Patrick Ricketts, a signal technician working on the Twin Peaks Tunnel project, was killed Friday when a steel beam fell. (Courtesy photo)
Technician killed by beam in Twin Peaks Tunnel was working with stepson
By Michael Barba on August 13, 2018 2:04 pm
The worker killed Friday during construction on the Twin Peaks Tunnel was on the same job site as his stepson when a steel beam fell and hit him, according to a longtime friend.
Patrick Ricketts, a signal technician for Shimmick Construction, died after the beam pinned him at around 4:30 p.m., transit officials said. His stepson, Matt Ropers, was at the other end of the tunnel, said Tony Owens, his friend of three decades.
“He’s having a tough time,” Owens said of Ropers in a phone call on Monday. “Everybody is in shock. It’s just really devastating. It was just so unexpected.”
The incident halted the seismic retrofit of the 100-year-old Twin Peaks Tunnel until Saturday as California Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the San Francisco Police Department investigated the death.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency deemed the incident an accident in a statement Saturday night. Cal/OSHA said it would take four-six months to conclude its investigation.
Ricketts, a 51-year-old resident of Williams in Colusa County, is survived by his wife Bonnie Ricketts and two adult stepchildren. Owens said Ricketts had worked in construction for the last 15 years.
The Great Recession forced him to work jobs around the country, including Alaska. As a result, Ricketts would only see his family every six weeks until he landed a position with Shimmick Construction less than a year ago. The Twin Peaks Tunnel construction meant he could be even closer to his family.
“He was happy to be back in town and working with his son and being able to see his wife on the weekends,” Owens said. “It was a sacrifice for a long time.”
Owens said Ricketts and his wife are hard-working people. When Bonnie Ricketts learned of her husband’s death, Owens said she told him, “Well, I know this job is really on a crunch time.”
“She was worried about them getting back to work,” Owens said.
The SFMTA is expected to finish construction on the tunnel by Aug. 25. It is not immediately known if the incident will push back the completion date.
Shimmick Construction has offered to cover the costs of the funeral and related airfare, according to Owens. The company is expected to meet with the family in Williams on Tuesday.
Shimmick Construction has not responded to requests for comment.
The family is expected to hold a service for Ricketts next Monday in Colusa.
Owens said Ricketts enjoyed camping, restoring classic cars and barbecuing.
“He’s a good father and a great friend,” Owens said. “I planned on building some more cars with him when we retired.”
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Worker Dies After Twin Peaks Tunnel Project Construction Accident
San Francisco, CA
A construction worker who was hit by a steel beam at the Twin Peaks Tunnel Project died on Friday.
Patrick Ricketts, a 51-year-old signal technician, was pinned underneath the beam at about 4:30 p.m. on Friday. According to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, nearby workers rushed to help Ricketts, who was transported to San Francisco General Hospital, where he died later that evening. Ricketts lived in the Colusa County town of Williams, 100 miles north of San Francisco.
MTA spokeswoman Erica Kato says Ricketts was employed by Oakland-based Shimmick Construction. Shimmick did not respond to a request for comment.
Work on the tunnel was suspended pending an investigation by San Francisco police and Cal/OSHA. The SFMTA said late Saturday that crews were cleared to resume work.
“We have taken extra precaution to ensure the tunnel is safe before returning workers to the project,” said SFMTA director Ed Reiskin in a statement. “We feel confident that the contractor, under the SFMTA’s oversight, has done everything possible to ensure construction can proceed safely.”
Mayor London Breed released a statement Friday with condolences to the worker's family, friends and colleagues.
"This is a tragic incident and I want to commend the Twin Peaks Tunnel laborers who quickly sprang into action to help their colleague," Breed said.
The retrofitting project is replacing tracks and drainage systems in the tunnel, which connects the city's West Portal neighborhood to downtown San Francisco.
Shimmick Construction
Shimmick Construction Company, Inc. (SCCI) was founded in 1990 by John Shimmick and his long time friend and colleague Mike Strandberg. Through the 1990’s SCCI became one of the most active contractors engaged in the seismic retrofit of highways and bridges in Southern California. During the same decade SCCI constructed a series of utility and sewer projects in the San Francisco Bay Area.In 1992, SCCI partnered with Obayashi Corporation to create a joint venture that began with the building of a $46 million cut-and-cover box culvert for the City of San Francisco. This project was very successful and was the catalyst that brought Shimmick into the business of building big complex projects and Joint Venturing with National and International Contractors.
In the following decade SCCI went on to build a number of large
railroad and highway projects in the Los Angeles area. During this time
SCCI also constructed a variety of underground utility projects and
bridges in and around the San Francisco bay area. Concurrently, SCCI
extended its project capabilities to water resources projects, including
dams, water and wastewater treatment plants; and expanded its
geographical range throughout California.In the last few years, Shimmick started a foundation group that is performing work throughout the western United States, Colorado and Hawaii. This work includes some of the most technical and challenging large diameter drilled shaft foundation projects in the US.
During the summer of 2017, Shimmick announced that it is now part of AECOM, a premier, fully integrated global infrastructure firm serving governments, businesses and organizations in more than 150 countries. Shimmick’s heavy civil expertise, combined with AECOM’s leading project management and design market presence, allows for enhanced delivery offerings, especially as clients increasingly procure services on an integrated basis.
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Twin Peaks Tunnel Construction and Reopening Update
Thursday, August 9, 2018 - 5:14pm
Neighborhoods affected
Route(s) Affected
The End is in Sight!
Construction on the 2.2 mile long Twin Peaks Tunnel is nearing completion and crews are still on schedule to finish within the 2-month project window. Current projections show the tunnel being operational on or before the targeted August 25th date. Once reopened, the 80,000 daily riders of the K, L and M lines will get enjoy riding on new rails in the upgraded tunnel.
As we learn more and finish the vital safety and infrastructure upgrades, it will be possible to share a more exact date and time when rail service will resume. Before trains begin running, crews expect a few days of testing and cleaning to be sure all the new equipment is ready to go.
Tunnel Work Progress Report:
- The new rails in outbound direction are complete and the tracks in the inbound direction are nearly finished.
- About 90% of the seismic retrofit work is complete.
- The 100-year old drainage system is 99% upgraded.
- All four of new track crossovers are installed -- These crossovers help the train switch from one track to the other during breakdowns and can assist improving overall train operations by adding flexibility.
- Important fire safety enhancements are being implemented.
- Signal improvements for the trains are approximately 75% complete.
Later this summer/fall after the tunnel is operational again, there will be two more planned weekend overnight closures to West Portal, Forest Hill, Castro and Church stations. These closures will be at night only -- when ridership is low -- and are scheduled from approximately 11:59 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. on two Saturday and Sunday nights still to be determined. Bus shuttles will be provided while these additional electrical upgrades are done.
