DC Water and Skanska-JayDee will host a media hard hat day at the First Street Tunnel in the Bloomingdale/LeDroit Park neighborhoods to highlight the work that will reduce combined sewer overflows (CSOs) into the Anacostia River and provide sewer storage to mitigate surface flooding in these neighborhoods.

The First Street Tunnel is a 2,700-foot-long tunnel under First Street, NW that will connect to the 13.1-mile-long Anacostia River Tunnel. Altogether, the Anacostia River Tunnel is the largest construction project in the District since the Metro system was completed in 1976.

WHAT: Members of the media are invited to descend the 160-foot deep main shaft of the tunnel to see the work of Lucy, the tunnel boring machine for this tunnel segment. In addition, media can see the advanced technology being used to freeze the ground to minimize the vibrations of the equipment. Ground freezing is an innovative method used to support open ground excavations by protecting adjacent structures in a smaller construction footprint, with less dust, noise and material deliveries than other excavation support methods. Media will be given the opportunity to produce live reports, take photos/video, and conduct interviews.

WHEN: Friday, October 23, 2015 / 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
o 9:00 a.m. Meet Time: A mandatory safety briefing will follow with distribution of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
o 9:45 – 10:30 a.m.: Attendees will be taken down the 160-foot deep main shaft and will walk into the heading to see Lucy.
o 10:30 – 11:15 a.m.: Attendees will visit a ground freezing site.
o 11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Follow-up Q&A and interviews as needed.

WHERE: 2507 First Street, NW (First Street near Channing Street); parking available along First Street, N.W. for media.

WHO: George Hawkins, CEO and General Manager, DC Water
Carlton Ray, Director, Clean Rivers Project, DC Water
Scott Hoffman, Project Manager, Skanska-JayDee

Please RSVP with reporter and photographer/videographer names to Pamela.Mooring@dcwater.com by 1:00 p.m. October 22, 2015. Limit two attendees per media outlet. There will be limited parking for live feed trucks at the site along First Street.

REMINDER: As this is an active construction site, all attendees must wear work boots (rain boots and dress boots are not permitted), long pants and shirts with sleeves of at least 4 inches in length – no exceptions. Skanska-supplied PPE consisting of hard hats, gloves, safety glasses and vests must also be worn at all times while in the work zone.