As you may recall, last week Bernalwood introduced you to Line 109, a PG&E gas pipeline that has recently become the focus of much concern, in light of potential safety issues that could cause the line to explode in a searing fireball — much as it did here once before, in 1963.

Bernalwood has since been in contact with Paul Parmley, a representative from PG&E, who offered to answer any questions we have about Line 109 in Bernal Heights. And indeed, we had some questions. So here they are, along with the answers we received from Mr. Parmley.

Q. What detail can you provide about the section of Line 109 that runs through Bernal Heights?

Line 109 through the Bernal Heights neighborhood is 26-inches in diameter. Line 109 has a maximum operating pressure of 145 psig. The current pipeline was installed in 1981 and 1982, and it was pressure tested during construction to 550 psig for eight hours. The pipeline operates at less than 19% of the specified minimum yield strength (SMYS) at this location, providing a considerable margin of safety.

Q. Have any sections of the line in Bernal been replaced in the last 50 years?

The section of Line 109 in the Bernal Heights neighborhood, between Alemany Blvd. and Cesar Chavez, was installed in 1981 and 1982.

Q. When was Line 109 last inspected, and how?

PG&E has a comprehensive inspection and monitoring program to ensure the safety of its natural gas transmission pipeline system. PG&E regularly conducts patrols, leak surveys, and cathodic protection (corrosion protection) system inspections for its natural gas pipelines. Any issues identified as a threat to public safety are immediately addressed.

Patrols: PG&E performs regular patrolling of transmission pipelines to look for indications of pipeline leaks, missing pipeline markers, construction activity and other factors that may threaten the pipeline. Line 109 through the Bernal Heights neighborhood was last patrolled in August 2011, and everything was found to be normal.

Leak Surveys: PG&E regularly conducts leak surveys of its natural gas transmission pipelines. After the San Bruno incident, PG&E performed additional ground leak surveys for its entire natural gas transmission system. Leak surveys are generally conducted with a leak surveyor walking above the pipeline using leak detection instruments. Line 109 was last leak surveyed in April 2011, and no leaks were found.

Cathodic Protection System Inspections: PG&E utilizes an active cathodic protection (CP) system on its gas transmission and distribution pipelines to protect them against corrosion. PG&E inspects its CP systems every two months to ensure they are operating correctly. The CP systems on Line 109 were last inspected in September 2011, and everything was found to be operating correctly.

Integrity Assessments: PG&E also performs integrity assessments of certain gas transmission pipelines in urban and suburban areas. Line 109 had an external corrosion direct assessment (“ECDA”) in 2009. This assessment identified no issues requiring corrective action.

Q. Have the records pertaining to the Bernal portion of 109 been validated?

PG&E pressure test records for Line 109 in the Bernal Heights neighborhood are complete.

So there you have it. The good news is, our section of Line 109 is relatively new, and thus hopefully does not have any of the shoddy, 1950s-era welds that were blamed in the San Bruno explosion. Likwise, it seems that an active inspection regimen is in place to validate the line’s integrity.

This is encouraging stuff, and we are grateful to PG&E for for providing such detailed information. Yet given the magnitude of PG&E’s recent mismanagement of its pipeline infrastructure, and the tremendous potential for harm, unwavering diligence will be required by both Bernal Heights residents and our local authorities to ensure the pipeline will remain safe for decades to come.

As Reader Tara commented earlier this week:

Thanks for asking for a summary and please post an update whether or not you receive a reply. This article about PG&E in SF Gate yesterday got me even more pissed off and scared about this. Trying to think about what we can do as influential citizens of Bernalwood.

Harvest Hills is that excellent corner store on the corner of Folsom and Precita that was formerly called Cancilla’s Market. The place just keeps getting better and better, and the latest improvement comes in the form of a proposed parklet that will be installed on the Bessie Street side of the building.

From the Harvest Hills website:

We had a chalk artist draw on the curb and the street a notice about the parklet we have on the way. The city approved the basic plan, now we have to submit a detailed plan. There are many people excited about it. A couple people are not. One asked why do we need a park let when we have a park across the street? A customer answered that for us when he said “I’m so happy you guys are going through the effort to bring the neighborhood a parklet. Our park was taken over by someone that has made it his living room.

We did it because the city asked us to and because it will make a nice area to take a break and talk with friends. It is a big expense for us with over a $1000 in fees plus the cost to build it. We invest in the store and this is an investment in the neighborhood. We hope you like it. We’ve been busy with a new little addition called Hannah but we will get updates to you as they become available.

Here’s the architectural rendering video-tour:

Oh, and that old flatbed truck that appears at the start of the video? That’s actually part of the program.

Harvest Hills recently bought a 1952 GMC flatbed, and they plan to put it to work:

We have another new arrival coming this week. Her name is Old Betty. She’s big, she’s yellow and a few other colors too. She’s a 1952 flatbed farm truck that we rescued. We had a choice to get a big white box truck like everyone else, to bring in produce and products or to be a little different. We aren’t your average neighborhood store and you aren’t average neighbors. Bernal is a fun and hopefully the neighborhood children will have some great memories with her. She’ll be great for parades and hay bail rides. She’s got a big air horn and lots of patina.

Fun stuff. Between the Precita Park Cafe at the east end of the park, and Harvest Hills to the west, this corner of Bernal Heights is coming to life in new and exciting ways.

PHOTO: Telstar Logistics

Neighbor Joe, who coined the now-official name for our own Sutrito Tower, created this spiffy time-lapse video that shows Sutrito and Sutro Towers… together at last. Then, to complete the trifecta, he added “Bernal Heights” by Jhameel as a soundtrack. Hypnotic perfection.

This just in, from the Department of Really Uncool. Neighbor Jamie says:

I am a member of the Bernal Heights community garden at the very top of the south side of Folsom Street. I am sorry to report that a number of gardeners in our garden have had their veggies stolen from their plots over the last few weeks. Most recently a gardener caught two women harvesting her beans at 7am earlier this week! While we all hate to do it, this means we are going to have to place a lock on the gate to the garden.

The trilingual shaming on the sign is a wise touch.

PHOTO: Neighbor Jamie

Check this beautiful photo captured by Ed Brownson on August 12 and submitted to us via the Bernalwood Flickr group. Ed sez: