Ramon Valley to submit 60-second public service announcement videos about traffic safety. Teams, which can include up to four students, will have the opportunity to win prizes, from $25 gift cards to iPod shuffles and nanos, as well as the possibility of having their video viewed at the Danville International Children’s Film Festival. The theme for the 2010-2011 contest is “Walking and Biking to School Together is the Cool Thing To Do.”
For more information about the contest and to enter, visit the Street Smarts website.
Here are a couple of finalist videos from the 2009-2010 contest.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iPkYVDNh9k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZMChOVwj1U
Other finalist videos from 2009-2010

1913 Transit Time Isochron Map for the Peninsula and East Bay

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Ever wonder what commutes were like from the Peninsula and East Bay to San Francisco in years gone by? The folks at Burrito Justice pointed our attention to this neat 1913 transit time isochron map for the Peninsula and East Bay to 3rd and Mission for ferries and trains (steam and electric). To see additional transit-related documents from earlier years, take a glance at Eric Fischer’s Flickr page.
Here is the text included at the side of the map:
While practically half of San Francisco lies within the 30-minute time zone, none of the trans-bay commuters now reach land within that time. All of the trans-bay districts are reached within an hour, the same as San Francisco. But for the former, from one-fourth to one-half of the time is consumed in the water trip. Shaded contour areas and time points within circles indicate how far commuters may ride within 10-minute intervals from the center of the business district-Third and Market Streets (allowing seven minutes to the Ferry terminal, and 10 minutes to the railroad terminal at Third and Townsend Streets). The inner shaded zones correspond to the running time by electric and cable lines. Double circles and the Peninsular zone particularly refer to steam lines. Running speed is indicated directly by the relative distance between these time points. For steam trains, the time shown is on limited local trains passing by only the less important stations. Some limited expresses make 26% better time, and way locals 15% slower time than here indicated. With the same character of rapid transit equipment, it appears that from 20 to 30 minutes more running time will always be necessary, by reason of the water trip, for trans-bay commuters to reach their homes than for San Franciscans, but that no such handicap exists as a limitation for Peninsular development.

West Portal Soundwall Painting Completed

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Caltrans has completed painting the temporary soundwall at the west portal of the tunnel. Workers began planting 77 fast growing evergreen Leyland Cypress trees between the soundwall and the curb. Near the conclusion of the project in late 2013 or early 2014, the soundwall will be demolished and the trees will be removed. The area between Caldecott Lane and the freeway – an area now being used as a construction staging area – will be covered with an earthen berm, 20 feet high at the crest, and landscaped with grass and trees.

Source:
• Caldecott-tunnel.org

Bicycle Lane Closure

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Caltrans closed the bicycle lane at the eastbound on-ramp to Fish Ranch Road. Bicycles were allowed on the freeway shoulder between the Fish Ranch Road on-ramp and the Wilder Road off-ramp. However, Caltrans is installing a drainage pipe along the shoulder and must close the bike lane to facilitate the work. Caltrans anticipates that the work will be finished by December 1, 2010 at which time the bike lane will re-opened.
Source:
• Caldecott-tunnel.org

Lane Closures

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Caltrans will close lanes 3 and 4 (two right lanes) of Westbound Rte. 24 and the Third Bore between 10PM and 4AM on Monday and Tuesday nights, September 20-21, 2010. In addition, the Fish Ranch Road on-ramp and off-ramp will be closed between 10PM and 5AM.
Caltrans will close lanes 1 and 2 (two left lanes) of Eastbound Rte. 24 and the Second Bore between 10:30 PM and 4AM on Wednesday and Thursday nights, September 22 – 23, 2010. The closure will begin just East of Claremont Avenue.
Source:
• Caldecott-tunnel.org

Roadheader carves out first few feet of the fourth bore

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The giant roadheader made a small ceremonial cut Aug. 8 for a public event, but it had to back out and wait for crews to use torches and other tools to cut out metal reinforcement embedded into the hill to stabilize the east portal of the tunnel.

The giant roadheader, which has a rotating cutter mounted on a boom, started boring Wednesday and had carved out about 10 feet of the new tunnel by midday Friday, Caltrans reported. “It’s exciting to see it finally boring through the mountain, scooping up the dirt, and moving it away,” Caltrans spokesman Jeff Weiss said at the construction site just north of the existing three bores of the Caldecott Tunnel on Highway 24.

Crews will be operating the roadheader 10 hours a day this week and 20 hours a day next week.

Source:

• www.insidebayarea.com