The much-appreciated plaza features a nightly light show that is projected onto the Macy’s Men’s building, featuring San Francisco landmarks and holiday themed-images.

Shoppers, pedestrians, visitors and locals of all ages can enjoy the open space, festive decorations and special seating in the plaza through the first of January.

If you would like to see more photos of project construction, check out our Flickr, updated weekly!

Project Director John Funghi accepts the ASCE Transportation Project of the Year award on behalf of the Central Subway Project, a 1.7 mile-long extension of the Muni T Third Line.

The ASCE accolade was given to the Central Subway project, named the Transportation Project of the Year for 2015. When open for revenue service in 2019, the Central Subway will connect the northern and southern part of the city.

Want to see more photos of project construction?  Check out our Flickr, updated weekly!

Mayor Lee welcomes the public to the holiday plaza and encourages people to shop locally.

Holiday activities include: a nightly light art show, carolers, live music, food trucks and promotional incentives.

The public is encouraged to check out “Winter Walk SF” and it’s nightly light art show.

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) Director Ed Reiskin lists ways to get around the city – public transportation, bike, on foot and by vehicle.

More details and scheduled events can be found here.

Pictured from left to right: San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) Director Ed Reiskin, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee

House Minority Leader Pelosi

Mayor Lee

SFMTA Director Reiskin

Tomie Arai

Artist Tomie Arai met with some of the San Francisco community on August 7 about her art installation for the future Central Subway Station in Chinatown. More than thirty people attended the event produced in conjunction with the San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) and hosted by the Chinese Culture Center (CCC). The presentation was done both in English and translated into Chinese by Cathie Lam of Chinatown Community Development Center (CCDC).

Mary Chou (SFAC)

Abby Chen, curator and artistic director of CCC, welcomed the artist Tomie Arai and introduced the SFAC public art representative Mary Chou.

Ms. Chou (SFAC) described the comprehensive public art program and how it will reflect the rich cultural and historical contexts within this area (see Central Subway Arts Master Plan). As explained by Chou, the purpose of this gathering was for the artist to receive input from the community.

The location of this installation will be a wrap around the outside top entrance of the station and two platform level pieces.

Arai’s work will be at locations #1 (outside wraparound), #3a (platform level), and #3b (platform level).

The public informs the artist about their preferences for the station artwork.

Arai took the group through a series of slides that represented some of her previous art work. Much of her work has dealt with cultural identities. Her work tends to highlight and celebrate a community’s shared history. Arai’s goal is to tell a story about San Francisco’s Chinatown and her concept for her installation is “Urban Archeology.” Her vision for this art piece is to represent both the past and the present of the Chinatown community. A commemorative group photo of this important gathering can be seen below.

      Some of the community members with the artist Tomie Arai.

A tour group visits tunnel boring machine Mom Chung beneath busy 4th Street.

Tunnel boring machine Mom Chung is almost assembled and just about ready for launch. This summer, the 350-foot-long, 750-ton tunnel-building behemoth will begin her journey north beneath the streets of San Francisco, constructing the city’s first new subway tunnel in decades.

Last week we celebrated Mom Chung’s upcoming journey with an event at the site where tunneling will begin. After speeches by Mayor Edwin M. Lee, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi’s Chief of Staff Robert Edmonson, Board of Supervisors President David Chiu, District 6 Supervisor Jane Kim and others, guests toured the underground site where Mom Chung is being assembled. They sent her off by signing their names on her cylindrical shield, wishing her a safe and successful voyage beneath SoMa, Union Square, Chinatown and North Beach.

The photos below are of the event, held last Thursday on and below 4th Street. For more photos, visit us on Flickr. To find out more about the event, check out this press release from the SFMTA.

Before the event, the stage was set with safety gear for special guests and honored speakers.

Reporters set up cameras, preparing for the arrival of Mayor Lee and other special guests.

A cheerful Mayor Lee talks about the many benefits of the Central Subway — reducing travel times, connecting San Francisco’s neighborhoods and preparing for the growth expected in the city in coming years and decades.

Supervisors Jane Kim and David Chiu listen to Mayor Lee’s speech. The Central Subway (and Mom Chung) will travel through their districts.

Mayor Lee prepares to cut the cake decorated with TBM Mom Chung. Thanks to Victoria Pastry for creating this delicious treat.

Central Subway Program Director John Funghi leads the first tour of the excavation, known as a launch box, where Mom Chung is being assembled and will begin tunneling.

At the entrance to the launch box, tour goers look with awe upon Mom Chung.

Mayor Lee signs Mom Chung. The TBM will help build “our future San Francisco.”

Others, including Supervisor Chiu, sign their names and messages on the TBM.

Gina Low Weiss, grandniece of Dr. Margaret “Mom” Chung, after whom the TBM is named, signs her name and writes her message on the machine.

This section of Mom Chung, known as the trailing gear, performs a variety of functions, including carrying excavated spoils out of the tunnel and bringing concrete tunnel segments in.

After the tour, participants exited the launch box, returning outside to a warm, sunny day.

San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee takes a look at tunnel boring machine Mom Chung in the excavation under 4th Street where tunneling will begin.

Yesterday, Mayor Edwin M. Lee paid a visit to the construction site where tunneling will begin and saw Mom Chung, the 350-foot-long tunnel boring machine currently being assembled underground.

Speaking to reporters in front of the digging cutter head of Mom Chung, Mayor Lee said he was excited about the Central Subway, calling the T Third Line extension “one of the most important projects for the future of San Francisco.”

SFMTA Board Chairman Tom Nolan, SFMTA Director of Transportation Edward D. Reiskin, Central Subway Program Director John Funghi, key city officials and members of Central Subway team accompanied Mayor Lee under 4th Street to show him the major excavation where tunneling will begin. Check out the photos below for more on the Mayor’s visit to this important construction site.

The tour group heads down the ramp near 4th and Bryant and into the excavation beneath the roadway.

The tour group makes its way through the excavation and toward Mom Chung. From left to right: Director Reiskin, Mayor Lee, John Funghi, tunnel contract Resident Engineer Sarah Wilson.

Sarah Wilson, the engineer overseeing construction of the Central Subway tunnels, explains the details of the tunneling process to Mayor Lee. From left to right: SFPUC Assistant General Manager Emilio Cruz, SFPUC General Manager Harlan Kelly, Jr., Mayor Lee, the Mayor’s Chief of Staff Steve Kawa, John Funghi, Sarah Wilson.

Mayor Lee responds to questions from reporters. From left to right: Director Reiskin, Chairman Nolan, Mayor Lee, John Funghi, SFMTA Board Vice Chairman Cheryl Brinkman, Sarah Wilson.

The tour group gathers around the front of Mom Chung. Called the cutter head, this spinning excavator will dig through the earth under 4th Street, Stockton Street and Columbus Avenue.

Representatives of tunnel construction contractor Barnard Impregilo Healy meet Mayor Lee and Director Reiskin. From left to right: Assistant Project Superintendent Andy Granger, Mayor Lee, Project Manager Ben Campbell, Director Reiskin.

Read more about the Mayor’s visit in today’s San Francisco Chronicle. Tunneling is slated to begin in June.

A recent prime/sub-contractor meet-and-greet event for the Central Subway stations, track and systems contract.

The SFMTA invites all interested Small Business Enterprises (SBEs), Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) and Local Business Enterprises (LBEs) to participate in a series of small business opportunity meetings with the potential prime contractors for the contract to construct the Central Subway stations, track and systems (Contract CN-1300). Each potential prime contractor will be holding a meeting to inform interested SBE firms of their bid preparation procedures, present potential opportunities for SBE firms and provide an opportunity to interact with representatives from the potential prime contractor teams.

A schedule of meetings can be viewed in this flier (PDF). The meetings will be held at the SFMTA headquarters at 1 South Van Ness Avenue, in the Candlestick/Corona Heights conference rooms on the 6th floor.

In addition, the SFMTA is providing technical assistance to small, disadvantaged and local businesses in preparation for the procurement of this major contract. More information, including office hours and a summary of available services, is available here (PDF).

Mayor Lee spoke about the benefits of the Central Subway today at a press conference in Chinatown.

The Central Subway will improve public transportation in San Francisco, create thousands of jobs and enhance the quality of life of residents and visitors alike. That’s what Mayor Edwin M. Lee and other local leaders and community members said at a press conference today at the site of the future Chinatown Station, hailing the Central Subway as an essential and much-needed investment in the city’s infrastructure and economic future.

“Once the Central Subway is built, this new light-rail extension will be an engine for job creation and economic growth in our city, connecting our vital neighborhoods and diverse communities,” said Mayor Lee. “This important investment in our city’s infrastructure will improve transportation options, reduce emissions and enhance the quality of life of residents and visitors.”

Mayor Lee, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) Board of Directors Chairman Tom Nolan, San Francisco Board of Supervisors President David Chiu and others gathered to unveil a decorative vinyl wrap installed at the site of the future Chinatown Station. The wrap, which features renderings of the station design, a mural provided by the Chinese Historical Society of America and artwork by students from the Chinatown YMCA, will protect and enhance the appearance of the now-vacant building at 933 to 949 Stockton Street until it is demolished later this year.

The building has been acquired by the SFMTA, and, with SFMTA assistance, all residential and commercial tenants have successfully relocated.

Top: 933-949 Stockton Street with the artistic wrap. Bottom: The building before the wrap was installed.

The station, a subway station to be constructed at the southwest corner of Stockton and Washington streets, will feature an open, contemporary aesthetic that emphasizes transparency and simplicity. Light-colored and reflective surfaces will maximize lighting efficiency and create a bright, welcoming atmosphere even when customers are below ground. Artwork selected through the San Francisco Arts Commission’s Public Art Program will adorn the station and provide insight into local culture and history.

These renderings depict the design of the Central Subway Chinatown Station.

The Central Subway Project has achieved major milestones in recent months, and more progress is on the horizon this year:

• The contract for the Chinatown Station has been advertised. Bids on the estimated $235 million contract are due May 8.
• Contracts for the other three Central Subway stations are on track for advertisement this spring and summer.
• Work to prepare the project alignment for the construction of a 1.6-mile tunnel is on track to commence this spring.
• In his budget proposal for fiscal year 2013, President Obama included a recommendation for $150 million in funding for the Central Subway Project.
• For the fifth consecutive year, the project received a strong positive rating from the Federal Transit Administration in its annual New Starts review. This indicates that a Full Funding Grant Agreement for nearly $1 billion in New Starts funding may be forthcoming.

To find out more about the Chinatown Station and recent progress on the Central Subway Project, check out this press release (PDF) from Mayor Lee’s office.

Join us at our next Central Subway Community Advisory Group meeting on Thursday, February 16. The meeting will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Presbyterian Church in Chinatown (925 Stockton Street, 2nd Floor).

At the meeting, members of the project team will provide general project updates and discuss the design of the Chinatown Station. Our guest speaker, Cathie Lam of the Chinatown Community Development Center, will discuss the Stockton Street Envisioning Plan.

Check out the meeting agenda (PDF) for more details.

We hope to see you there.