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Boxer Tours Caldecott Tunnel Construction Site

By Caitilin McAdoo, BCN
Thursday June 03, 2010 - 04:55:00 PM

U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer toured a construction site in Orinda this morning where crews are creating a fourth bore at the Caldecott Tunnel. 

The four-year, $420 million project broke ground in January and has so far created 225 jobs, according to Bijan Sartipi, director of Caltrans' District 4. 

The project is expected to create between 4,000 and 4,500 new jobs by the time it's finished, Boxer said. 

"We're putting Californians to work right here, right now," Boxer said. 

About $197.5 million for the project came from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  

An estimated 160,000 drivers pass through the Caldecott Tunnel between Contra Costa and Alameda counties each day. 

The project will increase safety and efficiency and improve the quality of life for Bay Area residents, Boxer said. 

Right now, crews are building retaining walls on the east and west portal, and next week a 130-ton, $4.5 million boring machine is expected to arrive at the project site.