EDM services provided engineering design and support services for two phases of the Silicon Valley Rapid Transit (SVRT) utility relocation project on behalf of a major international energy company. The project was constructed within the cities of Milpitas and Fremont, in Santa Clara and Alameda Counties. Entities involved in the project included the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR), and the California Department of Transportation (CALTRANS). EDM Services coordinated with the affected utility companies included but not limited to, a major international energy company, Kinder Morgan, MCI, Level 3, Sprint, and Verizon.
The overall objective was to provide an unobstructed 40-foot-wide corridor for the proposed BART rail system extension. The project included the removal and re-location of all conflicting utilities within the rail corridor. In addition, all at-grade road crossings were eliminated by re-constructing the roadways to pass underneath the rail lines.
The utility relocation project posed a number of unique construction challenges:
- The alignments were within a densely populated portion of the San Francisco Bay Area. As a result, the construction corridor was essentially confined to the available area within the rail corridor.
- The construction corridor was parallel to the active UPRR tracks. In some locations, the tracks were located within the construction work area, requiring close coordination and continuous monitoring with the rail operations.
- Many of the trench areas were within the zone of influence from the rail lines. As a result, there was significant surcharge loads requiring specialized shoring and structural designs.
The project involved relocating, decommissioning, and abandoning the majority of the major international energy company 8-inch refined petroleum products pipeline along the 5.2- and 3.8-mile segments, respectively. EDM Services support services included, project management tasks, substructure research, preparation of typical detailed drawings including (e.g., cover sheet, drawing list, alignment sheet key map, general notes, survey data, tie-in details, trench details, cathodic protection details), right-of way and permitting support services, preparation of detailed alignment drawings and construction specifications, construction support, and as-built drawings.
The abandonment planning support included the nitrogen and hydrostatic test head and pig trap detail design, SWPPP preparation, water pollution control plan preparation, field surveys, hydrostatic testing and water disposal detail design, pipeline grouting alignment and design, plan check services, and coordination with local utilities.
