DOWNTOWN PROJECT UPDATE
MAY 28, 2020
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The Downtown Project will focus on upgrading the infrastructure – below and above ground – in the Downtown area.
The project’s goals are to repave the roadways, repair the sanitary sewer system, make drainage improvements, and upgrade pedestrian curb ramps.
The project began in April and is estimated to finish in September 2020.
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Warning - Prevent Vehicle Damage: Stay out of the Construction Zone
It is illegal to enter an area that is under construction and marked with cones or barricades.
We have received reports of some dangerous behavior around the Downtown Project and want to remind residents of the importance, for your safety and the safety of the workers, and to protect your vehicle, that you follow the directions of construction signs and flaggers, and never enter the Downtown Project construction zone.
Motor Vehicles:
Driving in the Work Zone may lead to DAMAGE TO YOUR VEHICLE
- Follow all construction and detour signage and the directions of construction flaggers.
- Don’t text or talk on the phone and avoid taking your hands off the wheel.
- Watch for speed limit reductions, narrowing lanes, changing traffic patterns, and road workers.
Pedestrians:
- Do not walk through construction zones - ever!!
- Follow all temporary pedestrian walkways for safe, accessible routes.
- Always follow the detoured pathway if the original is restricted or diverted, or just looks unsafe.
Bicyclists:
- Do not use the piles of gravel for jumps and do not jump the open trenches.
- Obey work zone signs, detour signals, and road closed markings.
- Do not ride in-between construction barricades, signage or equipment.
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Weekly Progress Report*:
Last week, the City’s contractor, KJWoods, conducted the following:
- Throckmorton Ave. - Sewer lateral work
- West Blithedale Ave. - Sewer line and sewer lateral work, storm drain repair
- Gardner St. – Cured In Place Pipe (CIPP) prep work (offsite)
This week, KJWoods conducted the following-
- Throckmorton Ave.-CIPP lining installation
- West Blithedale Ave.- Storm drain repair
What is happening in the upcoming weeks-
KJWoods will conduct the following-
- Corte Madera Ave.- CIPP lining installation, trench restorations, curb ramp installations
- Throckmorton Ave.- CIPP lining installation, trench restorations
- West Blithedale Ave.- Trench restorations, curb ramp installations
- Gardner St.- CIPP lining installation
- Sunnyside Ave.- Potholing activities to obtain visual confirmation of utilities and underground obstructions near or crossing the planned trench area, sewer line and sewer lateral work, upheaval repair
- Under the City Block - Lovell / Corte Madera / Bernard/ Throckmorton - CIPP lining installation – Tentatively scheduled evening/night work on Tuesday 6/2/2020 from 6:30 pm until approximately 2:00 am Wednesday, 6/3/2020 (See below for more information)
- East Blithedale Ave - Potholing, sewer work, sewer lateral, upheaval repair
- Hillside and Oakdale Aves - Catch basin installation
* All estimated timelines are tentative and subject to change.
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Night Work Scheduled to Repair Sewer Lining In Challenging Location
Tuesday June 2, 2020 from 6:30 pm until approximately 6:00 am Wednesday June 3, 2020
Usually, sewer lines run under our City streets, but our ongoing Downtown Project has an interesting, and challenging puzzle – one of our City sewer lines runs diagonally under the City block from the corner of Lovell and Corte Madera Aves, to the Corner of Bernard St. and Throckmorton Ave.
How do you fix a sewer line that runs directly under buildings and businesses, such as Peet’s Coffee? Contractors will use the trenchless Cured-in-Place Pipe method (CIPP), which consists of inserting a polyester liner into the existing sewer main. The flexible tube liner gradually hardens to form a rigid, smooth surface that seals cracks and restores the sewer pipe lining.
To do so, contractors need to work when there is minimal sewer flow – so they have arranged to do the work in the evening and at night. We anticipate the impact for neighboring residents and businesses will be lane closures, parking restrictions, and some odor from the lining process.
Residents in the area may hear some low-level construction noise. The noise shall not exceed 60 dBA at a distance of 50 feet. The level of 60 dBA can be compared to the noise of a dishwasher or air conditioner unit. Notices will be delivered to the residences or businesses directly impacted by the work in terms of sewer access.
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Cured In Place Pipe (CIPP) Sewer Work
Throckmorton and Corte Madera Ave.s, Gardener St
Under the City Block - Lovell/Corte Madera/Bernard/Throckmorton
For locations that will be treated with the CIPP method, downtown community members may detect a chemical odor. This is the smell of styrene, a component of the resin used to saturate the sewer liner. This odor will quickly dissipate once the installation process is complete.
Watch a video about CIPP.
What You Can Do:
- Before Sewer CIPP Work Begins: Pour a gallon of water into sinks, floor drains, or other drainage openings, especially those that are seldom used and whose traps may be empty of water, before the contractor begins sewer lining work. This should prevent any odor from entering your building or home.
- During Sewer CIPP Work: It is important that while this work is being performed you limit activities that utilize large volumes of water, such as doing laundry, dishwashing, flushing toilets and bathing. If you do detect an odor, simply open your windows and/or turn on a fan to help ventilate the building. This level of concentration of airborne styrene does not pose a health risk
Additional Information about Styrene
The City of Mill Valley has used the CIPP sewer rehabilitation method, using the chemical styrene in projects such as: the 2019 Wastewater Treatment Plant Sewer Rehabilitation Project, the 2017 Miller Avenue Streetscape Project, and the 2017 Sycamore Avenue Sewer Lining Project, among many others.
- What is styrene? Styrene is a clear, colorless liquid that is used in the production of many everyday products such as plastic packaging, counter tops, disposable cups and containers, insulation and others. We are constantly exposed to small amounts of styrene in both ambient and indoor air, mostly attributable to emissions from building materials, and consumer products.
- How is styrene used in the sewer repair process? To repair the sewers, contractors will install a resin-saturated felt tube that later hardens into a strong “pipe-within-a-pipe.” Styrene is used in the resin that makes up the outside of the new pipe.
- Will I smell styrene odors when the Contractor is rehabilitating nearby sewers? Styrene can be detected by its smell even when there are very small amounts of the chemical present. As a result, persons living or working along the sewer lines may notice styrene’s distinct plastic smell during the new cured-in-place pipe process.
- Do the styrene odors released during the sewer CIPP rehabilitation process pose a risk to my health? The release of styrene during the sewer CIPP rehabilitation process does not pose a significant risk to human health or the surrounding environment. Most people, even if able to detect the styrene odor, have no reaction or symptoms.
- What will the City do to monitor air quality? The City will require the contractor to provide Air Quality Monitoring during CIPP installation. If the readings exceed those allowed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, then they are required to stop work immediately and notify the Construction Manager.
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Mitigating Construction Impacts
City and Construction Management staff are making every effort to mitigate impacts during construction.
Mitigation measures include:
- “Trenchless” construction methods wherever feasible.
- Traffic control to keep one lane open with flagger directing traffic whenever possible
- Pedestrian traffic control to safely direction pedestrians.
- Providing staging areas for the contractor at the Corporation yard and City Hall to minimize on-street impacts
- Employee parking at City Hall will be eliminated during the project, making those spots available for community members and project staging
- Proactive, early notification for residents and businesses in the project area
- Public access to driveways at all times where feasible
- Coordinate business access for delivery trucks with local business
- Sidewalk and street sweeping daily
- Dust control measures
- Regular communication and coordination with the Chamber of Commerce, Downtown stakeholders and the wider community
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Downtown Businesses Update
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Where can I learn more about the project?
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City and Construction Management staff are available to answer questions and review concerns.
Construction Management:
Phone: (916) 806-0278
Construction and Design:
Phone: (415) 384-4755
Public Outreach and Communications:
Please also check out the Project Website:
Stay Informed
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Thank You for Your Patience During Construction
The City of Mill Valley would like to send out a special thank you to the Mill Valley community for your patience during construction.
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