by Habib Balian, Foothill Goldline Construction Authority
Posted 1/7/12 – The new year is starting out with significant activity on all aspects of the project, beginning with Kiewit Parsons initiating alignment design and pre-construction activities which are now underway. This includes surveying, geotechnical work and utility locating activities all along the 11.5-mile corridor. Additionally, the I-210 Bridge two main column structures in the center median are complete and the “form” was moved early yesterday morning to the southern shoulder and is now installed around the third. The abutments are also well underway, and crews are getting ready to turn their attention to the super-structure.
In the coming weeks, installation of the falsework will begin. This activity will take a number of weeks to complete, and will require up to 20 late-night closures of all eastbound lanes of the I-210 Freeway. Some closures will occur on consecutive nights, and all will take place starting at Midnight with lanes reopening by 5:00 a.m.
The Los Angeles Business Journal this week published a photo essay of a number of “jumbo projects” underway in the region. They featured the I-210 Bridge on the cover, and included several photos in the essay highlighting our project. Additionally, the Foothill Extension project was ranked the fourth largest construction project in the county by the Journal in their Book of Lists, which also came out this week. Expo and the 405 projects also ranked on the top of the list, highlighting the importance that Measure R is playing in the economic recovery of the area.
Finally, this week the Authority filed an objection with the Los Angeles Superior Court. The objection is a response to last week’s preliminary ruling “vacating” a previous ruling relating to the project’s environmental clearance. We objected to the ruling, because it was based on the factual error that the alternative site (in Irwindale) reviewed in the Supplemental EIR for the maintenance facility was outside the Pasadena to Azusa corridor and therefore was not a reasonable alternative. In fact, the Irwindale site evaluated sits directly along the corridor, just west of the future Irwindale station. We feel confident that once the court realizes its misunderstanding, it will maintain its initial ruling in favor of the Authority’s certified document. I will of course keep you posted.
The Journey Continues,
Habib F. Balian