Crews have started replacing aging water mains as part of the High Pressure City Water (HPCW) Repair Project. The work is scheduled to continue through Friday, Oct. 30, and will affect vehicle access, parking, and noise levels in several areas of the Lab.
Impacted areas and schedule
Work will take place Monday through Friday between 6 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. and will affect:
- Buildings 6, 15, 37, 80, and 80A
- Parking Lot Y and all street parking along North Road
- North Road, which will be closed to vehicle traffic each day
What to expect
North Road will close to vehicles at 6 a.m. and reopen each day at 2:30 p.m. Lot Y will be closed for the duration of the project and used as a construction staging area. Employees who normally park in Lot Y or along North Road should plan to use alternate lots. Pedestrian access to Buildings 6 and 80 will be available; please follow the delineated pathway and signage. Expect intermittent traffic delays along Lawrence Road as construction vehicles enter and exit the site, and increased noise in nearby buildings. Emergency vehicle access to all buildings will be maintained at all times.
Why this work is necessary
The mains being replaced were installed in the 1960s and 1980s and have corroded to the point of failure. Three separate breaks have already occurred, each causing unplanned service interruptions and costly emergency repairs. Replacing the mains on a planned schedule is significantly less disruptive than waiting for the next failure to happen.
The project will take roughly two months because the work areas are densely packed with other buried utilities, and trenches have to be excavated by hand to avoid damaging adjacent lines. Facilities will be working closely with the contractor to minimize disruptions wherever possible while maintaining a safe work environment.
Thank you for your patience while these critical infrastructure improvements are completed.
For any questions or concerns, please contact Luis Soto at LSoto@lbl.gov.
Visit the Site Impacts Map for more information.
