Songtan Modernization

City Gas in Blue Moon Alley	Widening Songtan Station Road	Sinjang Brick Sidewalks	Sinjang Underground Wiring
Blue Moon Alley Gas Line Installation
On Jan 23, the installation team showed up at 11:20am without warning to install the two gas boilers (2nd and 3rd floors) for our place. It was a cold, very windy day. By 4:30pm they had finished and departed. In a few hours, the snow started and we got our first significant snowfall of the season. Here are the final photos of Blue Moon Alley.	1/24/09 - main road snow removal was done by traffic only	1/24/09 - merchants were out early to clear storefront snow	1/24/09 - after snow removal, blanket shop opened on time
In the previous installment, I said they were returning on Dec 23. The temperature that day was -9°c, so they postponed the work. The day after Christmas was warmer — -8°c — so they showed up and started the final residence connections.	12/26/08 - two excavators, one working each end of the alley	12/26/08 - cross-alley trenches cut where needed	12/26/08 - this and following show our installation
12/26/08 - yellow gas pipe connection already done	12/26/08 - this device plays some role in sealing connection	12/26/08 - here it's connected to both sides of our connector	12/26/08 - hole had been drilled for connector pipe
12/26/08 - connector pipe is prepared for installation	12/26/08 - and work continues to prepare other connections	12/26/08 - horizontal hole is completed and pipe installed	12/26/08 - and connector to main line is installed
12/26/08 - wires leading from yellow box to seal connection	12/26/08 - next segment of connector pipe is installed	12/26/08 - and the vertical pipe is then installed	12/26/08 - as work continues on cross-alley connection
12/26/08 - final pipe installation with ground wire to residence	12/26/08 - excavations remain open until pressure is applied	12/26/08 - a view of the work from far end of alley	12/26/08 - worker installing connection to next residence
12/26/08 - yellow connector pipe at right to install in side alley	12/26/08 - work continued into the night, finishing at 10pm	12/27/08 - this is what it looked like early the next morning	12/27/08 - and this is our completed external connection
12/19/08 - this is the source of the water leak	12/19/08 - a pump is trying to keep up with the flow	12/19/08 - eventually the leak is found and repaired	12/19/08 - while another excavation starts near MRAO
12/19/08 - this is to install a new water connection for the hotel	12/19/08 - this time it's a success and done pretty quickly	With the completion of the gas line installation and the repair of multiple water leaks, the final gas installation with connection to residences is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec 23. Will this be the Christmas present Blue Moon Alley residents have awaited since construction began nearly a month ago?
12/18/08 - MRAO bridge over muddy section of trench	12/18/08 - workers arrived to cover trench with asphalt	12/18/08 - and the MRAO bridge is no longer needed	12/18/08 - another convoy arrives to attack water problem
12/18/08 - a pump is left near the area of the water leak	12/18/08 - and digging in this section has commenced
12/17/08 - day has finally arrived for gas line installation	12/17/08 - sandpile behind excavator is for fill around pipe	12/17/08 - sand ensures fill pressure around pipe is even	12/17/08 - and the digging moves along quickly
12/17/08 - installing gas line is slow and methodical	12/17/08 - the stone fill was done after water line installation	12/17/08 - there's a lot of work going on at start	12/17/08 - yellow pipe is the next gas line segment
12/17/08 - another pipe segment is brought out	12/17/08 - workers prepare ends of segment for connection	12/17/08 - that's a ground wire attached along top of the pipe	12/17/08 - installed gas pipe is seen at distant end of trench
12/17/08 - white wire in this and previous picture measure trench	12/17/08 - next segment of gas pipe is ready to be installed	12/17/08 - even as water accumulates in the trench	12/17/08 - despite water, gas line install continues
12/17/08 - the next segment of the gas pipe is brought out	12/17/08 - worker cuts off end to prepare a leakproof connection	12/17/08 - another worker helps to stabilize the pipe	12/17/08 - Punee supervises workers as they near the MRAO
12/17/08 - installation of gas line is done as evening arrives		12/16/08 - a quiet day in Blue Moon Alley before next round
12/15/08 - detritus remaining from our trench	12/15/08 - hotel asked to be connected to water line	12/15/08 - workers spent half a day looking for connection	12/15/08 - but finally gave up when they couldn't find it
12/14/08 - this is the hole at the far end of the alley	12/14/08 - keeping it open for access to gas connection?	12/14/08 - some folks have really dirty shoes today	The photo at the immediate left is the trench right in front of the MRAO. When they finished filling in the trench, the last fill to go into this area was very wet mud. It was the consistency and color of chocolate pudding and it's taking a long time to dry. Photo below shows it right after they finished filling the trench.
With the completion of the new new water main installation and the connection of all residences, the gas line installation should now proceed. We're told that the gas installation will re-start on Tuesday, Dec 16	12/11/08 - all of the following day was spent on ours	12/12/08 - our connection was finished the next morning	12/12/08 - the final two connections were done quickly
12/10/08 - and were back the next morning in the same hole	12/10/08 - it was a painful process to watch them	12/10/08 - but they finally completed it	During the entire time that this work has been going on, the distant end of the alley has remained closed as shown in photos in row below. It has been interesting to watch drivers come zipping in from the main road and see how far they go before realizing they can't go through and must back out.
12/9/08 - the crew worked all day on this one connection		12/8/08 - a new crew showed up to connect residences	12/8/08 - a slow process finding 40-yr-old water connections
12/6/08 - the next day, crew was back to finish the pipline	12/6/08 - and the excavator is shown tamping down the fill	On Friday, Dec 5, the excavator was picked up and taken to an emergency repair job. We wondered when it might return.	12/4/08 - on a rainy Thursday, excavator remained unused
12/2/08 - the first task was to reopen the trench	12/2/08 - considerably more excavation work was done	12/2/08 - the excavator moved along reopening the trench	12/2/08 - here it's approaching the military retiree office
12/2/08 - work was slowed by the need to clean out old stuff	12/2/08 - and the new water main pipeline followed	12/2/08 - one worker works in trench while three supervise	12/2/08 - new pipeline is threaded under existing pipes
12/2/08 - care must also be taken with existing connections	12/2/08 - excavator must also break up the asphalt	12/2/08 - by evening, excavator was in front of retiree office	12/2/08 - and partly open trench restricted office access
Monday, Dec 1 - Five days after the water main was broken a new crew showed up to repair/replace the water main	12/1/08 - the new crew arrived early to start repairs	12/1/08 - after one repair was completed, they moved on	12/1/08 - the second repair was not easy and kept reopening
12/1/08 - the crew worked through the day on the water line	12/1/08 - attempting to move the digging further along	12/1/08 - at the end of a long day, they loaded the machine	12/1/08 - and departed without have gained much ground
11/25/08 - equipment has been unloading since 7am arrival	11/25/08 - soil full of trash from previous job dumped here	11/25/08 - setting up equipment to start working	11/25/08 - one resident failed to move his car before start
11/25/08 - long yellow pipes are the main gas line	11/25/08 - worker removes sign to prepare for installation	11/25/08 - worker starts to cut asphalt; sand piled at right	11/25/08 - worker cuts pipes for residence installation
11/25/08 - 'butt crack' is not limited to plumbers	11/25/08 - loader clears space for pedestrians to pass	11/25/08 - concrete took more effort to break up and clear	11/25/08 - truck with tools and parts for residence installers
11/25/08 - the hard stuff has been broken up for trench dig	11/25/08 - big pieces removed, small pieces go by shovel	11/25/08 - gas main pipes are being joined before burial	11/25/08 - this is the equipment that is used to join the pipes
11/25/08 - a ground wire is installed the length of the pipe	11/25/08 - home delivery sign removed for meter install	11/25/08 - workman later glues sign with this final result	11/25/08 - the digging has stopped for some reason
11/25/08 - aha, broken water pipe halts work for 4 hrs	11/25/08 - while workers wait for water repairmen to arrive	11/25/08 - first repair didn't work, so back to it again	11/25/08 - as night fell, they refilled the trench
11/25/08 - the gas main pipes remained unburied	11/25/08 - the sand was then used to fill the partial trench	11/25/08 - all that remains is a scar and a mess when it rains	11/25/08 - gas main pipes had been moved to side alley
Songtan Station Road Widening
11/11/09 - here's an update on the widening of the road to Songtan Station. The construction is proceeding very slowly as a number of homes and business are being dislocated.
11/11/09 - with the construction, remaining road is very narrow	11/11/09 - parking along narrow road certainly doesn't help	11/11/09 - example of novel rewiring solutions seen here	11/11/09 - worker down inside part of new drainage system
11/11/09 - construction stops at overpass going to main gate	11/11/09 - looking back from the overpass toward the station	11/11/09 - if road widening continues, will this area be next?
1/02/09 - a wide view from stairway at the Songtan Station		1/02/09 - a view of the same area from ground level	1/02/09 - this house looks very nice from here
1/02/09 - but it's gutted and the bulldozer is coming	1/02/09 - this house was still occupied last time we looked	1/02/09 - but it's definitely empty now	1/02/09 - and this house is pretty much gone
1/02/09 - rubble from the same house is at the right	1/02/09 - another nice and relatively new one is gutted	1/02/09 - just past that house, overpass ahead
1/02/09 - another house near overpass is gutted	1/02/09 - the area near the overpass looks like it will present quite a challenge for widening
11/26/08 - a view from stairway at the Songtan Station	11/26/08 - a view of the same area from ground level	11/26/08 - some houses only a few feet behind survived	11/26/08 - middle house is empty, house to left is occupied
11/26/08 - this very large house will soon be demolished	11/26/08 - looks like demolition started, but still occupied above	11/26/08 - removal is not affecting consecutive buildings	11/26/08 - empty below, looks like it's occupied above
11/02/08 - house near rail line is empty, ready to go	11/02/08 - houses to make way for road widening	11/02/08 - road extends from Songtan Station	11/02/08 - indications are it will go through downtown
11/02/08 - new sign installed along rail line	11/02/08 - advises of noise level from nearby airbase	11/02/08 - sign also advises of aircraft 'vibration'	11/02/08 - info rotates to provide frequents updates
Sinjang Sidewalks
6/20/09 - red asphalt re-paving in alley near 7-11 outside gate	6/20/09 - repaving continues but stops at OB House entrance	6/20/09 - to the right, re-paving stops halfway down hill
6/20/09 - alley across from Stereo Club is repaved black	6/20/09 - this alley repaving also stops short of the alley end	6/20/09 - further along, electrical truck unloading cables	6/20/09 - wiring in this area does look like it needs some work
11/09/08 - workers are back to do some sidewalk repairs	11/09/08 - part of the curbing and bricks have been removed	11/09/08 - bricks on sand base become uneven quickly	11/09/08 - if at first you don't succeed, try, try again
10/15/08 - concrete poles have been removed	10/15/08 - and the associated wires also removed
8/16/08 - new sidewalk stones are not wearing well	8/16/08 - raised section here presents tripping hazard	8/16/08 - especially where concrete has broken off	8/16/08 - uneven bricks are problem for handicapped
5/25/08 - custom-cut pieces are now installed	5/25/08 - some work still not completed, no rush though	5/25/08 - handicap obstacle remains as an obstacle	5/25/08 - sidewalk on other side also looking good
5/25/08 - outlet for underground utilities	5/25/08 - going to be hard keeping it clean	5/25/08 - bricks cut to fill a narrow gap	5/25/08 - then they got tired of cutting and filling
5/11/08 - sidewalk upgrade outside gate still a hazard	5/11/08 - across from the gate, pedestrian "bridges" installed	5/11/08 - concrete troughs being installed for drainage	5/11/08 - grate then covers the installed trough
5/11/08 - further down the street, installation continues	5/11/08 - transformer box is hazardous to handicapped	5/11/08 - temporary end of the current phase of installation	5/11/08 - across the street, tripping hazards are prevalent
5/11/08 - pedestrian footprints are immortalized forever (or so)	5/11/08 - crosswalk situation still a hazard for everyone	5/11/08 - a small ditch presents a small pedestrian obstacle	5/11/08 - a big ditch is an even greater obstacle, even to cars
5/04/08 - the Songtan-Sinjang sidewalk is being replaced	5/04/08 - the weeks-long project leaves dangers afoot	5/04/08 - yellow band is aid for handicapped persons	5/04/08 - yellow areas also mark pedestrian crossing points
Sinjang Wire Cleanup
11/02/08 - looking down from near Capital Hotel towards gate	11/02/08 - closer look reveals no wires hanging above street	11/02/08 - from Capital Hotel, view in opposite direction	11/02/08 - from Osan main gate, looking left
7/13/08 - electrical work has moved to my neighborhood	7/13/08 - pedestrians continue to walk under the work site	7/13/08 - wire workers on the ground, wire cutter above	7/13/08 - and bucket truck causes some traffic problems.
7/13/08 - cut wires hang down from this pole	7/13/08 - this pole no longer holds electrical wires	7/13/08 - transformers hang uselessly from wireless pole	7/13/08 - this alley is scheduled for cleanup in Aug or Sep.
6/08/08 - cleaning up tangle of exposed wiring has begun	6/08/08 - the electric wiring is the first to go underground	6/08/08 - outside meter makes it easy for the meter reader	6/08/08 - neatness counts, but nearby is example of old way.
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